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From The Parent Trap to Wild Child, we’ve got you covered.
It was pretty much inevitable that Natasha Richardson would follow in the footsteps of her acting dynasty family. The daughter of actress Vanessa Redgrave and esteemed director Tony Richardson, got into theatre at a young age, alongside her sister, Joely. Honing her craft on the stage, the The Parent Trap actor made her West End debut in a revival of Anton Chekov’s The Seagull in 1985. She went on to star in her first Broadway show, Eugene O’Neill’s Anna Christie, in 1993. And it proved to be a job she’d never forget, as she met her future husband, Love Actually actor Liam Neeson.
During this time, Richardson was also making quite the name for herself on screen. Prior to meeting Neeson, the star had already appeared in the likes of The Handmaid’s Tale, The Comfort of Strangers, and The Favour, the Watch and the Very Big Fish. Shortly after Richardson and Neeson married in 1994, they acted opposite each other in the movie Nell, which also starred Jodie Foster.
The roles continued to come in fast for Richardson, who is beloved by many for her starring role in Disney classic The Parent Trap, where she shared the screen with a young Lindsay Lohan. She also gave a memorable performance opposite Jennifer Lopez in Maid in Manhattan. The British actor made her final on-screen film appearance in the teen drama Wild Child, starring Emma Roberts. Richardson passed away in 2009, aged 45, in a skiing accident, while on a family vacation. But her legacy continues to live on in her and Neeson’s sons, Micheál and Daniel. Continuing the family dynasty, Micheál has adopted his mother’s surname for his acting career.
Fans will be pleased to know that some of Natasha Richardson’s most beloved films are available to stream and rent online. So, to celebrate her everlasting legacy, here are seven you can watch right now.
The Parent Trap
For kids growing up in the early 2000s, The Parent Trap was necessary VHS viewing. You could pretty much guarantee that all your friends had this classic in their video library. Richardson played the on-screen mum of the Disney universe’s most famous twins, Annie and Hallie, both of whom were, of course, portrayed by Lindsay Lohan.
Dennis Quaid, who played Richardson’s on-screen love interest, has since said he was “devastated” by the actress’ untimely passing. He told USA Today: “She was such a beautiful person, such a beautiful, beautiful person. Just none of that, that actor stuff, prima donna stuff. Someone easy to work with and such a great sense of humour.”
Watch now on Disney+.
Wild Child
Wild Child and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging made 2008 a great year for British coming-of-age dramas. In what would be her final on-screen film performance, Richardson took on the role of the stern, but caring, headmistress Mrs. Kingsley.
Emma Roberts co-stars in this beloved teen film, portraying spoilt Malibu teenager Poppy Moore, who is shipped off to a boarding school in England by her exasperated dad.
Watch now on Netflix.
Maid in Manhattan
Nothing beats a romantic comedy starring Jennifer Lopez, especially when Natasha Richardson and Ralph Fiennes are involved. In this much-loved classic, Richardson takes on the role of Caroline Lane, a socialite who finds herself unceremoniously caught up in a love triangle of sorts, with hotel maid Marisa Ventura (Lopez) and handsome senatorial candidate Chris Marshall (Fiennes).
Rent on Amazon for £3.49.
Blow Dry
Alan Rickman and Bill Nighy star as competing hairdressers. Need I say more? Probably, as that’s one hell of a descriptor for this film. Blow Dry features Richardson as Shelly Allen who, after getting diagnosed with terminal cancer, decides to enter a hairdressing contest, with the help of her husband, Phil (Rickman). But they face stiff competition from the reigning champion, Ray Robertson, played by Nighy. There are fireworks, laughs, and genuine heartfelt moments in this British comedy.
Watch now on Amazon Prime.
The Handmaid’s Tale
Before Hulu’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel, Richardson played Offred in the 1990s version of The Handmaid’s Tale, with Faye Dunaway playing Serena Joy, and Robert Duvall as The Commander. Despite a glittering cast, the film was widely-panned by critics. However, the resurgence of Atwood’s novel in recent years has prompted a renewed interest in the ‘90s film.
Watch Now on Amazon Prime.
Haven
Haven sees Richardson portray real-life figure Ruth Gruber, a Jewish journalist who worked alongside the Roosevelt administration to escort Holocaust survivors to the United States. The film initially aired as a miniseries for CBS, before garnering critical acclaim. Hollywood actress Anne Bancroft, who plays Mama Gerber in the emotive drama, earned an Emmy nomination for her performance.
Watch now on Amazon Prime.
The White Countess
This historical drama sees Richardson play Countess Sofia Belinskaya who, after escaping the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution with her family, has settled in Shanghai. The film is somewhat of a family affair, as Richardson’s mother Vanessa Redgrave (pictured above) and aunt Lynn Redgrave also have starring roles. Meanwhile, Richardson’s love interest is played by none other than Maid in Manhattan’s leading man, Ralph Fiennes, who portrays Todd Jackson, a former official of the U.S. State Department.
Rent on Amazon for £3.49.
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