Scott Thomas' Lucky Streak
Tyler McLeod
NEW YORK -- So what's the secret, Kristin? Come on girl, share with the group. Women will want to know how Kristin Scott Thomas manages to land juicy leading men on such a regular basis.
Let's recap: Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible, Prince in Under the Cherry Moon, Hugh Grant -- twice -- now with The English Patient, she is torn between Ralph Fiennes and Colin Firth.
"I'm so lucky, aren't I?" she grins. "For we English, Colin Firth is a complete and utter... I'm really lucky."
Scott Thomas goes on to joke, "Of course then they've all had me!"
"I just did The Revenger's Comedy. I play a frustrated farmer's wife who falls in love with Sam Neill -- there's another one!"
Perhaps Scott Thomas's, ahem, experience is why The Patient's makers insisted on her for the role of Katharine Clifton.
"I had to convince Anthony (Minghella, director) to give me the part and he had to convince the people who were paying for the movie to give me the part. They lost the financing because of me."
At last minute, with crew readying production in Italy, 20th Century-Fox backed out of its deal on The English Patient. They wanted "bankable" names. The film was dead for 31/2 weeks before resuscitation.
"It's an incredible vote of confidence," she says of the producers. "It makes you feel great but at the same time, you have to justify it."
A tall order considering Katharine must be the ideal woman. Entrancing enough to make Fiennes throw away everything for her love.
"She is vivacious and sexual and that's frightening to have to play," she says. "When you show up on the set with Katharine Clifton under your arm you have to show everything right away."
Literally and figuratively.
Scott Thomas was one of few cast members in Roman Polanski's Bitter Moon to remain clothed for any length of time, however, The English Patient's romance required a nude scene.
"I never had a particular problem with it," insists Scott Thomas.
"What I really hate is when nudity is just decoration."
The English actress did find love on the Patient, a love for the desert in which her scenes are based.
She recalls being disappointed in having to return to Paris -- where's she lived since leaving London "a very unhappy student in 1980.
"I had flunked drama school," she admits, "and thought if you're going to waste your time, you might as well waste your time in France and learn French.
"One of my instructors said I have no talent as an actress."
Well, they should talk to Tom Cruise. And Ralph Fiennes. And Hugh Grant. (Twice.)
