Mary Baker Eddy
Mary Baker Eddy is a spiritual genius. Fearless, stunning, tenacious, she has achieved fame and fortune as a best-selling author and sought-after healer. Her most outspoken critic and admirer is the sharp-tongued and irreverent Mark Twain who calls her “garrulous, ungrammatical and naively and everlastingly self-contradictory” but concedes that she is “the most daring and masterful woman that ever lived, and the most extraordinary.”
- Leave a comment to suggest an actor for this role
Kate Winslet…done.
Someone who understands the nuances and healing work of Christian Science, and knows the full history of Mary Baker Eddy. Someone who has had Christian Science Class Instruction! It must be represented properly and of course accurately the first time!
I think either Cate Blanchett or Kate Winslet would be great!
I’m not worried about which actress ends up playing this role, so long as she has inner strength, a spiritual awareness, and knows who Mary Baker Eddy is, and what a remarkable woman she was. I think Kate Winslet would do a good job too.
What about Judi Dench? She’s a great actress.
Meryl Streep. Hard to imagine anyone who could do a more masterful job of portraying such a pivotal person in American history.
if the movie is set in 1909 then i think it might be more realistic to have a more mature actress than either kate or cate, so that its not just make-up. i think meryl streep could do it without question even though she is quite a bit younger than her late 80’s too.
Bebe Nuewirth – has the New England accent down, accomplished actress with depth.
I looked at her eyes and features and they are
very fine. She is very intelligent looking and
also has a calm appearance. I would pick:
Julia Roberts ♥
How about Katherine Ross?
Mary Steenburgen
Tilda Swinton – Smart, versatile, convincing. Streep could pull it off too.
I believe Sally Field to be the perfect actress to portray Mary Baker Eddy…
Meryl Streep.
Julia Roberts
Nicloe Kidman OR me . . . .
Meryl Streep
I agree with Rebekah. Mary Steenburgen would be perfect.
Cate Blanchet – intellengence, beauty, independance,strength,a very expressive and mature actress/artist; skill and experience in portraying complex, profound individuals, such as Queen Elizabeth, political activist, (Irish I think), also a famous journalist, and others.
S&H 247:10; 89:18; 57:15
MBE was an artist…a Soul searcher! Her very human experiences propelled her yearning to find healing and while searching, uncovered the Truth of herself and her relationship to God, good.
After reading many of the comments above about who should play Mary, I saw that many people percieve her as beautiful! And so, in using the concordance to S&H and looking up the word beauty, it was enlightening to me to see MBE’s own perspective on what she believes constitutes that very word. In my opinion, whoever plays Mary and how well she comes across on film, won’t be determined by or be dependent upon ones physical features or age…or even their resume, etc.
No offense but she looks like Paul Schneider. But since this isn’t a teen comedy, I’ll say Meryl Streep/Helen Mirren if budget is no issue. They’d lend immediate credibility to the picture and they’re guaranteed Oscar nominees every time they step on set. Another great actress is Connie Britton, from TV’s Friday Night Lights. She may not be a perfect match physically but she can display a great deal of strength in her characters, something that Ms. Eddy obviously had.
Kyra Sedgewick would be great in this role.
Keira Knightly or Julia Roberts
Cate Blanchett
Meryl Streep
Many good suggestions to which I’d add Sandra Bullock
Hmmmm, Julia Roberts? Interesting thought. I can see the eyes, the strength, and the warmth. Wonder if she could pull off the age difference.
I think whoever is selected should at least be equal in star power to Val Kilmer. After all, he’s playing “the most famous and the most colorful” man in America. The woman who plays “the most famous and controversial” woman in America should have an equally impressive presence about her.
I think this cast should be an extraordinarily gifted group of folks who are not necessarily the obvious choice/first-people-you-think-of, but who could swallow these roles whole and we’d never forget them. Ellen Burstyn could do this one. Maybe Diana Scarwid, even.
I think Helen Mirren would be wonderful… or perhaps a previously ‘unknown’?
Meryl Streep: I admire her attention to detail in the character of a person she portrays. She also has a similar cheekbone structure. Similar, not exact.
