Rutanya Alda: Actress
With over 100 film and series credits, in a career spanning over 50 years, Rutanya Alda has had a distinguished career and is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
She worked with Robert De Niro in his first lead role film Greetings! and with Al Pacino in his first lead role in the movie Panic at Needle Park.
Rutanya has worked with renowned directors, such as William Wyler, Brian De Palma, Gene Kelly, Elia Kazan, Robert Altman and Roman Polanski.
Amongst the cult and iconic films include:
Hello, Dolly!, Rosemary's Baby, Mommie Dearest, Rocky II , Amityville II:The Possession, and The Deer Hunter.
A JAY DAY was really lucky to have a chat with Rutanya, on aspects of her career, life and views.
Angela in The Deer Hunter (1978)
JAY
Thank you, Rutanya, for your time and it’s an awesome privilege to speak with someone of your calibre, on A JAY’S DAY. How are things currently in the US? (June, 2023).
RUTANYA
Well, things are okay. You know, it’s really a sad time because everything is so politicised. It also affects the Arts, takes the freedom out. But, you know, I try to go one day at a time. Being in the now. You do the best you can, with today.
JAY
It is an unusual time, there are many issues. In the American film industry, the writers’ strike effects many, like actors, no doubt?
RUTANYA
I think so, because it’s all about who gets the money and who gets short-changed. When I’m talking about money, I mean the ability of making a living in the Arts. And, over time, it’s decreased, and decreased, and decreased.
Say, for example, a writer sells a screenplay for fifty thousand. Now, that might seem a lot, but to make a living, after taxes, especially if you’re living in New York or Los Angeles, that’s peanuts. The same thing with acting, the taxes are high, and the residuals are decreasing. I wouldn’t be surprised if actors go on a strike, unless they settled it.
JAY
I see.
RUTANYA
Actually, one of my friends, who worked on the series The Sopranos, for a number of series, he told me that James Gandolfini would cut out a cheque of 25, 000 dollars to guest actors.
JAY
Wow!
RUTANYA
He was getting something like 2 million a show and was aware of that. It’s not thought of that way in Hollywood. Usually, actors have part-time jobs and I think actors, in this generation and in the future, that’s going to be something faced.
Stand-in for Mia Farrow and Dr. Hill's Answering voice in
Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby (1968)
JAY
Speaking of the major films and series of today, do you think the way stories are made, have differed? For example, do you think editing is fast paced?
RUTANYA
I think that’s true. A lot of editing is fast paced. There’s a thought, somewhere with people doing it, that says, “If it’s fast paced, it will keep viewers interested.”
No! I saw a film and everyone walked out, scratching their heads, because it was so fast-paced. You didn’t get a chance to feel anything!
But, having said that, being on the Foreign Film Committee for the Academy, I see ninety percent of the foreign films ,and the stories are absolutely wonderful and memorable.
There was a little Bolivian film (Utama, a story about a Quechua couple in the drought-stricken Bolivian highlands) which took you into their world, and you start to understand their culture, their thinking and when it focussed on the family at the end, it was so moving, an emotional journey. Another is the Swedish movie Cairo Conspiracy which took you into the Muslim world and was a thriller, and then there was the Irish film The Quiet Girl, which was marvellous.
Stand-in for Anne Francis - Funny Girl (1968)
JAY
Interesting. Do you think the up-coming stars of today have to look at their work in a different way, than when you started out?
RUTANYA
Well, when I worked with Meryl and Bobby (Robert De Niro) in The Deer Hunter, the only real star, in the cast was Bobby. He had already made a name for himself. Meryl wasn’t a star and neither was anybody else, so when we worked together, we saw each other as colleagues. There was no preferential treatment, maybe a little for Bobby, because he had his own trailer, but we were all in the Honeywagon, together. But on set, we were actors, colleagues, and the wonderful director, Michael Cimino, made that happen.
Linda in Brian De Palma's Greetings (1968)
JAY
And of the younger stars, who are upcoming?
RUTANYA
Unfortunately, a lot of them don’t last, Jay. They do a television series and some movies, then a lot of them disappear.
But, social media, is so fleeting. You’re hot for 15 seconds, and then somebody else is hot.
I liked it when the real stars like Clarke Gable, Marlene Dietrich and Jimmy Stewart were around. You didn’t know much about them. You knew just enough. There was a mystique to them. Today, though, uh! Who’s that woman, that’s married to – …They’re supposed to be influencers -
JAY
You’re not talking about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry?
RUTANYA
Oh, no, she doesn’t influence anybody. It's a family, a mother and daughters -
JAY
The Kardashians?
RUTANYA
Right! People look at them and say, “Oh, my God, the surgery! Oh, my God, it’s just too much!” I mean, they’re famous for being influencers. But, I don’t know anybody who they’re influencing. There’s no glamour, there’s just exposure, these days. Social media can waste so much of your time, I mean, I’d rather have a beer at my favourite place, a few blocks from here, or have a really good sangria. Sit there, and have a real conversation with friends. It’s that real connection you have with another human being, that you don’t get on social media.
