Mariella Gattini

Although in every country there are hundreds of actresses worth of respect and admiration, the ones I mention in the following paragraphs have made a dent on my mind, memory, and heart, whether because they caught me in a very difficult situation in my life, or because I identify with their sincere commitment to their craft.

The U.K. has always been a hard pill to swallow for me, with its imperialistic, repressive past that the extreme right wants to project into the future. The British actresses I mention below have demonstrated their willingness to show their vulnerability as women, as artists, and as part of a community that still is dealing with the most delicate and fundamental sociological issues. And because of that, they have all my respect.

Italy is part of who I am, so between the country and I there are no boundaries, because I don’t know where Italy ends and I begin, or where I finish and the country starts, we are parts of the same unit. The Italian actresses on my list have added strength to my mind and warmth to my heart and for that I’ll be forever grateful.

Chile is the country where I was born and where its people always treated me as a foreigner, in a negative and in a positive way. The distance I felt coming from some of the non-Italians was compensated by the ones who appreciated me for who I was with no need for apologies or explanations from my part. The Chilean actresses that accompanied me in the worst of times in Chile did so with great talent and resilience. They made me happy and they made me sad, but they especially were my companions in a long and infinite fight to keep going until the end of the worst travesty inflicted upon that country.

French is the language I learned in my twenties, knowing that my family had direct connection with that culture through family members, but also through our ancestry. The French actresses I added below are inserted in a rich, creative, and bigger-than this-world culture that I love and can understand in its diverse nuances.

Australia opened its arms to my maternal and paternal families, but still is an enigma to me. I see it as a vast and generous island that became a continent on its own.

Spanish stories are mostly dark and heavy with emotions because Spaniards are still dealing with the ghost of Franco, which has made of Spanish writers a very introspective bunch. Their comedies, on the other hand, reflect a sense of humor that has saved them one way or another.

The United States has always meant the future to me since I was twelve years old. The first actress who told me of that future was Bette Davis, whose message conveyed the fact that you can always stand on your own feet to keep going and the hell with the obstacles. Everyone else in this list, and in this country, has followed the same path, and continue the hard work of awakening minds toward what is right and fair, especially for women.

Without further ado, here you have the much awaited list:

U.K.

Samantha Morton, Nicola Walker, Kate Winslet, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Brenda Blethyn, and Charlotte Rampling.

Samantha is never afraid to face her demons, Nicola offers so much depth, Kate’s presence is earthy, poetic, and emotive, Kristin always seems to be about to say something important and never disappoints, Brenda’s honesty bleeds in every word she utters, and Charlotte was in it to uncover important human issues.

Italy

Anna Magnani, Monica Vitti, Valeria Golino, and Margherita Buy.

Anna gave her life in every interpretation, Monica added an intellectual flair to her lines, Valeria’s passion comes through every time, and Margherita is proficient, accurate, and to the point.

Chile

Silvia Piñeiro, Delfina Guzmán, Liliana Ross, Yael Unger, Claudia di Girolamo, and Paulina García.

Silvia was entertaining, funny, and kind. Delfina is good in both drama and comedy. Liliana was always talented, funny, and compassionate. Yael is able to deliver strong emotions that remain in you. Claudia is dedicated, honest, and empathetic. Paulina is daring, warm, and imaginative.

France

Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Juliette Binoche, and Julie Delpy.

Catherine always seems unscripted and at ease in any role, Isabelle’s unabashed characters instill fear, intrigue, and introspection. Juliette is passionate, creative, and thoughtful. Julie’s quest is to transcend cultural boundaries by confronting them head on and one by one.

Australia

Cate Blanchet, Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, and Toni Collette.

Cate’s ability to impose her presence is met with an unexpected and sincere fragility. Nicole’s multifaceted interpretations are delivered with generosity and deep kindness. Naomi’s humanity is transparent, honest, and masterfully contained. Toni is methodical, genuine, and endearing.

Spain

Carmen Maura, Victoria Abril, Aitana Sánchez-Guijón, Marisa Paredes, and Carmen Machi.

Carmen Maura harbors raw emotions that transpire as her truth. Victoria’s sensuality is overt and unapologetic. Aitana’s delicate and refine delivery leaves us thoughtful and in awe. Marisa’s talent forces us to focus on her character and on the word that she considers more important than who she is. Carmen Machi is able to inhabit her characters from a place of love and complete abandonment.

U.S.

Bette Davis, Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Patricia Clarkson, Sally Fields, Emma Stone, Glenn Close, Marisa Tomei, Viola Davis, Goldie Hawn, Holly Hunter, Allison Janney, Jean Smart, and Alfre Woodard.

Bette Davis was, and still is, the queen of all. She always delivered something extra and unexpected. Meryl is omnipresent in the story with an aura of indescribable effectiveness. Julianne can embody pretty much any character with grace and depth losing herself in it. Patricia appears whole and at ease in every interpretation. Sally seems to open her heart big to each one of her characters and is always all in. Emma is a force of nature, and is here to stay. Glenn’s remarkable tone can make us laugh as easy as she can make us cry. Marisa’s talent goes beyond the story at hand, her characters manage to remain in us way after the end. Viola says what she means and means what she says with such tour de force that she’s impossible to ignore. Goldie delivers compelling characters with humor, grace, and sweetness. For Holly every character is a quest that we are happy to engage with. Allison is funny, charming, and true to herself. Jean is delicate and at the same time forceful in her interpretations; she is truly inspiring. Alfre plays characters that look vulnerable and diminished at first to only show their true strength at last. She makes them worth the wait.

All of the above is not about my opinion, it’s about these wonderful artists’ value, talent, perseverance, work ethics, and willingness to give everything they have in every scene. We are unworthy of so much dedication, and yet, we are the lucky recipients of so much human grace.

I’m sure that I forgot someone, and this list will probably expand in no time in future updates at the end of this page. Still, the women above mentioned have been the first to come to mind thanks to the ability they have to connect with my intellect and my emotions in the worst, the no so bad, and in the best times of my life so far. I could not be more grateful.

UPDATE (August 15, 2024): Now that I think of, it would be unfair to enumerate here, at the bottom of this page, the actresses I forgot to include in this piece at the time of its publication. So please go to the Short Circuits' section of this site. Once there, keep scrolling to discover who these luminaries are. Thank you.