Mia Farrow

Maria de Lourdes Villiers "Mia" Farrow ( ; born February 9, 1945) is an American actress. She first gained notice for her role as Allison MacKenzie in the television soap opera '' Peyton Place'' and gained further recognition for her subsequent short-lived marriage to Frank Sinatra. An early film role, as Rosemary in Roman Polanski's '' Rosemary's Baby'' (1968), saw her nominated for a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. She went on to appear in several films throughout the 1970s, such as '' Follow Me!'' (1972), '' The Great Gatsby'' (1974), and '' Death on the Nile'' (1978). Her younger sister is Prudence Farrow.

Farrow was in a relationship with actor-director Woody Allen from 1980 to 1992 and appeared in thirteen of his fourteen films over that period, beginning with '' A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy'' (1982). She received numerous critical accolades for her performances in several Allen films, including Golden Globe Award nominations for '' Broadway Danny Rose'' (1984), '' The Purple Rose of Cairo'' (1985), and ''Alice'' (1990), and a BAFTA nomination for ''Hannah and Her Sisters'' (1986). After separating from Allen in 1992, she made public allegations that he had sexually assaulted their seven-year-old adopted daughter, Dylan. Allen was never charged with a crime and has vigorously denied the allegation. These claims received significant renewed public attention in 2013 after Dylan recounted the alleged assault in an interview that year.

Since the 2000s, Farrow has made occasional appearances on television, including a recurring role on '' Third Watch'' (2001–2003). She has also had supporting parts in such films as ''The Omen'' (2006), '' Be Kind Rewind'' (2008), and ''Dark Horse'' (2011). Farrow is also known for her extensive work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. She is involved in humanitarian activities in Darfur, Chad, and the Central African Republic. In 2008, ''Time'' magazine named her one of the most influential people in the world.

Early life

Maria de Lourdes Villiers Farrow was born February 9, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, the third child and eldest daughter of Australian film director John Farrow and his second wife, the Irish actress Maureen O'Sullivan.

She is one of seven children, with older brothers Michael Damien, Patrick younger brother John Charles; and younger sisters Prudence, Stephanie and Tisa. Her godparents were director George Cukor and columnist Louella Parsons.

Farrow was raised in Beverly Hills, California, in a strict Catholic household. She was described by her family as an eccentric and imaginative child, and would occasionally put on performances with "toy daggers and fake blood" for passing celebrity tour buses. Aged two, she made her film debut in a short documentary, ''Unusual Occupations: Film Tot Holiday'' (1947). Farrow attended Catholic parochial schools in Los Angeles for her primary education.

At nine years old, she contracted polio during an outbreak in Los Angeles County reportedly affecting 500 people. She was placed in an isolation ward for three weeks and later said the experience "marked the end of erchildhood."

In 1958, the Farrow family temporarily relocated to Spain, where her father was filming '' John Paul Jones'' (1959). Farrow, then age 13, made a brief uncredited appearance in the film.

In September 1958, Farrow and her sister Prudence were sent to attend a convent-operated boarding school in Surrey, England while her father completed post-production on ''John Paul Jones'' in London.

On October 28, Farrow's eldest brother Michael died in a plane crash near Pacoima, California. After his burial, Farrow returned to boarding school in Surrey. Her family temporarily lived in the London Park Lane Hotel before renting a home in Chelsea. Farrow's father began drinking heavily, which strained the marriage. In her memoir, Farrow recalls witnessing violent arguments between her parents while visiting their Chelsea residence.

When Farrow was 16, she returned with her family to the United States and continued her education at an all-girls Catholic school in Los Angeles, Marymount High School. (She was among its most famous alumnae). During this time, her parents were struggling financially, and her mother relocated to New York City to act in Broadway productions. Farrow's father remained in California, where he died the following year of a heart attack, when she was 17 years old.

The family was left with little money after her father's death, prompting Farrow to begin working to help support herself and her siblings. She initially found work as a fashion model. She began in theatre as a replacement in a New York stage production of ''The Importance of Being Earnest''.

Career

1963–1969: Beginnings and breakthrough

Farrow screen-tested for the role of Liesl von Trapp in ''The Sound of Music'' (1965), but did not get the part. The footage has been preserved, and appears on the fortieth Anniversary Edition DVD of ''The Sound of Music''. She began her acting career in movies by appearing in supporting roles in several 1960s films, making her first credited appearance in ''Guns at Batasi'' (1964).