Admitting Nurse in The Panic in Needle Park (1971)
JAY
Let’s go back to your early start in acting. Namely, your training. Now, many actors boast of training with one of the legendary American acting teachers; Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler or Sanford Meisner. But you, studied with all three?!!!
Can you give a little of your training background?
RUTANYA
Yes, I studied with all of them for a number of years. But you left out Paul Mann and Barbara Loden. They’re my favourite acting teachers, they were tremendous.
Stella Adler, she gave script analysis classes and they were tremendous. Sanford Meisner was strict, at times. With Lee, I was there for years. For me, he was very confusing at times. Lee was teaching at Carnegie Hall at the studios upstairs. And, across the street, there was a cafe, where all the actors went after class. And there we would talk. Somebody would ask, “What do you think he meant when he said that?” and someone would say, “I don’t know! What do you think he meant?”
Ruthie Lee in Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973)
I say, you do get insight no matter who you study with, and all the top teachers were excellent in their own way. When someone says, “you’re a method actor” – that doesn’t work in my mind, because you have your own “method”, it really becomes bits and pieces from a variety of teachers, that you can apply and understand, yourself. Now, that takes time. You don’t get it right away.
What I liked about Barbara Loden was, she said, “I’m going to repeat this a number of times, and you’ll hear me repeat it in a different way, and it takes around nine months to a year, to get what I mean. “ And by golly, Jay, I’m sitting there nine months into it and I had that “ah-huh!” moment – “Oh, my God! That’s what she’s talking about!” – The value of what she was talking about, that I could use! I mean, you can go to a grand acting teacher for a few weeks, and I don’t believe people can get it right away. I think it’s a process where you hear it, and you hear it and you hear it, and you do it, and you do it, and you do it, and then you get an “ah-huh” moment. It doesn’t come instantly. I remember Bobby De Niro going to an acting teacher, I’ve never heard of, but he stayed there for two years.
JAY
I remember you telling me once, no matter who the teacher is, you’ll always get some “gold” somewhere in learning.
RUTANYA
Yeah.
Dr. Cooper in Rocky 2 (1979)
JAY
There are so many amazing directors and actors that you’ve worked with, but I’m going to say just a few names, and just shoot at me a fast, short response. Here we go:
Brian De Palma: “Innovative, exciting, daring.”
Robert De Niro: “Solid, committed, dedicated.”
Meryl Streep: “The best technique of any actress, around.”
Roman Polanski: “Well, he knew what he wanted, and he got it! He is daring.”
Gene Kelly: “Oh, just the loveliest human being, ever. Just so kind and appreciative. He’s just a love.”
Carol Ann in Mommie Dearest (1981)
Brittany Murphy: “She was a sweetheart. I told her, “Don’t go to Hollywood. Stay in New York for a while and develop your craft. But she went to Hollywood and wanted to become a star. And – tragic, tragic, tragic outcome.
Sylvester Stallone: (Laughs) “He’s one of a kind.”
Al Pacino: “He’s a real actor. He’s really committed to the craft.”
Sean Penn and Nicholas Cage: “Well, I love Sean. He was young, they were both young. They were like kids, in a way. They must have been in their early 20s. I played Sean’s mother in Racing with the Moon and at the time of filming, I said, “I love this boy, no matter what he does” and years later, about two or three years before COVID, I was at a film premiere and he saw me, grabbed me and hugged me, and it was like that old mother-and-son connection again, and he invited me into a party, and I stayed a little.
Delores Montelli in Amityville II: The Possession (1982)
JAY
Coming back to Brian De Palma. You did a few films with him. But, I want to ask about your first film with him, Greetings. The Vietnam War was happening and Greetings was not only filmed during that time but actually used it as a central topic for its story. Did it ever concern you or was it a case where people simply connected with it?
RUTANYA
I think it was simply a case of people connecting with it. I mean, that was Brian De Palma in his early movie phase, which I think were his most original movies because he had that sense of dark humour, and its sequel Hi, Mom!, came out of his mind, too. So, it was his way of telling these stories – and that’s the creative period, in my early acting career. Those were the stories, which would never get made, today. It was just that time, things were happening, people were creative, they were making their indie movies for no money. I mean, Greetings was made on short-ends.
[Short ends are the unexposed film stock rolls from major films].
Bryan would go out and buy the short ends from the major movies that had been made, and he would buy 5 minutes, 3 minutes, 10 minutes and then he would tell us, like in that scene with Bobby (Robert De Niro) and I in that bedroom, Brian would say, “We only have five minutes of short ends, so we got to do this in five minutes” ...In the scene, where the film runs out, that was the actual film running out, and he said, “Okay, I got another short end at six minutes It’s really going well, now you have to finish it in six minutes!” So, that was how the movie was made, one take.
