What makes Jennifer Beals so extraordinary as Bette is not just her power. Make no mistake, she is unquestionably in control and oh-my-God is it sexy. But you know what they say about absolute power. No, what makes Jennifer so extraordinary as Bette is when she gives in to the corruption. Strength without weakness is boring. You might as well watch a steel girder. The beauty of Bette is that she is strong, smart, successful and oh-so human. It is in those moments of vulnerability I think I love her the most (excluding the nutty babynapping, of course).In Bette, Jennifer has found a part that fits her like one of her alter-ego’s impeccably-tailored power suits. She owns the role and the screen every time she appears. Years ago, it would have been easy to dismiss her as “that girl from ‘Flashdance’.” Certainly many in youth-obsessed, women-of-a-certain-age-shunning Hollywood probably did. And what an extraordinary waste that would have been. Jennifer, who celebrated her 44th birthday this week, has finally come full-stride into her power. She is a grown-up and that, my friends, really is hot. Now when she levels her gaze on you, you know she means business. If that doesn’t make you weak in the knees, nothing will. Happy weekend, all.
19 comments:
about 20 years ago "that girl from flashdance" had the power to make some of us line up to watch her over and over again. who knew that 20 years later we'd be able to see her in a tv show, as a lesbian lead. big smiles all around. jennifer's always had it and always will!
Only "Weekend" Crush? Jennifer Beals is a safe bet for Crush Of The Year, no? Or Crush Of The Past 4 Years even? :-)
I love your blog btw.
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ani
Jennifer Beals is the end all and be all in TLW. Just for all the reasons you've mentioned. As pertains to TLW, she is the "straw that stirs the drink". Physically, she is a definite MILF but there is much more to her than that. She's got the whole package of physical beauty, intellectuality w/o pedanticism and a generosity of spirit. I am so grateful that Ilene Chaiken somehow visualized JB as Bette Porter offered her the role. It's difficult to believe that Beals is a shy person b/c as Bette Porter, she is totally fierce. For me, Jennifer just embodies Bette Porter. And the fact that she eschews fame just endears her more to me.
Just look at her in this pic from S5 of TLW with Kate Moennig (Shane). Girlfriend is smoldering.
Bette
AZ
omg, i love that photo!!!
She continues to be the reason why I tune in to the L-Word...
I sucked in my breath when I saw her. She's 25 years older than I, but still sexy as hell.
You're so right! Power and vulnerability...sexy as hell. Jennifer Beals embodies the role superbly.
I can also see her shyness, although when she gives a speech, she's electric.
Yes, her voice is all that a good speaker needs to have. I can listen to her read the phone book. In her interviews particularly the one where she was on a news program right before the release of "My Name Is Sarah", was outstanding. She was funny, charming, articulate and hellahot. Perhaps part of the intrigue surrounding her is due to her well-known desire for privacy.
The woman rocks!
AZ
Happy Birthday Jennifer Beals. Many more for such a lovely and talented woman.
I have enjoyed Jennifer on the show as much as the next woman. She has moved me tremendously in her performance and I have a crush on Bette and Jennifer for different reasons. She is a stunning woman who has aged very well and I hope I look half as good as she when I reach her age.
While I agree with your observation about Jennifer, Dorothy, that she owns the role of Bette, I have to take issue with your comment that she also owns the screen everytime she appears.
I guess I'll never understand how little objectivity there is about Beals and even Hailey. To oversimplify a bit: beauty (Beals) and humor (Hailey) are great, but I suppose I'm surprised at how much these things apparently color people's perceptions and opinions.
While JB is a good actress and is doing the best work of her career as Bette, she does have weak moments (and outside of the last couple of episodes Season 3 was not a good one for Jennifer, imo) that it seems many are blind to because of their affection for the actress and character. On AfterEllen, one person described Jennifer as belonging to a holy trinity of actresses which included Streep. As much as I admire Jennifer Beals, I find that comparison a tad extreme. :) And, it's this sort of over praising that makes it hard, if not impossible, to start or find a reasonable discussion of Jennifer's performance as Bette.
That doesn't mean that I am not drooling to see Jennifer bring Season 5 Bette back to life in her full glory. Yes I am. ;)
This is a wonderful blog, by the way.
I agree that S3 was Jennifer Beals weakest season but I attribute that to her being preggers. I believe that she was tired and maybe not feeling so well. The best scene w/o any stripping was the seductive one w/Dana Delaney. At other times, it must have been difficult trying to hide her belly. I guess she could've skipped that season but admiringly, she soldiered on. In retrospect, I don't know if that was good or not.
What I admire about Beals, is that she could've cashed in on her iconic status after "Flashdance" but chose not to. She seems to have a good idea of what works for her and sticks to it. That's pretty commendable.
AZ
Oh NO you didn't!! **THUD** (in a major way!)
slym.....what do you mean?
I mean... Jennifer Beals makes me weak in the knees and more (that's all I'm saying). Ms Snarker just brought on a major fainting spell (THUD) there it goes again (THUD)and she must have known that I've hit my head one too many times and that I'd be hitting it a few times over as a result of this weekend's crush.
'She's got the whole package of physical beauty, intellectuality w/o pedanticism...'
That would be 'pedantry'. *ahem*
As for JB, I loved her in Flashdance. Welding has never been sexier.
And I still think she's incredibly beautiful. But I can take or leave Bette. The alpha dominance/type A personality phone-throwing histrionics are a little too over the top and hammy for my taste, and no amount of attractively yoga-toned biceps can make up for the overacting. *shrug*
I love jennifer beals,i think she is an amazing actress and she deserve all the prices in the world
smart,beautiful,sexy.....
You are sooo right about Jennifer as Bette which is why I thought it was important to keep her in a relationship with Jodi. Jodi pushes her to change, to conform, to not be in control so much. Bette loves the idea of being in control and she gets that control with Tina. TiBette in my eyes was offically and thankfully over, but boy season 5 disappointed me haha. Buttt Ilene asked for the audience's opinion and the majority wanted Tina to get her Bette back. Sadness. Hopefully season 6 will prove their growth from being apart, but the relationship will not be comparable to JoBette's. Tina has really become a whiny baby over the course of the show =/
Happy birthday jennifer and maney more.Keep on rocking.
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