Other Work
Leigh is known for doing extensive method acting research in every role, including keeping diaries written in the character’s voice, and in the past has interviewed psychiatrists, mental patients, drug addicts, sexual abuse survivors, prostitutes and phone sex workers to prepare for her roles.
Leigh filmed a role in Stanley Kubrick's final film Eyes Wide Shut (1999) as a grieving patient of Tom Cruise, who declares her love for him after the death of her father. Kubrick wanted to re-shoot the scenes, but Leigh was unavailable due to scheduling conflicts with eXistenZ. Kubrick took the somewhat controversial step of cutting Leigh's scenes, and recasting and reshooting the role with Swedish actress Marie Richardson.
Leigh has spoken openly about a number of roles she unsuccessfully campaigned for, including the Linda Hamilton role of Sarah Connor in The Terminator, the Holly Hunter role in The Piano, and the role of Catwoman in Batman Returns. Leigh was originally cast as Vincent Gallo's girlfriend in his self-directed film The Brown Bunny, and was apparently prepared to perform oral sex on Gallo as the script required. Leigh subsequently commented that "it just didn't work out" and the role was eventually played by Chloë Sevigny.
In 1997, she was featured in Faith No More's music video for "Last Cup of Sorrow".
She was selected as one of "America's 10 Most Beautiful Women" by Harper's Bazaar magazine in 1989.
Leigh served as a jury member at the 57th Venice International Film Festival in 2000.
Read more about this topic: Jennifer Jason Leigh
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