Theresa Russell, named one of the "100 sexiest stars in film history"
(Empire Magazine), was born in San Diego, California. She was
discovered by a photographer at the age of 12, and made her film debut
in Elia Kazan's
Der letzte Tycoon (1976), opposite
Robert De Niro,
Jack Nicholson and
Robert Mitchum, at the age of 19. Her
resume of nearly fifty films has centered on ground-breaking roles in
acclaimed independent films, such as
Blackout - Anatomie einer Leidenschaft (1980), directed by
Nicolas Roeg (whom she would later marry);
Eureka (1983);
Insignificance - Die verflixte Nacht (1985);
Aria (1987) and
Ken Russell's
Die Hure (1991). Her legendary star turn in
the thriller, Die schwarze Witwe (1987),
co-starring Debra Winger, stands as one of
the most iconic female crime dramas in cinema history. She has had
roles in major film and television projects, including the feature
films, Stunde der Bewährung (1978),
opposite Dustin Hoffman and
Kathy Bates;
Auf Messers Schneide (1984),
opposite Bill Murray;
Die Anwältin (1989) with
Burt Reynolds;
Kafka (1991), directed by
Steven Soderbergh, playing opposite
Jeremy Irons;
Impulse - Von gefährlichen gefühlen getrieben (1990), directed by
Sondra Locke;
Inside a Skinhead (2001), opposite
Ryan Gosling;
Las Vegas - Zur Hölle & zurück (2000), with
Kirsten Dunst and
James Caan;
Wer hat meine Familie geklaut? (1994), opposite
Robin Williams;
Wild Things (1998), with
Denise Richards,
Matt Dillon and
Kevin Bacon;
Jolene (2008), opposite
Jessica Chastain; the block-buster
Spider-Man 3 (2007), and the
mini-series
Blind Ambition (1979), with
Martin Sheen;
Empire Falls - Schicksal einer Stadt (2005), with
Ed Harris,
Paul Newman and
Helen Hunt; and Lifetime's
Liz & Dick (2012), opposite
Lindsay Lohan, portraying
Elizabeth Taylor's mother.
Along with her then-partner, legendary jazz musician,
Michael Melvoin, she has performed in
jazz clubs throughout the United States. She is the mother of two sons
(Statten Roeg and
Maximillian Roeg).
