Isabella Rossellini transitioned from her modeling career to an acting career through David Lynch’s 1986 film, Blue Velvet. Rossellini was praised for her role and the film achieved a cult status in the following years, but Blue Velvet was a controversial film at the time of its release. The explicit content was a major problem for critics, including Roger Ebert, who accused Lynch of exploiting the actress. However, Rossellini has defended Lynch in her recent interview.
David Lynch worked on Blue Velvet‘s script after the commercial failure of his epic sci-fi project, Dune. While the critical response was divided, Lynch received his second Academy Award nomination for Best Director for the film.
Isabella Rossellini Defends David Lynch For Her Exploitative Scenes In Blue Velvet
Isabella Rossellini played the role of Flora in Alice Rohrwacher’s film La Chimera. The film received positive reviews from critics and was even selected to compete for Palme d’Or last year. When asked about the film’s positive reception during an interview with IndieWire, Rossellini shared that she tried not to read reviews of her films, as they were depressing.
She added that she didn’t read the reviews for her breakout film Blue Velvet either. However, Rossellini shared that she came across Roger Ebert’s negative review of the David Lynch-directed film. She revealed that she was surprised at Ebert’s claim that Lynch exploited the actress in the film.
However, Rossellini defended the Twin Peaks director and shared that she was 31 or 32 when she did the role and was well aware of the character that she chose to do. The Fearless actress shared with IndieWire:
“I didn’t read the reviews at the time [Blue Velvet] came out. I try not to read reviews. They’re always depressing. There’s always something that, even if [the review is] good, there is always one sentence that is negative and stays inside you forever. But I remember I was told that Roger Ebert said that [Lynch] exploited me, and I was surprised, because I was an adult. I was 31 or 32. I chose to play the character.”
Lynch and Rossellini were in a relationship at the time that lasted until the beginning of the 1990s. Rossellini also told IndieWire that she read the script and clearly understood the character before taking on the role. She had no reservations about playing the abused character, and neither did she find any issue in Lynch directing her as a debased woman.
What Did Roger Ebert Write About David Lynch’s Blue Velvet?
In Blue Velvet, Isabella Rossellini played the role of Dorothy Vallens, a troubled lounge singer. The character is captured by a psychopathic gangster Frank Booth, played by Dennis Hopper. Roger Ebert shared that Rossellini’s character was “degraded, slapped around, humiliated, and undressed” in front of the camera. Ebert gave the film one star and had strong words for director David Lynch’s filmmaking style in the film. Ebert shared on his site:
“[Rossellini] is asked to do things in this film that require real nerve… She is degraded, slapped around, humiliated and undressed in front of the camera. And when you ask an actress to endure those experiences, you should keep your side of the bargain by putting her in an important film.”
However, Blue Velvet is considered one of the best works of Lynch. The film, made on a budget of $6 million, grossed $8.6 million at the North American box office (via Box Office Mojo). Besides giving Rossellini her breakout role, Lynch also revitalized the career of David Hopper with this film.
Blue Velvet is now available for streaming on MGM+.