Anjelica Huston: American Actress and Director

Anjelica Huston stands tall and thin with an angular face and dense shock of dark hair, yet she manages to strike an elegant balance between a striking appearance and subdued unassuming nature. Onscreen she evokes both strength and femininity effortlessly – something she learned during her modeling days.

Anjelica Huston first made her screen debut in Bob Rafelson’s remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice, before going on to star as Maerose Prizzi, Mafia don Don Don Prizzi’s granddaughter, in John Prizzi’s 1985 film Prizzi’s Honor.

Anjelica Huston’s Biography

Anjelica Huston was the third generation of an esteemed film family. John Huston was a famous actor/director and prima ballerina Enrica Soma was her mother; all these individuals created an impressive legacy of theater, dance, and film in their family history, full of drama, tragedy, and triumph. She was born on July 8, 195,1 in New York City.

Huston initially made her acting debut during the 1960s by appearing on television programs and appearing as a model in cameo roles. Following an unsuccessful stint at a modeling agency, she decided to focus on acting. Seeking acting coach Peggy Feury for guidance, she slowly took more substantial roles. Notable ones include co-starring alongside Jack Nicholson in the 1980 remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice as well as playing a manipulative mafia daughter in 1985’s Prizzi’s Honor – for which her performance received nomination from Academy Award voters.

She made her film debut in 1987’s thriller A Handful of Dust as a journalist who is forced to reveal dark secrets, followed by Francis Ford Coppola’s Vietnam War-era military drama Gardens of Stone (1988) in which she also featured. Additionally, in 1985’s The Dead she played an old woman coaxed into revealing his past.

Anjelica Huston’s Relationship

Huston married sculptor Robert Graham in 1992; after he died in 2008, she wrote extensively about their relationship in two memoirs – A Story Lately Told: Coming of Age in Ireland, London, and New York as well as Watch Me: A Memoir – each filled with her trademark wit and understated elegance that make these reads such enjoyable works.

Huston is also deeply engaged in animal rights and environmental causes outside her acting career, sitting on the advisory council for Save the Chimps – a large chimpanzee sanctuary and rescue organization. Additionally, she worked to secure Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi’s release in Burma; leading an effort through U.S. Campaign for Burma and Human Rights Action Center’s November 2007 letter campaign encouraging U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to intervene directly for democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi; in that month over 25 high profile individuals from entertainment industries were signed on as signatory individuals.

Anjelica Huston’s Modeling Career

Anjelica Huston was no doubt raised with fashion in her blood as the daughter of famed filmmaker John Huston and former Russian prima ballerina Enrica Soma, so it came as no surprise that Anjelica started her career modeling fashion in her early twenties. Richard Avedon used her as his subject, and in the 1960s she graced runways such as Halston and Chanel designers’ runway shows.

Huston had always preferred acting to modeling, and she eventually left fashion modeling to pursue her goal of becoming an actress in film. Her first acting job came when she appeared in her father’s A Walk With Love and Death movie back in 1969, but her acting career took off when she appeared as the main protagonist of the 1985 movie Prizzi’s Honor which earned her an Academy Award nomination.

Huston has made her mark as an actress in over 80 films and TV shows, has directed three feature-length films, and has been featured as a narrator in several documentaries. For this work, she has received multiple accolades, such as two Golden Globe Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards.

Recently, Huston has become increasingly active in theater productions including Almost an Evening and The Crucible. Additionally, she has provided voice work for animated films and television shows including Tinker Bell.

Anjelica Huston has earned herself a reputation for being a warm and giving individual. She takes great pleasure in her work and has a fierce work ethic; in addition, she is known to make generous donations to various causes in her community over time.

She is an advocate of animal cruelty and supports the anti-fur movement, having spoken out against animal treatment. Most recently, Oscar winner Emma Thompson donated two items adorned with furs from both lynxes and muskrats to PETA as part of this movement – joining other celebrities like Mariah Carey, Kim Cattrall, and Sharon Osbourne who support anti-fur campaigns.

