natasha richardson dies at 45

By Gregg Kilday

Natasha Richardson, who upheld her lineage as part of one of the great acting dynasties by establishing an eclectic career in film, TV and theater, earning a Tony in 1998 for her performance in "Cabaret," died Wednesday in New York. She was 45.

Her death, following a head injury she suffered Monday while taking a skiing lesson in Canada, was confirmed Wednesday evening in a written statement by Alan Nierob, the Los Angeles-based publicist for her husband Liam Neeson. Details about the cause of death were not released, but reports suggested that Richardson was removed from life support Wednesday."Liam Neeson, his sons and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha," the statement said. "They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone and ask for privacy during this very difficult time."At the time of the accident, which occurred at the Mont Tremblant resort north of Montreal, the actress experienced no immediate distress. After developing a headache about an hour later, she was taken first to a local hospital in Ste. Agathe, Quebec, and then was transferred to the Hopital du Sacre-Coeur de Montreal.

On Tuesday, she was transported to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, where her family, including Neeson and her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, gathered to keep vigil. For many, it was difficult to reconcile the news of such a seemingly random death with Richardson's vibrant presence that combined a polished bearing with a deep, throaty laugh.In her early 20s, barely out of drama school, Richardson demonstrated her command of the stage in a 1985 production of Anton Chekhov's "The Seagull," in which she worked for the first time with her mother.

The London Drama Critics' Circle immediately hailed the young actress as most promising newcomer.Nevertheless, at first Richardson appeared to be an unusual choice when director Sam Mendes cast her as Sally Bowles in his reimagining of "Cabaret" when it transferred from London to New York's Roundabout Theatre in 1998.

After all, Liza Minnelli had made the role her own on film, and Richardson generally was not regarded as a musical-comedy performer -- though she played socialite Tracy Lord in a 1987 stage version of "High Society." Instead of portraying Sally as a belting Broadway baby, Richardson grounded her in the dramatic reality of a struggling cabaret performer caught up in the darkening shadows of Weimer Germany.

The New York Times' Ben Brantley wrote of her way with the show's title tune, "What Ms. Richardson does is reclaim and reinvent a show-biz anthem that is as familiar as Hamlet's soliloquy." The theater community agreed, awarding her a Tony and a Drama Desk Award.Tall and coolly elegant, Richardson moved easily between costume drama and contemporary fare.She first appeared onscreen as a child, playing a flower girl in her director father Tony Richardson's "The Charge of the Light Brigade," but she made her first major film appearance as Mary Shelley in Ken Russell's 1986 film "Gothic." She quickly moved on to tackle the title role of a kidnapped American heiress in Paul Schrader's 1988 "Patty Hearst."Schrader also cast Richardson opposite Rupert Everett in 1990's "The Comfort of Strangers," about an English couple who visit Venice to sort out their relationship."

Natasha Richardson was an extraordinary actress, not just for her beauty, lineage and talent but for her intelligence and fearlessness," Schrader said. "She was brave and smart. I was in awe of her from the time we first met and will miss her dearly."

Adam Lambert's Ring of Fire

Country music week on American Idol is specially targeted toward that red state contingency of America that just can't get enough of songs about eating barbeque sauce in their pick-up trucks and cheating on their dogs.

With Obama in the cling to Grand Ole Opry week as a bastion of safety in an otherwise chaotic liberal socialist sea. But look out cowboys, and hang on to your studs and Judds, because Adam Lambert is here to bring the Grand Ole Opry some Southern California flare with his very special performance of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire."

Adam Lambert has been labeled an early favorite to win Season 8 of American Idol, and has become America's latest gay icon. But Wednesday night the American Idol judges had few kind words for his slithery performance of the Johnny Cash classic. Simon Cowell called Lambert's performance "indulgent rubbish" and predicted that many fans of country music were presently throwing their televisions out the window in revulsion. Randy Travis, who coached the contestants for Grand Ole Opry week, could barely contain his homophobia during his taped segment with Lambert. The nail polish and eyeliner were all too much for Travis, who pasted a terrified smile across his face and then politely stated: "I'm speechless," when asked about Lambert's musical interpretation.

Lambert definitely seemed to be grasping for some sort of Led Zeppelin/Jeff Buckley type arrangement of "Ring of Fire," but his performance lacked the transcendence that comes along with the heavy drug use that real rock and roll musicians swear by. Also--Jeff Buckley never stole She-Ra's jacket and tried to pass it off as his own.

Adam Lambert's American Idol performance highlights how easily the American public can mistake "musical theater guy" for "creepy Vegas strip club lounge singer guy." Most people might not have seen it, but Lambert's compulsive lip-curling and thigh rubbing exposed him to be the latter.