I’m not sure Julia Roberts is good for this kind of piece. She seems to “new” american-like.
Cate Blanchett may also be good. She ages nicely on film and she gives a good serious, but loving impression.
Judi Dench I’m not so sure about.
I definitely vote for either Meryl Streep or Cate Blanchet.
I would disagree with everyone above, especially the individual who said that she should be played by someone famous. I think that because of the very FACT that she was unique and famous, she should be played by someone whose OWN fame will not overshadow hers. Someone as capable as the actresses mentioned above, but you haven’t *heard* of her. An individual can have PRESENCE without having fame. I strongly suggest Deborah Cresswell. Sublime actress. Steeped in theatre in New York City, before leaping more heavily into film and TV.
Meryl Streep, she can play any role and lend it the depth and understanding of the character it needs.
I would cast Mary Steenburgen as she has an eloquence and inner calmness that protrudes spiritual strength.
I agree with an earlier comment, where it was said that Mrs Eddy should be played by a Christian Scientist. I feel that anyone who does not understand CS and follow it and admire Mrs Eddy, would not give the love and dedication needed for this part. When Merril Streep played the part of Lindy Chamberlain, many years ago,(in the Dingo’s got my baby), she did a really bad portrayal of Lindy, because she wasn’t Australian and didn’t understand.
Surely there are some CS actresses out there who would love to play this part.
Good on you Val for doing this, it sounds great…
I was talking about this with a friend today and immediately she said “Meryl Streep would be perfect” and then she said or “Susan Sarandon would do a wonderful job”- I have to say I thought that was a great suggestion.
Lea Thompson
Meryl Streep-no contest
An un-known actress…..FROM New England…She doesn’t have to fake the New England accent…has real feelings and can portray them with depth and feeling..because in life,she has already been through SO much.And that can’t be taught at any school for acting….and NOW she lives in New Mexico!…Perfect. Cast an unknown. Keep people guessing….;o) Name is in e-mail…..
Kathryn Hays
Hi there,
I’m in love with this project and wish you, Val, and your producers all the best! Without specific casting specs, here’s a list of incredibly talented actresses who would all be quite excellent in the role – and in no particular order:
Cate Blanchett
Nicole Kidman – portrayed Virginia Woolf in The Hours
Samantha Morton
Kate Winslet – portrayed Iris Murdoch
Abbie Cornish
Marion Cotillard
Holly Hunter (based on her performance in The Piano)
Patrica Clarkson
Emily Watson
Natalie Portman
Anne Hathaway
Nicole Kidman would be great, regardless of her previous performance as Virginia Woolf, (reuniting Val and Nicole), but whomever ends up with the role will be one lucky lady, indeed.
Cheers!
Glen Close has the right intensity and skill as an actor, and with makeup might be able to pull off the 80+ years required of the character. You need somebody who can come off as from northern New England and still rough around the edges. Remember that MBE is full of contradictions: tough/frail; loving/cruel; brilliant/insecure. Her faith has cost her every bit as much as Clemens’ secular humanism has cost him. You are dealing with two of the biggest egos at the dawn of the Twentieth Century. Neither are heroes and neither are villains but both are uniquely American.
In the spirit of true indie film, and as an actress myself, I would really love to see an unknown in this part. There are plenty of other parts to fill with star names to create a talented cast and to help secure the financing of this picture. I have to believe that the reason so many movies flop right now (besides most of them being poorly written) is because the viewing audience is tired of seeing the same faces over and over. Just my .02.
Meryl Streep
Julie Harris would have the gravitas.
Lots of great ideas.. I think Helen Mirren, Julia Roberts , Sandra Bullock or Meryl Streep would all be great.
Susan Sarandon
Frances Fisher (she’ll have to dye)
Winona Rider Or Helena Bonham Carter
An unknown or Winona Ryder…… A soul that’s in tune with spirituality and mystics on the C. Science level for sure. A non-famous Actress would be the greatest. Eddy was a very humble person. This will be the hardest to cast. You want someone who brings the realness and knows her self what it’s like to be of that mindset. Good luck
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