The same year, she achieved stardom on the successful primetime soap opera '' Peyton Place'', playing naive, waif-like Allison MacKenzie. Farrow left the series in 1966 at the urging of Frank Sinatra, whom she married on July 19, 1966 when she was 21 and he was 50 years old. She subsequently appeared in her first featured role in the British spy film ''A Dandy in Aspic'' (1968).

Farrow's first leading film role was in the psychological horror film '' Rosemary's Baby'' (1968), which was a critical and commercial success. It is highly regarded as a classic of the horror genre, and named the second-best horror film of all time by ''The Guardian'' in 2010. She won numerous awards, including the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress, and became established as a leading actress. Film critic and author Stephen Farber described her performance as having an "electrifying impact... one of the rare instances of actor and character achieving a miraculous, almost mythical match". Film critic Roger Ebert called the film "brilliant," and noted, "A great deal of the credit for this achievement must go to Mia Farrow, as Rosemary."

Following ''Rosemary's Baby'', Farrow was to be cast as Mattie in ''True Grit'' and was keen on the role. But, prior to filming she made '' Secret Ceremony'' in England with Elizabeth Taylor and Robert Mitchum. While filming, Mitchum told her that ''True Grit'' director Henry Hathaway had a reputation for being rude to actresses. Farrow asked producer Hal Wallis to replace Hathaway. Wallis refused; Farrow quit the role, which was then given to Kim Darby.

''Secret Ceremony'' divided critics but has developed a devoted following. Farrow's other late 1960s films include '' John and Mary'' (1969) opposite Dustin Hoffman. She earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical.

1970–1979: Theater work and mainstream success

Beginning in the early 1970s, Farrow appeared onstage in numerous classical plays in London, beginning with the Royal Shakespeare Company's 1971 production of ''Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher''in which she portrayed Joan of Arcat the Royal Albert Hall. Farrow made history as the first American actress to join the Royal Shakespeare Company. The same year, she appeared in the British horror film '' See No Evil'', portraying a blind woman whose family is stalked by a killer. Though he gave the film a mixed review, Roger Greenspun of ''The New York Times'' wrote that Farrow "plays her blind patrician with exactly the right small depth of pathos and vulnerable nobility." Farrow also starred in the television film '' Goodbye, Raggedy Ann'' (1971), playing an unstable Hollywood starlet. In 1972, Farrow starred in the French black comedy film ''Dr. Popaul'', opposite Jean-Paul Belmondo, as a secretary who marries a womanizer, and in Carol Reed's '' Follow Me!'' as a woman suspected of having an affair by her wealthy husband. Onstage, she starred as the lead in a 1972 stage production of ''Mary Rose'', followed by the role of Irina in '' The Three Sisters'', and a dual role in ''The House of Bernarda Alba'' (both 1973).

Farrow was cast as Daisy Buchanan in the 1974 Paramount Pictures film adaptation of '' The Great Gatsby'', directed by Jack Clayton. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $25 million in the United States, while '' Variety'' deemed it "the most concerted attempt to probe the peculiar ethos of the Beautiful People of the 1920s." In 1975, Farrow was cast as the lead in a stage production of ''The Marrying of Ann Leete'', followed by ''The Zykovs'' (1976), both of which were staged at the Aldwych Theatre. She again appeared at the Aldwych in the 1976 production of ''Ivanov'', portraying Sasha. She also appeared onscreen, portraying Peter Pan in the television musical film '' Peter Pan'' (1976), and as a woman haunted by the ghost of a deceased girl in the horror film '' Full Circle'' (1977).

Farrow had a supporting role in Robert Altman's comedy '' A Wedding'' (1978), playing the mute daughter of a trucking company tycoon. The same year, she starred with Rock Hudson in the disaster film ''Avalanche'', followed by the British Agatha Christie adaptation '' Death on the Nile''. In 1979, Farrow appeared on Broadway opposite Anthony Perkins in the play ''Romantic Comedy'' by Bernard Slade, and in the romance film ''Hurricane'', opposite Jason Robards.

