Out of all of the incredible things Isabelle Huppert owns—the respect of moviegoers worldwide, a Golden Globe, a resting bitch face (according to the New York Times, at least), the complete command of the atmosphere at whatever movie theater she attends—can you imagine that at least one of her things has a J. Crew tag stitched in it?
I mean, can you imagine?
I would never assume to imagine anything about a woman who compares her own countenance to a white canvas (I make like The Leftovers and let the mystery be), but in the same recent Times profile that calls out Huppert’s resting bitch face, she is asking us to imagine a world where she actually owns J. Crew, because in fact that is the world that we live in. Reports Ruth La Ferla:
She had dressed for breakfast at the Beverly Wilshire in a crisply tailored jacket, its deep green and coral pattern setting off her shoulder-length russet hair. Who designed the jacket? Her features furrowed briefly as she removed it to check the label, exclaiming with what seemed genuine surprise: “It’s J. Crew. Can you imagine?”
Can you???
Huppert, a master of her craft with a camp icon’s knack for pithy, hilarious quotes and a camp classic’s devotion to playing them completely straight, says many more wonderful things in this piece. Here is one regarding her Academy Award nomination for Elle:
Would she bring home Oscar gold on Sunday night? “Yeah, it’s possible,” she ventured, adding definitively after a pause, “Yes, for me it’s time.”
And what’s the secret to her success? Being cool and knowing it, for one thing:
“I play a role, but I don’t transform myself entirely,” she said. “The irony you see, the humor, the way of being cool, it’s me more than anyone else, I have to say.”
And how does she achieve that coolness?
“I’m not really interested in pleasing,” she said in her teasing contralto. “I think the best way to please is not to please.”
Yes! She’s just like that J. Crew jacket that you didn’t know you were wearing (and, quite frankly, still can’t believe that you are). But hey, being bad feels pretty good and looks fabulous.