Hollywood in the 2000s may be remembered mainly for
rise of romantic comedies
and by the adaptations of great
works of literary fantasy
. However, amidst so many releases, the audience discovered a
promising young actress,
then in my early twenties, in
Almost Famous
!
In the dramatic comedy of
Cameron Crowe
— the same director of
Jerry Maguire – The Big Turnaround
, starring
Tom Cruise
—,
Kate Hudson
Experience Penny Lane and begin your journey toward stardom.
But what is the plot of Almost Famous?
The story takes us back to the 1970s. William Miller, a fifteen-year-old teenager, breathes rock music. His greatest wish is to write about the music he loves, and determined, he sends an essay to Rolling Stone in the hope of becoming a journalist.
His talent does not go unnoticed: he gets the incredible opportunity to join the band Stillwater on tour to produce a story about them. Despite his mother Elaine’s objections, the dream becomes reality, and William embarks on this crazy adventure.
However, winning the trust of the musicians is not easy, especially when one is part of the press. Little by little, though, the young man shows the members of Stillwater that he is more than just a reporter—he’s an unconditional fan of the band. Throughout the tour, he stops being merely an observer and becomes genuinely involved in the group’s life.
A star is born
William, portrayed by
Patrick Fugit
, is surrounded by a stellar cast:
Billy Crudup
,
Frances McDormand
,
Jason Lee
,
Zooey Deschanel
e
Philip Seymour Hoffman
But who steals the scene and wins over the audience is then-newcomer Kate Hudson.
She brings to life Penny Lane, a charismatic, free-spirited, and mysterious muse deeply immersed in the 1970s rock universe. While traveling with the band Stillwater, she maintains a complicated relationship with guitarist Russell Hammond and, at the same time, captivates the protagonist William Miller with her enchanting personality.
Kate’s performance in the movie earned her a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in 2001, as well as an Oscar nomination the same year. The film, which carries a perfect title, propelled the actress into the international spotlight.
A legendary poster
Twenty-four years later, Kate Hudson recalled her experience on the set in an interview with
Variety
– especially about the iconic poster. In the image, she appears lying on the bed, wearing a white tank top and underwear, in a bold pose next to an electric guitar.
The actress revealed that she had no idea that photo would be chosen to promote the movie:
”
I just remember thinking: ‘I hope all my ex-boyfriends see this, everyone who rejected me,’ he joked. ‘When I saw the giant poster in Times Square, New York, it was really strange, like it wasn’t even me. But the entire experience of making this movie was amazing.’
”
At 46, Kate continues to shine: recently, she starred
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
, next to
Daniel Craig
, and currently hosts the series
The Lady of the Ball
, from Netflix.
Almost Famous is available on Max.
Read the article at radarsantri.com
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