It’s not often that you see an indy film actress in the ticker tape online news, but I only found out about the sad news of Adrienne Shelly’s death in the shadow of the foul play media. Shelly will forever be galvanized in my mind as the woman who could easily trade quips with Martin Donovan in Hal Hartley’s Trust. In Trust (and also Hartley’s Unbelievable Truth) she represented a girl facing the impossibility of adulthood and unwanted responsibility. Although I can’t comment on the rest of her career, those two films were particularly important to 19-year-old me. (She also played Jerry in Factotum, but someone is going to have to help me figure out who this character was: yes, I saw the film but who was Jerry? I don’t remember Adrienne Shelly in this film. I am a loser.)
She was found hung to death on Wednesday, November 1st. What seemed to be a puzzling suicide to those who knew her has turned into an unbelievable and unconscionable murder. A 19-year-old man has been arrested and charged with her murder.
Adrienne Shelly had recently written and directed a film entitled Waitress due for a 2006 release.
Nice post – I feel the same way about TRUST and THE UNBELIEVABLE TRUTH. She had a tiny role in FACTOTUM, as a hanger-on of the rich man (Pierre?), like Marisa Tomei’s character.
Comment by Jenny Jones — November 8, 2006 @ 8:54 am
I too am a fan of Adrienne Shelly and was stunned to learn she was dead. She and Hartley are both one of a kind. I immediately watched The Unbelievable Truth again and got a copy of Trust on vhs. I feel really bad about this. At least we have her on video.
Comment by Robin — December 9, 2006 @ 7:50 pm
She had a tiny role in FACTOTUM, as a hanger-on of the rich man (Pierre?), like Marisa Tomei’s character. You’re right.
Comment by zakupy kobiety — April 27, 2007 @ 5:30 am
Waitress was a very sweet, quirky and charming film. It’s sad that she won’t be able to make more.
Comment by Deena — September 24, 2007 @ 10:40 pm