1980–1992: Collaborations with Woody Allen

Beginning in the 1980s, Farrow had a decade-long relationship with director Woody Allen; they collaborated on many of his films. Her first film with Allen was the comedy '' A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy'' (1982), in a role originally intended for Diane Keaton. She next appeared in Allen's '' Zelig'' (1983), portraying a psychiatrist whose patient, Leonard Zelig (Allen), takes on characteristics of those around him in an effort to be liked.

In '' Broadway Danny Rose'' (1984), Farrow starred as the mistress of a washed-up lounge musician who becomes involved with the mob. Both her character, and the film, were inspired by woman she and Allen had frequently encountered while dining at Rao's, an Italian restaurant in East Harlem. Farrow gained weight for the role and adopted a thick Italian-American accent; Allen biographer John Bailey described her as "unrecognizable" in the role. Farrow gained critical notice for this role, and she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical. Allen subsequently reflected that her performance was a "very, very brave thing for her to do," as the majority of her scenes required her to wear sunglasses that block view of her eyes. Farrow also voiced the title role in the animated film '' The Last Unicorn'' (1982).

After ''Broadway Danny Rose'', Farrow had a supporting role in Jeannot Szwarc's superhero film '' Supergirl'' (1984), playing Alura In-Ze, the mother of Supergirl. The film was considered a box office bomb, earning $13 million against its $35 million budget.

Farrow reunited with Allen for his '' The Purple Rose of Cairo'' (1985), which follows a film character (portrayed by Jeff Daniels) who emerges from the screen and enters the real world. He falls in love with a waitress (Farrow). Farrow earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical. Allen next cast Farrow as the lead in his drama ''Hannah and Her Sisters'' (1986), which follows a New York City family over a period of two years between two Thanksgivings. In the film, Farrow starred as the titular Hannah opposite Barbara Hershey and Dianne Wiest (who portray her sisters), and Michael Caine as her husband. Released in the fall of 1986, ''Hannah and Her Sisters'' was a box-office hit, grossing $35 million in the United States during its original theatrical release. The film was praised by critic Roger Ebert, who felt it was Allen's best work to date. Farrow earned her third BAFTA nomination, again in the category of Best Leading Actress.

In 1987, Farrow appeared in two films directed by Allen: the comedy '' Radio Days'', in which she had a supporting role as an aspiring radio star; and the drama '' September'', in which she played a woman haunted by her killing of her mother's abusive lover. Farrow shot the latter film twice, originally with her own mother Maureen O'Sullivan playing her character's mother in the film. Displeased with the final cut, Allen decided to recast several roles and reshoot the film entirely. The second and final version featured Elaine Stritch as Farrow's mother in the film.

Farrow was subsequently cast opposite Gena Rowlands in Allen's drama '' Another Woman'' (1988), which follows a philosophy professor (Rowlands) who becomes acquainted with a troubled woman undergoing an existential crisis (Farrow). While the film earned praise from critics such as Roger Ebert, its screenplay and dialogue were criticized by Vincent Canby in ''The New York Times''. He described it as "full of an earnest teen-age writer's superfluous words." In 1989, Farrow starred in a segment of Allen's anthology film '' New York Stories'', playing the '' shiksa'' fiancée of a Jewish man (Allen). She appeared in a supporting role in his film '' Crimes and Misdemeanors'' (1989), portraying a producer who falls in love with a documentary filmmaker.

She was next cast by Allen in his fantasy film ''Alice'' (1990), marking the couple's 11th collaboration. In ''Alice'', Farrow portrays the title character, an upper-class Manhattan woman who becomes enamored with a jazz musician. Her attraction results in feelings of Catholic guilt that manifest as physical ailments which she attempts to treat with herbal medicine. Vincent Canby praised her portrayal as career-defining, writing: "Miss Farrow gives a performance that sums up and then tops all of the performances that have preceded it." She was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical, and won a National Board of Review award for Best Actress. The next year, Farrow appeared as a circus performer in Allen's black-and-white comedy '' Shadows and Fog''.

