Monica Barbaro: ‘Yesterday I went home thinking I’m a terrible actor and they’re finding out’
Why it matters: Monica Barbaro's stage debut marks a significant career shift for the Oscar-nominated actor.
- Monica Barbaro is making her stage debut in the National Theatre’s revival of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, playing Madame de Tourvel, a role previously held by formidable actresses like Michelle Pfeiffer and Reese Witherspoon.
- Barbaro spent months intensely studying Joan Baez's voice, music, and appearance for her Oscar-nominated role in James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown, a process that took a long time to recover from.
- The film A Complete Unknown, according to Barbaro, honored the significant influence Baez and Suze Rotolo had on Bob Dylan's political voice, despite some historical liberties taken by director James Mangold.
- Barbaro found a deep personal connection with Baez through their shared mixed heritage and the challenges of navigating identity, further solidifying her admiration for Baez's activism and impact.
Oscar-nominated actor Monica Barbaro, known for her intense portrayal of Joan Baez in the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, is now tackling her stage debut in the National Theatre’s Les Liaisons Dangereuses, a challenge that has her questioning her acting abilities. She reflects on the demanding process of embodying Baez, whose influence on Dylan and civil rights activism she deeply admires, especially given their shared mixed heritage.
