Celebrity Gossip / By Liz Smith
Sarandon in Emmy mood
Updated: 08/08/08 6:48 AM
Just had a long phone chat with Susan Sarandon, actress extraordinaire and Oscar winner for “Dead Man Walking.” And, believe it or not, we never once mentioned politics or any kind of social activism.
We talked about making movies and also about her Emmy nomination for best actress in HBO’s “Bernard and Doris,” the Doris Duke story.
Susan was on a film set in Nyack or maybe it was the Bronx, where she’s busy with a little low-budget independent film co-starring the gorgeous Pierce Brosnan. She gave me a cute imitation of his phone call to her when he accepted his role in “The Greatest.”
“Hello, Susan? Pierce here. This is Pierce Brosnan. About the movie — why not?”
She laughed. “Here he is, hot from ‘Mamma Mia!’, and he has such a good sense of humor.”
But I wanted to talk about her HBO movie and tell her that I had known the late heiress Doris Duke, as well as her controversial butler-companion, played on TV by the gifted actor Ralph Fiennes. Susan seemed thrilled: “We will be celebrating more than me at the Emmys. We have 10 nominations for this one; other than me — best movie, best actor, best director in Bob Balaban, best writing in Hugh Costello, and I think, costumes and makeup. I am so happy over the fact that so many people seemed to love ‘Bernard and Doris’ and I think it’s all about the hearts of these two disparate and unusual human beings. It’s about kindness and acceptance!
“This TV movie was the little engine that could, and it was made with the spirit of courage that it takes to say anything unusual or noteworthy. As it turned out, the experience was the way you dream acting will be. Very different from starring in some big budget film made by committee!”
Susan went on to say how great it was to try to present a picture of one of the richest women in the world — Doris Duke — and offer a version of her offbeat “butler” and still turn out a glamorous product on a shoestring. “These two damaged people made themselves the caretakers of each other. He was accused of using her for her money later, but that wasn’t true. He really cared for her. And Ralph played him with such distinction and sensitivity.
“And, yes, I need to thank Donna Karan for making the glamour possible with her offerings, her jewelry, her clothes, her taste. And Bob Balaban, what a pro! I’m very blessed. I am really pleased with my work, about the nomination, about my family. I can’t wait for Emmy night. My table will have the most fun of any group there!”
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As my colleague Cindy Adams already told you, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton “came home” to New York the other beautiful, balmy August evening, and her arrival in the big tent Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg had set up on the grounds of Gracie Mansion was an informal love fest. Here’s my take: Although the place was a riot of politicians from Gov. David A. Patterson to former mayors Edward I. Koch and David Dinkins to Sen. Charles E. Schumer plus former Sen. Alfonse
M. D’Amato and a late-arriving Rep. Charles B. Rangel— this get-together wasn’t really about politics, raising money or anything else practical.
The speeches were short and funny; the digs and anecdotes were cute and sweet; and the names of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama never came up. The great Billie Jean King was there, applauding along with Oscar de la Renta, Isaac Mizrahi, Tina Brown, Barbara Walters, Alan and Susan Patricof, Michael Kramer, Mort Zuckerman, Felix Rohatyn, Catie Marron, etc. After the “Hair” cast sang, the senator said she seen had the show before any of them were born and added that in her time, she’d had quite a lot to do with “hair.”