Farrow had a lead role in Allen's drama '' Husbands and Wives'' (1992), in which she portrayed the wife of a writer and professor (Allen) having an affair with one of his students. ''Husbands and Wives'' marked Farrow's final collaboration with Allen. It was released shortly after the couple's highly publicized separation. Todd McCarthy of ''Variety'' noted in his review of the film that much of its audience would watch it "for the titillation of seeing Allen make out with a 21-year-old and go through a wrenching split from Farrow onscreen. Even those who enter in this frame of mind, however, probably will put these thoughts aside for the most part as they become involved in the romantic longings and verbal crossfire of a host of interesting, difficult, intersecting characters."

1993–1999: Film and television; return to stage

Citing the need to devote herself to raising her young children, Farrow worked less frequently during the 1990s. But she appeared in leading roles in several films, including the Irish film '' Widows' Peak'' (1994), in which she starred as "Miss O'Hare", the mysterious victim of a vengeful, matriarchal figure in a small Irish village. She also appeared in the comedy '' Miami Rhapsody'' (1995), playing the mother of a single woman in her thirties (played by Sarah Jessica Parker).

That year Farrow also had a lead role in the film adaptation of Craig Lucas's Off-Broadway play '' Reckless'' (1995), a dark comedy in which she portrayed a woman whose husband arranges a contract killing against her. Critic Stephen Holden praised her performance, writing: "Ms. Farrow is so perfectly cast as Rachel that the character seems a distillation of nearly every role she has played since she was a teen-ager in ''Peyton Place''." In the spring of 1996, Farrow had an uncredited voice role in the Broadway play '' Getting Away with Murder'', appearing in a pre-recorded voice message.

In 1997, Farrow published her autobiography, ''What Falls Away''. She had a cameo appearance as herself in Howard Stern's biographical comedy, '' Private Parts''. She appeared on television in the 1998 '' The Wonderful World of Disney'' segment ''Miracle at Midnight'', a dramatization of the Rescue of the Danish Jews during the Holocaust. Will Joyner of ''The New York Times'' credited Farrow's performance in the segment as "crucial to the production's success." Farrow was next cast as a woman suffering Alzheimer's disease in the television film ''Forget Me Never''. Critic Steven Linan of the ''Los Angeles Times'' praised Farrow, writing that she "convincingly conveys the fear and insecurity that accompany such a downward spiral." Her portrayal earned her her seventh Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress, in the category of Miniseries or Television Film. Also in 1999, Farrow appeared in the comedy '' Coming Soon'', playing the hippie mother of a high school student.

In November 1999, Farrow returned to Broadway portraying Honey in a staged reading of '' Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'', opposite Matthew Broderick, Jonathan Pryce, and Uta Hagen. Vincent Canby praised the production in ''The New York Times'', writing that "as performed by Mr. Broderick and Ms. Farrow, Nick and Honey took on dimensions I have never seen before." The reading was subsequently staged in Los Angeles in the spring of 2000.

2000–present: Later film, television, and theater

During the 2000s, Farrow appeared on television. She began with a recurring role on the series '' Third Watch'', in which she guest-starred in five episodes between 2000 and 2003. Farrow also appeared in the 2001 LGBT-themed television film ''A Girl Thing'', opposite Kate Capshaw and Stockard Channing, followed by a lead in the Lifetime film ''The Secret Life of Zoey'' in 2002.

She also appeared in a touring stage production of '' The Exonerated'' the same year, followed by the lead in ''Fran's Bed'', staged at Connecticut's Long Wharf Theatre in the fall of 2003. She subsequently had a supporting part in the children's television film '' Samantha: An American Girl Holiday'' (2004).

Farrow made her first feature film appearance in several years as Mrs. Baylock, a Satanic nanny, in the remake of ''The Omen'' (2006). Although the film received a lukewarm critical reception, Farrow's performance was widely praised. The Associated Press declared "thank heaven for Mia Farrow" and said her performance was "a rare instance of the new ''Omen'' improving on the old one." The ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'' also praised her performance, describing it as "a truly delicious comeback role... Farrow schillingly believable as a sweet-talking nanny from hell."

Farrow subsequently appeared as the mother of a Manhattan attorney (played by Amanda Peet) in the romantic comedy '' The Ex'' (2007), also starring opposite Jason Bateman and Zach Braff. The film was poorly received by critics, with several writing that the cast's talents were underserved by the material. Farrow next voiced Daisy Suchot in Luc Besson's animated fantasy film '' Arthur and the Invisibles'' (2007).