Huston has gone beyond acting; she has also written and directed multiple movies such as Bastard Out of Carolina, Agnes Browne, and Riding the Bus with My Sister. Additionally, she collaborated with Wes Anderson on projects like The Royal Tenenbaums, Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and The Darjeeling Limited.

Anjelica Huston’s Acting Career

Huston wasn’t content to remain just a model despite her beauty or the praise she received as one. Instead, she set out on a path toward acting. First appeared in A Walk With Love and Death (1969), but her success as an actress wasn’t realized until 1985 mafia-satire Prizzi’s Honor saw her win her first Oscar ever (following in the footsteps of both John Huston and Walter Huston before). From there her career blossomed rapidly.

Eloise played roles in several dramatic films such as Bob Rafelson’s The Postman Always Rings Twice (1976) and Frances (1982). She had supporting roles in Thornton Wilder’s adaptation of Mr. North (1987), Lonesome Dove television miniseries (1989), Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), and The Grifters (1990), earning critical acclaim; she continued her filmography spanning from comedy thrillers historical epics.

In 1991’s comedy Daddy Day Care (directed by Christopher Lloyd), she played an overbearing mother to Christopher Lloyd and earned herself an Independent Spirit Award nomination. Buffalo ’66 (2000, directed by Michael Cohl and starring Janet as her daughter’s fanatical mother) brought even greater acclaim and garnered another Independent Spirit nomination from audiences around the globe.

Huston enjoyed extensive and varied filmography. She collaborated with director Wes Anderson on The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), and The Darjeeling Limited (2007) as well as lending her voice for animated projects such as the Tinker Bell franchise.

Huston is a devout Catholic and animal rights activist. She serves on the board of Save the Chimps and has given to numerous charitable organizations. Additionally, she authored two memoirs (A Story Lately Told (2013) and Watch Me (2014)) as well as appearing as Eileen Rand on Smash (2012) on the NBC series Smash and recently played Morticia Addams from The Addams Family films (2015) reboot.

Anjelica Huston’s Personal Life

Huston has successfully built her career in both film and television. With her stunning beauty and commanding presence, she stands out as an effortless star who effortlessly inhabits multiple characters with ease. Moulin Rouge (1999) and The Princess and the Frog (2004) both featured her as the lead protagonist. Additionally, she appeared in several HBO miniseries including Buffalo Girls (1995), Ever After (1998), Agnes Browne (199 9), and Family Pictures (1996) as well as popular roles like Lisbeth Salander in Buffalo Girls and Family Pictures respectively.

Huston chronicled her first 30 years as a professional with candor and discretion in her memoir Watch Me: A Memoir (2014), recounting both the ups and downs of her relationships – including those with Jack Nicholson who would constantly cheat, only for them to dismiss it as evidence against themselves. However, following a car accident in 1980 that galvanized her into making her mark she began taking acting lessons and appearing sporadically in supporting roles.

Robert Graham was eventually married in 1992 and the two established themselves in Venice Beach, creating a home together. However, tragedy struck in 2008 with Robert’s passing away due to granulomatous polyangiitis, an inflammatory condition of blood vessels.

Huston first achieved critical acclaim during the 1990s for her performances in films such as Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), Enemies, A Love Story (1989), The Darjeeling Limited (2007), and French Dispatch (2021). Additionally, she frequently collaborated with director Wes Anderson by lending her steely presence to his whimsical worlds in movies like The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and The Darjeeling Limited; portraying women’s suffragette Carrie Chapman Catt on the HBO series Iron Jawed Angels; playing women’s suffragette leader Carrie Chapman Catt on HBO series Iron Jawed Angels; appearing widow Choke (2008) as well as struggling Broadway producer Smash (2012)

She is also an advocate for animal rights and environmental causes, speaking out against HIV/AIDS, terrorism, homophobia, abusers of women, abusers of animals, and abusers in general. In particular, she wishes to clear up any confusion over her involvement or lack thereof in Roman Polanski’s sexual assault of 13-year-old Samantha Geimer for which he fled the country.