(Re)discover Tilda Swinton in five films

She began her career in independent productions and has been showing « Three thousand years waiting for you » since Friday. Let’s dive into a fascinating filmography.

“Orlando” (1992)

Tilda Swinton’s first appearances on screen, both in cinema and on television, date back to 1986. In the independent film « Caravaggio », she co-stars with another newcomer by the name of… Sean Bean. She plays roles and works frequently with experimental filmmaker and gay activist Derek Jarman, who died of AIDS in 1994. With « Orlando », a modern adaptation of Virgina Woolfe’s novel, director Sally Potter won the Audience Award at Venice, thereby introducing Tilda Swinton to festival goers.

« The Beach » (2000)

Gradually, Tilda Swinton diversifies the filmmakers with whom she works, while remaining faithful to her first love of the independent 7th Art. She accepts a role in “The Protagonists” (1999) by Luca Guadagnino (“Call me by your name”) with whom she will shoot four films, including “Suspiria”, released in 2018. Tim Roth calls on her for “The War Zone », her first time behind the camera in 1999 and, the following year, her interpretation of Sal, the leader of a species of cult in « The beach » by Danny Boyle with Leonardo DiCaprio revealed her to the general public in the whole world.

“Michael Clayton” (2007)

Her international career launched, Tilda Swinton is from the credits of « Possible Worlds » (2007) by Robert Lepage, « A Vanilla Color Sky » (2001) with Tom Cruise, « Constantine » (2005) with Keanu Reeves and « The Chronicles of Narnia : The Magic Wardrobe» the same year. In « Michael Clayton », a legal suspense, she plays the role of a legal adviser and gives the reply to George Clooney and Tom Wilkinson. The Academy of Oscars then nominates her in the category of best supporting actress and she walks away with the trophy, instantly becoming a star on both sides of the Atlantic.

« We Need to Talk About Kevin » (2011)

She continues her career without succumbing to the sirens of blockbusters. She worked with Jim Jarmush (« The Limits of Control » in 2009, then the extraordinary « The Last Lovers » in 2014), was part of the cast of « Read and Destroy » by the Coen brothers in 2008 and we see her in » The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” by David Fincher with Brad Pitt the same year while reprising his role as the white witch in the sequels to “The Chronicles of Narnia”. She then accepts the offer of filmmaker Lynne Ramsay – and will also be an executive producer – to bring to the screen the impressive psychological drama “We need to talk about Kevin”, adaptation of the novel by Lionel Shriver. She plays a mother who must come to realize that her son – played by a very young Erza Miller – is a psychopath. The role earned him Golden Globe, BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.

“The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun” (2021)

Tilda Swinton began working with Wes Anderson in 2012 for « Moonrise Kingdom » and will also be with « The Grand Budapest Hotel » in 204, then « The Isle of Dogs » in 2018. After « We need to talk about Kevin » , she runs under the direction of filmmakers as diverse as Bong Joon-ho (“Snowpiercer, le Transperceneige”), Judd Apatow (“Desperate Case”) or David Michôd (“War Machine”). But it’s her role as the Ancient One in « Doctor Strange » that propels her into the highly coveted universe of all Marvel superhero movie actors. Its distribution causes a controversy since, in the « comics », the character is a man, moreover Asian.