The following year, Farrow appeared in a supporting role opposite Danny Glover in Michel Gondry's comedy '' Be Kind Rewind'' (2008), playing the friend and patron of a video store operator in suburban New Jersey. She also provided voice narration for the documentary film '' As We Forgive'' (2008), which recounts the stories of two Rwandan women who confronted the individuals who murdered their families during the Rwandan genocide. In 2009, Farrow reprised her voice role as Daisy Suchot in '' Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard'', and again for '' Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds'' (2010). She was subsequently cast in a supporting role in the comedy-drama ''Dark Horse'', directed by Todd Solondz, in which she played the mother of a stunted 35-year-old man.

In September 2014, Farrow returned to Broadway in the play '' Love Letters''. The play was well received by critics, with Charles Isherwood of ''The New York Times'' deeming Farrow's performance "utterly extraordinary…  as the flighty, unstable and writing-averse Melissa Gardner." In 2016, Farrow appeared with Faye Dunaway in an episode of the IFC mockumentary series ''Documentary Now!''.

In 2022 Farrow played in Ryan Murphy's Netflix series " The Watcher".

Filmography

Selected credits:

Awards and nominations

Humanitarian activities

Farrow became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2000 and is a high-profile advocate for human rights in Africa, particularly for children's rights. She has worked to raise funds and awareness for children in conflict-affected regions and to draw attention to the fight to eradicate polio. Farrow has received several awards for her humanitarian work including the Leon Sullivan International Service award, the Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award and the Marion Anderson Award. In 2006, Farrow and her son Ronan visited Berlin in order to participate in a charity auction of United Buddy Bears, which feature designs by artists representing 142 U.N. member states. In 2008, ''Time'' magazine named her one of the most influential people in the world.

She has traveled to Darfur several times for humanitarian efforts, first in 2004. Her third trip was in 2007, with a film crew engaged in making the documentary ''Darfur: On Our Watch''. The same year, she co-founded the Olympic Dream for Darfur campaign, which drew attention to China's support for the government of Sudan. The campaign hoped to change China's policy by embarrassing it in the run-up to the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing. In March 2007, China said it would urge Sudan to engage with the international community. The campaign persuaded Steven Spielberg to withdraw as an artistic adviser to the opening ceremony. During the Olympics, Farrow televised via the internet from a Sudanese refugee camp to highlight China's involvement in the region.

Later in 2007, Farrow offered to "trade her freedom" for the freedom of a humanitarian worker for the Sudan Liberation Army who was being treated in a UN hospital while under threat of arrest. She wanted to be taken captive in exchange for his being allowed to leave the country. Farrow is also a board member of the Washington, D.C. based non-profit Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG).

In 2009, Farrow narrated a documentary, '' As We Forgive'', relating the struggle of many of the survivors of the Rwandan genocide to forgive those who murdered family and friends. To show "solidarity with the people of Darfur" Farrow began a water-only fast on April 27, 2009. Farrow's goal was to fast for three weeks, but she called a halt after twelve days on the advice of her doctor. In August 2010, she testified in the trial against former Liberian President Charles Taylor in the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

Farrow helped build The Darfur Archives, which document the cultural traditions of the tribes of Darfur. She has filmed some 40 hours of songs, dances, children's stories, farming methods and accounts of genocide in the region's refugee camps that make up the current archives. Since 2011, the Archives have been housed at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center at the University of Connecticut. In 2013, Farrow criticized President Barack Obama for his lack of address regarding Sudanese genocide during a United Nations General Assembly. In February 2015, Farrow appeared in an episode of ''A Path Appears'', a PBS documentary series from the creators of the Half the Sky movement. In the episode Farrow travels to Kibera, Kenya's largest slum, to share stories from organizations providing education to at-risk girls.

Farrow has also participated in environmental activism, in 2014 protesting against Chevron, accusing the oil company of environmental damage in the South American rainforest.

Personal life

Religious and political beliefs

Though she has been critical of the Catholic Church (in particular, Farrow took issue with the Pope for his failure to intervene in the genocide in Rwanda), Farrow is a devout Catholic (by 2018 Elle magazine was saying that Mia Farrow
"attends an Episcopal church") and maintained in a 2013 interview with Piers Morgan that she had not "lost her faith in God." In 1968, when she was 23 years
old, Farrow spent part of the year living at the ashram

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