‘I Am No Legend’: Liv Ullmann Reveals the Individual Behind ‘Persona’ in ‘A Highway Much less Travelled’

In Cannes, no one talks to Liv Ullmann at events.

“We went to this occasion and no one seen us. When I’m round many individuals, they don’t all the time embrace me within the group. With Dheeraj, we each felt a little bit humiliated. However then we determined we are going to simply inform nice tales about it: ‘Catherine Deneuve was there too and he or she danced!,’” she laughs.

The legendary actor – “I’m no legend,” she insists – has introduced documentary “Liv Ullmann – A Highway Much less Travelled” on the French fest, directed by Dheeraj Akolkar, additional cementing her standing as an artist who by no means conformed. Even within the U.S., the place she was anticipated to look a sure method. Within the movie, she states: “I didn’t put on make-up. I’m Norwegian.”

“Sure, and take a look at me now,” howls Ullmann.

“I’ve my very own make-up artist right here! It would make me look higher in pictures, however that’s not actual life.”

Regardless of her shyness, she all the time had her humorousness to fall again on, she notes.  

“Individuals are stunned to listen to that: all of them assume I’m like Bergman. However the fact is, he was a toddler. After I was directing ‘Faithless,’ he was allowed on set solely on our final day. He hid underneath a blanket and simply lay there, till an actress seen it was shaking. He was laughing so exhausting.”

Ullmann says she was “painfully linked” to Ingmar Bergman. They collaborated on “Persona,” “Cries and Whispers” and “Scenes From a Marriage” and shared a toddler, author Linn Ullmann. She doesn’t thoughts speaking about him, although.

“I do know that Max [von Sydow] struggled with it for some time. He turned down ‘Fanny and Alexander,’ which [Bergman] wrote for us each. I additionally informed him I had already accepted one other provide. He by no means forgave me,” she says.

“He stored writing me letters, addressed to ‘Expensive Liv Ullmann,’ he was very dramatic. We didn’t discuss for a 12 months. Now, I remorse not doing that movie. Possibly it was a unsuitable alternative, however I assumed I used to be exhibiting him I used to be unbiased.”

Ullmann, who was nominated for 2 Academy Awards for “The Emigrants” and “Face to Face” – she acquired an Honorary Academy Award in 2022 – additionally finally turned to directing. Nevertheless it took her a while to really feel snug on the opposite facet of the digital camera.

“I used to be directing ‘Miss Julie’ and in the future, they simply began capturing with out me. Now that made me indignant. Do I believe it was as a result of I used to be a girl? Most likely. It was identical to once I was provided much less cash than my colleague within the theater, solely to listen to: ‘However he has to offer for his household.’ I had a daughter too!”

“I used to be so used to attempting to please everybody and it was truly a person, Erland Josephson, who informed me: ‘Cease this. You’re a director now, so behave like one.’ He was proper. We, ladies, need to cease doing this stuff. It’s not males’s fault – it’s on us.”

Within the movie, fellow actors like Cate Blanchett or Jessica Chastain can’t cease gushing about Ullmann. Her director wished to “dig deeper” than that, nonetheless.

“Whenever you simply say ‘oh, you’re so nice,’ that’s not a movie. I’ve identified Liv for 15 years, and sure, she is iconic, nevertheless it was by no means about placing her on a pedestal. There’s a individual behind ‘Persona’.”

It’s Ullmann authenticity that makes her really feel fashionable, insists Akolkar, who already labored with the actor on “Liv & Ingmar” and would possibly proceed to take action sooner or later.

“In our earlier movie, she mentioned a stupendous factor: ‘Let go.’ That’s an important lesson to study in life. She has identified a lot grief, she has identified rejection. However she has discovered a method to not be burdened by it,” he says.

“I don’t know one other artist who has carried out greater than Liv: [she’s a] author, director, actor, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and that’s simply scratching the floor. She has been in several rooms and met completely different individuals, however how does that form you? What’s the value of integrity? What does it imply to be a single mom as a result of your baby’s father is gone, then made to really feel responsible since you are working?” 

“Regardless of all this, she has by no means misplaced her humorousness. And she or he has by no means misplaced her friendships.”

The Viaplay documentary, “Liv Ullmann – A Highway Much less Travelled” was produced by Teddy TV and Vardo Movies. It would premiere within the U.Okay. on Might 23 and North America on June 22. World gross sales are dealt with by Viaplay Content material Distribution.