Sarah Jessica Parker is 61 years old today. She was born on 25 March 1965.
She’s a solid professional actor. But certainly nothing special. I’m shocked that she became a star. But that is hardly new for me. People make a big distinction between actors. But I just don’t see much difference between those making millions per film and those making Basic Theatrical Scale.
But I’m not highlighting her here because of her acting. She once did something, and it is almost unforgivable (not that she ever asked for forgiveness). As you probably know, she played the part of Dolores Fuller in Tim Burton’s biopic Ed Wood. And at some point, the production held a party with the filmmakers and surviving members of Ed Wood’s troupe.
Parker said to the real-life Dolores Fuller, “I just got through telling everybody that I just played the part of the worst actress in the history of film!”
The best I can say for Parker is that she was probably drunk. Fuller didn’t mention this. But drunk people are prone to say that kind of thing. Regardless, it is unacceptable.
Think about this: Parker was 29 at that time and Fuller was 71. What ever happened to showing a little respect to your elders? Or what about showing a little sympathy for the poor and weak? Currently, Parker is worth an estimated $200 million. She didn’t have that much money back then, but she was certainly very wealthy. What’s more, she was at the height of her fame. Fuller was doing okay, but she wasn’t rich, and she certainly was on the far side of her career.
Parker’s statement isn’t even true. I’ve never liked it when people say that Ed Wood was the worst director of all time. For one thing: it just isn’t true. But it is a hell of a lot more true than to say that Fuller was the worst actress ever. In fact, looking back at the films, it is clear that she isn’t a bad actress at all. She wasn’t a great beauty. Producers doubtless cast Sarah Jessica Parker for that reason.
But Parker knows nothing about how independent films are made. It is hard to be great when you are limited to one or two takes. And that is just the start of everything that these actors labored under: poor scripts, bad sets, incompetent co-stars, and much, much more. Parker couldn’t know what it is like to work in these little films, but should have known enough to shut up about it.
What annoys me most of all is that Dolores Fuller wasn’t primarily an actor; she was a highly successful songwriter. She wrote songs for Elvis Presley, Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee, and others. So to have this young know-nothing making a comment about one small part of the life of an older woman who was successful later is just disgusting. And learning that Sarah Jessica Parker acted this way has poisoned me toward all of her work since then.
Sarah Jessica Parker is still alive. Dolores Fuller died back in 2011 at the age of 88. Here is Nat King Cole performing the song “Someone to Tell It To,” which she co-wrote.
Sarah Jessica Parker via Library of Congress. It is in the public domain.