Calista Flockhart Movies
Stage and screen actress, TV star, and the object of endless eating disorder rumors, Calista Flockhart earned fame, fortune, and post-feminist icon status as the eponymous heroine of David E. Kelley's acclaimed TV series Ally McBeal. Since becoming known for her role as the famously neurotic, mini-skirt-clad lawyer, Flockhart has been appearing in an increasing number of films, including Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her.Born on November 11, 1964, in Freeport, Illinois, Flockhart -- whose first name means "most beautiful" in Greek -- was raised as the daughter of a schoolteacher mother and a Krafts Food executive father. Because of her father's job, the family moved frequently, spending time in Iowa, Minnesota, and New York before settling in New Jersey. Flockhart, whose mother sparked her interest in theatre by taking her to theatre productions during high school, studied drama as a student at Rutgers University. After graduating, she headed to Manhattan to begin her professional stage career.
After enduring years of relative poverty and sustained obscurity, the actress got her big break when she was chosen to play Laura in the 1994 Broadway production of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie. Her portrayal won her both a Theatre World Award and the attention of Hollywood casting agents, and that same year she made her film debut with a bit part in Quiz Show -- and had a more substantial role in Getting In, a black comedy directed by a then-unknown Doug Liman. In 1996, Flockhart moved into slightly more mainstream territory when she appeared as the fiancée of Robin Williams' son in The Birdcage; more recognition came her way the following year when she earned strong reviews for her performance as Natasha in a production of Chekov's The Three Sisters.
1997 proved to be a watershed year for Flockhart; in addition to rave stage reviews and a substantial role in the Kevin Bacon vehicle Telling Lies in America, she was cast as the star of Ally McBeal. The show turned out to be a sleeper hit, and Flockhart's titular Boston lawyer became an instantly recognizable name in the pop cultural lexicon. The actress' heightened exposure was reflected both in numerous magazine articles about her and in her star billing in Michael Hoffman's 1998 adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream, which included Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Everett, and Christian Bale amongst its other illustrious cast members.
Two years later, still immersed in Ally McBeal popularity and endless media scrutiny about her weight (Flockhart's thinness has stirred rumors in an industry infamous for its emphasis on being thin), the actress headlined the ensemble cast of Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her. A film composed of four vignettes, it featured Flockhart as the lover of a terminally ill woman (Valeria Golino), and included Holly Hunter, Amy Brenneman, Cameron Diaz, Glenn Close, and Gregory Hines amongst its accomplished players. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
With William Shakespeare now a hot commodity at the box office (and his body of work conveniently out of copyright), the usual trickle of film adaptations of the Bard's work is becoming a small flood, and director Michael Hoffman has assembled a cast of leading stage and screen actors for this whimsical film version of one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies. This interpretation of A Midsummer Night's Dream moves the action to Tuscany near the turn of the 20th century, as both mortals and enchanted creatures deal with romantic problems. Among the flesh-and-blood crowd, Duke Theseus (played by David Strathairn) is preparing for his wedding to Hippolyta (Sophie Marceau), while having to counsel Egeus (Bernard Hill), who has promised the hand of his daughter Hermia (Anna Friel) to Demetrius (Christian Bale). Hermia, however, wants to elope with her true love, Lysander (Dominic West), while her best friend Helena (Calista Flockhart) is mad about Demetrius. Meanwhile, fairies living in the forest are watching these romantic misadventures. Puck (Stanley Tucci) serves up love potions that mix and match the already confused lovers, while the Queen of Fairies, Titania (Michelle Pfeiffer), and her King, Oberon (Rupert Everett), have to deal with a group of hapless actors rehearsing a play in the forest -- one of whom, Bottom (Kevin Kline), has fallen under Puck's spell and becomes Titania's new lover. Will anyone end up with the person they really love? Who will get hurt riding their bicycles in the woods? Will Helena sit down and eat a square meal? Director Hoffman, a longtime Shakespeare buff, appeared as Lysander in a production of the play while a college student, and has since spearheaded a campaign to build a new $3 million theatre for his alma mater in Boise, ID. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, (more)
- 1997
Ally McBeal, despite low expectations from the network, proved to be a highly successful endeavor from writer/producer David E. Kelley. The notoriously tiny Calista Flockhart's neurotic portrayal of Ally fueled the show for five seasons, though it could not have lasted nearly as long without the insights of its eccentric supporting cast. Unique for its forays into the surreal, Ally McBeal as a show is as conflicted as its starring character. Half feministic endeavor, half a frustratingly traditional portrayal of lovelorn women, Ally McBeal danced precariously between law dramas of a more serious nature and Bridget Jones-esque "chick-shows." The series centered around the life of Ally McBeal, the quintessential "little girl lost," who, after graduating with a law degree from Harvard University, found herself in a law firm populated by an extraordinarily unconventional staff, including but not limited to Billy Thomas (Gil Bellows), her high school sweetheart. The show's premise allowed for quite a bit of creative freedom, and most episodes switched seamlessly from the thought-provoking (modern gender issues and sexual boundaries) to the absurd (remote control toilet flushers and pet frogs). Ally's quest for love and emotional fulfillment made for the heart of the series, along with the dark undertone of her often-questionable sanity. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1998
In the series pilot, Ally (Calista Flockhart) goes to work for a former classmate (Greg Germann). ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1998
Ally and John provide Renee's defense, but their antics in court have her baffled. Meanwhile, Georgia and Billy get news that they---and Ally---receive with mixed feelings. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1998
Whipper ditches Richard after she catches him succumbing to his neck fetish with the Attorney General. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Ally defends a young transvestite (Wilson Cruz) on charges of prostitution, using a modified insanity defense. Meanwhile, Richard fights to have his dead uncle's unusual last request carried out. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Ally faces a moral dilemma when she's assigned to defend Richard's partner, who was arrested for solicitation. Meanwhile, Richard tries to use Ally to snag a client. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Ally confronts primitive drives when she goes out with a gorgeous guy (Michael Easton), and defends a man who threw a punch to save his date's honor. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Billy's revelation unsettles Ally. Meanwhile, Elaine hires an attorney (Sandra Bernhard) in a sex-discrimination suit; and Ally and Georgia turn tough in a divorce case. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
