Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet said that Andrea Riseborough’s performance in To Leslie is the greatest female performance she has ever seen on screen.
Winslet, who recently portrayed the character of Ronal in iconic director James Cameron’s hit Avatar: The Way of Water, praised the British actress Andrea Riseborough’s performance in To Leslie, directed by Michael Morris.
Winslet moderated the film’s post-screening Q&A with the director and gave praise that made Riseborough emotional.
Riseborough’s Leslie is a West Texas single mother struggling with alcoholism, wins the lottery, and squanders it just as fast, leaving behind a world of heartbreak. Years later, with her charm running out and nowhere to go, she fights to rebuild her life and find redemption.
‘‘This was so fantastic. I loved it. You should be up for everything, you should be winning everything. I think this is the greatest female performance on-screen I have ever seen in my life. And I love you, and congratulations.’’
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Stars SupportRiseborough’s Oscar Campaign
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With the start of the Oscar voting, the actress received enthusiastic support from various figures in the film industry. Riseborough won the Best Actress award at the Gijon International Film Awards. However, the movie and its lead role didn’t get the attention they deserved for the rest of the awards season.
Edward Norton, Charlize Theron, Sarah Paulson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Courteney Cox, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michelle Monaghan, Laura Dern, and Kim Basinger are among the stars involved in Andrea Riseborough’s Oscar campaign. Ed Norton said it was the most physically harrowing performance he had seen in a while.
It will undoubtedly be a special moment in cinema history if To Leslie and its star, whose name is not mentioned much throughout this award season, gets a seat at the 95th Academy Awards after this exceptional support that started with Winslet. Only 260 votes are needed for a nomination. The American drama film, released in March 2022, received excellent reviews.
‘‘I don’t post a lot about films or actor performances…maybe I should more often. But for those interested in really great acting I’ll share that Andrea Riseborough’s portrayal in ‘To Leslie’ just knocked me sideways. It’s about the most fully committed, emotionally deep, physically harrowing performance I’ve seen in a while. Just raw & utterly devoid of performative BS. It’s a tough but really elegant & compassionate film by Michael Morris where the emotion is really earned. I happened to catch it and, wow, I was really staggered by the depth she reached. Very rare."
Ryan Binaco wrote the script, and the cast includes James Landry Hébert and Allison Janney.
