Embeth Davidtz: From Bafflement to In Treatment

[hearthesilence]

Embeth Davidtz' Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight.

Apparently her directorial debut. I remember her as Helen Hirsch from Schindler's List and I think Mad Men - I didn't realize that was her playing the wife of Lane Pryce (Jared Harris).

[domino harvey]

She’s probably best known here for Junebug or Hanna

[Mr Sausage]

Whereas I know her almost exclusively for, er, Army of Darkness. I still remember Raimi and co. on the DVD commentary being baffled even decades later that she was in that movie.

[Maladroit Aggregator]

Whereas I know her almost exclusively for, er, Army of Darkness. I still remember Raimi and co. on the DVD commentary being baffled even decades later that she was in this movie.

I don't get it, why would the makers of a film be "baffled" by the presence of an actor they presumably cast in that film?

[Mr Sausage]

Whereas I know her almost exclusively for, er, Army of Darkness. I still remember Raimi and co. on the DVD commentary being baffled even decades later that she was in that movie.

I don't get it, why would the makers of a film be "baffled" by the presence of an actor they presumably cast in that film?

They were surprised such an awfully distinguished actress ended up in their very silly movie?

[hearthesilence]

Whereas I know her almost exclusively for, er, Army of Darkness. I still remember Raimi and co. on the DVD commentary being baffled even decades later that she was in that movie.

LOL, forgot I saw that one as well! IIRC part of the humor was having her be the straight person to Campbell's remarks, so a distinguished dramatic actress is exactly what you'd need to make the joke even better.

Have yet to see Junebug or Hanna.

[The Curious Sofa]

Army of Darkness was Embeth Davidtz's acting debut in a US movie, before Schindler's List or Junebug (which is probably remembered more for Amy Adams' breakout role), so she wasn't that distinguished yet. She has since starred in other low budget horror films.

[domino harvey]

She’s in Altman’s much derided Grisham film the Gingerbread Man and is Miss Honey in Matilda too. Letterboxd sez she was in Girl with the Dragon Tatoo and Bridget Jones’ Diary too but I don’t remember her in them (and I confused her with Olivia Williams in Hanna )

[Mr Sausage]

She’s in Altman’s much derided Grisham film the Gingerbread Man and is Miss Honey in Matilda too. Letterboxd sez she was in Girl with the Dragon Tatoo and Bridget Jones’ Diary too but I don’t remember her in them (and I confused her with Olivia Williams in Hanna )

She's in the second season of In Treatment as well, isn't she?

[Aspect]

For me and my family, she’ll always be the lovely Miss Honey in Danny DeVito’s super fun 1996 adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Matilda.

Oh, and as robot Robin Williams’ wife, Portia, in Chris Columbus’ wonderful Bicentennial Man. Sue me. Makes me cry every time. I miss James Horner.

[domino harvey]

She’s in Altman’s much derided Grisham film the Gingerbread Man and is Miss Honey in Matilda too. Letterboxd sez she was in Girl with the Dragon Tatoo and Bridget Jones’ Diary too but I don’t remember her in them (and I confused her with Olivia Williams in Hanna )

She's in the second season of In Treatment as well, isn't she?

First season but yes! And congrats M Sausage, now we need an Embeth Davidtz thread split too

[Sloper]

She's wonderful in In Treatment - unexpectedly the most heart-breaking patient in that season. The emotional intensity she brings to her last couple of episodes is incredible. Davidtz has a performance style that could easily seem arch or mannered, but I find Amy a totally believable, three-dimensional character.

Spoiler

She has a defiantly feel-bad ending as well - you can understand why Paul would have a crisis about the value of therapy based on an experience like this. As her marriage breaks down, Amy finds herself grappling with aspects of herself that are too complex to be dealt with in these couples sessions, and she's left feeling understandably devastated and betrayed by the whole process. What a great show for being willing to end a storyline on such an 'unsatisfying' note - it works because Davidtz makes you feel every bit of that devastation and betrayal.

[Mr Sausage]

In Treatment

One of the moments that sticks with me in that show is her final episode, where she sits in this sad bafflement asking ‘Why do I do things like this?’, seemingly no longer knowing who she is or why she is that way. You feel she’s come apart as a person at the same time her marriage has come apart. It makes a stark contrast to the previous episode where she sits in calm self-assurance over her decision to cheat.

[therewillbeblus]

We tried the first episode of In Treatment. My partner hated it and I thought it was pretty accurate but also what I do all day long for work so we tapped out. I do wanna give it another go at some point - I've said it before on this forum but one of the top social work masters programs in Boston tends to use these episodes in practicum classes for students, while we just watched Skins eps for assessment and diagnosis - which was also pretty neat

[The Narrator Returns]

This isn't going to be how anybody else here knows her, but from now on for me, she'll be who Thomasin McKenzie grows up into at the end of Old.

[beamish14]

She’s in Altman’s much derided Grisham film the Gingerbread Man and is Miss Honey in Matilda too. Letterboxd sez she was in Girl with the Dragon Tatoo and Bridget Jones’ Diary too but I don’t remember her in them (and I confused her with Olivia Williams in Hanna )

I need to rewatch Gingerbread Man. I really think Altman’s intention was to take the piss on legal thrillers of the time, and he succeeded in parts