Emmy-nominated actress Patricia Richardson (“Home Improvement”) chatted about her new film “Chantilly Bridge.”
The movie was directed by Linda Yellen, and it stars Lindsay Crouse, Jill Eikenberry, Patricia Richardson, Talia Shire, Ally Sheedy, Helen Slater, JoBeth Williams, and Naaji Sky Adzimah; moreover, it has music by Judy Collins.
‘Chantilly Bridge’
“I love working with the other women and the director Linda Yellen. I have admired these actresses for years,” Richardson said. “I was really excited to get to do this, and they were all so welcoming. We were improving, just listening to each other, and cracking each other up, it was super fun. It was always a surprise, and it instantly became such a great process.”
The synopsis is: “Chantilly Bridge” reunites a group of lifelong, steadfast friends who are still — in their later years — chasing their dreams, fighting injustices, and sticking up for their convictions.
The women lay bare their lives and deal with important issues that impact all women
with humor, humility, humanity, and love. No topic escapes the razor-like wit and insight of these women: equality, sex, menopause, mortality, feminism, parenthood, careers, love, and even “me-too” moments.
While women often feel invisible in the world, this film highlights who they are and what they care about. We experience what women are truly like and what they discuss in a setting where no men are present.
“Chantilly Bridge” is a film about reconnecting with old friends from the past and the beauty of a shared history. Richardson played the role of Shelley. “What I liked about my character in this movie is that she has such an arc,” she said. “I can’t describe how great it was to work with this, and how proud we are of the work that was done.”
“We thought this movie would be more for women but sometimes the men are more emotional at the end than the women are. It is so good, really funny, surprising and very moving,” she said.
“It really touches people, it just draws you in, and I love it. This movie is so fun to be able to watch it on the big screen because it so beautiful,” she added.
‘Home Improvement’
Richardson is best known for her starring role as Jill Taylor in the hit ABC sitcom “Home Improvement,” for which she earned four Primetime Emmy nominations (“Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series”), as well as two Golden Globe nods. “I used to be so nervous when I was nominated for awards,” she said.
“I felt so beneath everyone else that was in the room, and when they would announce that someone else had won, I would immediately say to myself ‘I guess I suck’,” she jokingly laughed.
“I never prepared a speech because I never expected to win anything, though I was really happy with the nominations that I got. To me, that was all I needed. You want that kind of acceptance from your peers and their voting. That felt really good,” she acknowledged.
“I run into every generation, because ‘Home Improvement’ has been on for 32 years, where all of these people would tell me that they grew up on that show,” she said.
The digital age
On being an actress in the digital age, Richardson said, “I think shooting digitally is great. I don’t know if it ever looks as good as making a film but it is wonderful and immediate, and so easy to send to people and watch and study, so I like that.”
Advice for hopefuls in acting
For young and aspiring actors, Richardson said with a sweet laugh, “Don’t.” “Don’t do this if there is anything else you can do well. Do this if you have such a passion to do this that you can’t imagine doing anything else. It’s so hard and such a rejecting business. The work is trying to get a job, once you get it, that’s the fun, and then you go back to work again trying to get another job.”
“If you have that passion in you, then you’re going to be able to survive, I hope,” she said.
On the title of the current chapter of her life, Richardson said, “Chaos.” “I am in New York visiting and I have two grandchildren that I am going to see, and my daughter is getting married in a month so things have been busy,” she said.
If she were to have any superpower, she revealed that it would be flight. “I would love to fly,” she admitted.
To learn more about Patricia Richardson, follow her on Instagram, and check out her IMDb page.
