Andrea Riseborough is an English actress who is very talented, and has that slightly buggy-eyed (very attractive!) look that makes her perfect for 1920s-30s films. I always enjoy watching her for her acting skills and her beauty, so let’s admire her in the hopes she’ll make some more frock flicks!
Margaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchley (2008)
As a far-too-pretty Margaret Thatcher in this TV miniseries about Thatcher’s early years.
See? Her eyes totally remind me of the Mitford sisters!
You can never go wrong with dark-color-and-black — here it’s navy.
Tres chic!
The Devil’s Whore (2008)
As a fictional courtier whose life is upended by the English Civil War.
She’s pivotal to all the boys.
She looks great with dark hair, even if she’s potentially grommety.
This show understands cartridge pleats!
I have raved before about this wedding dress.
I just LOVE well-done silk satin!
Even when things don’t go so well, always be well dressed.
Just lovely!
Made in Dagenham (2010)
An inspiring film about the 1968 Ford sewing machinists strike.
ALL MY HAIR GOALS
Resistance (2011)
An alternate reality where the Germans have invaded and occupied Britain during World War II. I feel like I tried to watch this and didn’t care? Maybe? Or was that another alternate-reality take on WWII?
It’s bleak being occupied.
Not having any fun.
W.E. (2011)
The Madonna-directed film that is half Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII in JAW DROPPING STUNNING COSTUMES by Arianne Phillips, and half a modern woman who is obsessed with the couple. They should have just stuck with the period stuff, as the modern story just doesn’t work.
Okay, so Riseborough is too beautiful to play Simpson, who was always elegantly and chicly dressed but not “pretty.”
Who cares, let’s admire these AMAZING COSTUME DESIGNS.
I love the zig-zags paired with the antennae hat!
The pattern matching on this IS TO DIE FOR.
Just epic.
SO elegant!
The Witness for the Prosecution (2016)
As the titular witness, testifying against her husband who has been accused of murder, in this 1930s-set Agatha Christie adaptation.
She’s a beautiful but melancholy showgirl.
She SO SUITS THIS ERA!
Taking the stand.
Battle of the Sexes (2017)
As “Marilyn Barnett” in this film about the real-life 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.
Is she a hairstylist?
The Death of Stalin (2017)
I keep hearing rave reviews for this black comedy take on Russian dictator Joseph Stalin — I’m sure I’ll get to it at some point? Riseborough plays Svetlana, Stalin’s daughter.
Keeping it simple yet of-the-period.
What’s your favorite of Andrea Riseborough’s frock flick roles?
I really liked “Battle of the Sexes”. The strange thing is, in the movie she was Billie Jean King’s hairstylist, when in real life she was BJK’s secretary. Hollywood.
I love her in the Agatha Christie. the duplicity of her role in witness for the prosecution is amazingly sympathetic.
Haven’t seen any of those movies, but I want those 1930s outfits for myself.
Probably still The Devil’s Whore, if only because I really haven’t seen any of the others. Those gown fabrics were STUNNING.
Amended to say what I saw of the The Death of Stalin was very funny. I didn’t recognize her. I was on a transcontinental flight so I didn’t catch the entire movie.
The Death of Stalin is brilliant. Very funny, very black. You’re appalled at yourself while you’re laughing. Superb cast who obviously relished every minute of it.
The Devil’s Whore is another good one. Well worth hunting down. Seriously underrated.
She is a very talented and beautiful actress. I’ve often wondered why she isn’t more well known. My fave of her Frock Flick roles is Wallis in W.E. If we’re going to nitpick that she was too pretty to play Wallis Simpson, then I’ll add that James D’Arcy was too handsome to play David, and that James Fox and Natalie Dormer were too attractive and totally unsuited to play Bertie and Elizabeth. That said, I really liked the movie, including the gorgeous costuming and musical score, and the non-essential contemporary storyline. It’s been ages since I’ve seen The Devil’s Whore, and I just remember it being weird. Maybe it’s time for a re-watch. The showgirl stills from The Witness for the Prosecution remind me of Cate Blanchett’s showgirl costumes in The Man Who Cried. Great WCW choice! I definitely want to hunt down some of these pics!
I LOVED Made in Dagenham.
They’ve got the Wallis Simpson hair spot-on.
Speaking of hair, ‘Barnett’ is an excellent name for a sort-of-fictional hairdresser! (For those not familiar with Cockney rhyming slang, ‘barnet’ = ‘Barnet Fair’ = ‘hair’)
She is a real woman crush of mine, I find her really charismatic and charming in pretty much everything. I watched W.E. on a flight pretty much just because of her. Totally agree that the Wallis & Edward story was the only decent part of the film. But that brings something to mind – it would be great to see James D’Arcy in MCM!
The casting as Wallis Simpson is spot-on. I had no desire to see WE but now those costumes are making me rethink. Must watch Death of Stalin too.