Mrs. Nash in Racing with the Moon (1984)
Now, there was something that came out of that, that I can’t describe. But, that way of filmmaking was exciting, it was thrilling! You had this energy between the actors and between the director, and it was like, “Okay! We can do this! Let’s do this! Let’s go!!” And, we did it. And then Greetings won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. But, it was because it was so unusual for its time, there was no movie like it. In terms of camera style, it was very raw, not perfect like movies are today, but there was an energy to that movie he captured, the way it was shot.
In the “Be Black Baby” elevator scene of Hi, Mom! , which, by the way, Life Magazine wrote a whole, wonderful article on it, Brian’s friend worked in a building, which had an up-and-down stairs area, which Bryan wanted.
Georgette's Mother in Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989)
(Many years later…..)
…Quentin Tarantino came up to me, this was before COVID, after a screening. And, I’d never met him, - but at the time, I had come early to an event, and he was standing in the corner. I walked in, and he said, “You’re in the greatest scene in film history!!”
I looked around, and was wondering, “Who is he talking to?” and he came up to me and said, “You, Rutanya! You’re in the greatest scene!”
I said, “What do you mean?”
“The Be Black Baby scene in Hi, Mom! It’s the greatest scene in film history!” Quentin repeated. And, luckily, I had my friend, Donna, with me, and I said, “Donna, you are witness to what he said!”
Then he asked, “How did you do that?” I said, “Quentin, we had two and a half hours to shoot that fifteen to twenty minute scene.”
He said, “Oh, my God! How did you do that scene in two hours?”
Well, we had to. That was the time, it wasn’t scripted. Brian told us what the story was. So, each actor took it upon themselves to do their characters.
It was a certain time, a certain era in film history, and other directors were doing stuff, you know, in different kind of ways. I look back at that time, working with Brian was one of my favourite times.
Sue Madenhurst in They Watch 1993)
JAY
Greetings and Hi, Mom! has both multi-layered dark humour mixed in with issues and topics, which, now, would never get made by any stretch of the imagination, especially with the politics of today. By the same token, upcoming filmmakers and film students study the works of genius film directors such as Brian De Palma, in order to get inspiration and to find into ways of making scenes.
Interestingly enough, the decades of the 50s right up to the 90s, had a number of “new wave moments” from South America, Japan, India, Czech Republic, UK, Australia, to Mexico, Ireland, Taiwan and obviously, France.
You were part of the American New Wave, aka the New Hollywood. If it weren’t for your films such as Greetings, we’d probably be scratching our heads and thinking what to do. They’re huge, wonderful, pure moments in film history, I believe.
RUTANYA
That’s a tremendous insight, Jay, because it’s absolutely true. And thank you for having that insight, I really appreciate you providing that.
Beth in Safe Passage (1994)
JAY
Do you think cult movies can be made today, as they had been in the past?
RUTANYA
I don’t think they can be done today, I think they happen by accident. Who knew Mommie Dearest was a huge cult movie and still has legs on it, better than ever, better than before! I mean, it’s kind of exciting. There’s a great following, people love it, and have seen it many times, so, totally unexpected. Like a phenomenon, I can’t explain it, but I love it.
Vice Principal in The Glass House (2001)
JAY
Film director, Richard Kelly, once said a cult movie usually begins as being a polarising experience in its first phase. Such as, the critics love it, but the audiences hate it, or it was controversial at the start, but years later, becomes iconic and well-received. I think, and I could be wrong, but the “cult movie” of today generates as an instant hit wonder. It derives from a novel, musical, comic, biography, music artist, literature series, - the fan base is planted from a different base, and producers hope they latch onto the film or series. This ties in with the social media machine, where everything tries to force viewers into becoming fans, prior to its release, and the anticipatory drum beat gets hammered up until the premiere. Tickets are already pre-sold, competitions made, cross-marketing schemes in place. No one gets to genuinely enjoy the experience, but are willing to analyse, assess and assert their 2 cents worth of intellectual reflection via social media, tabloids and gossip.
Would you sense that there are different cult movies?
RUTANYA
That’s a great insight, Jay. Because, you can’t make it become a cult film. What happened, happened with other circumstances. And, Amityville 2: The Possession, did not get well received, at all when it came out. It was too realistic, in some ways. Psychologically, realistic. As time went on, people saw the other Amityville movies, and many have said, Amityville 2 stands above the other ones, and has become a cult film.
Whatever lives after is a mystery and unimaginable, in a way.
Wanda Marshall in Love Comes Softly (2003)
JAY
I remember a film teacher say to me, “Whatever you film is history.”
RUTANYA
Thank God for indie filmmakers, because they really are the honest, true, creative voice, today. Everything is so “we do this, we do that”, it’s so money-oriented. A lot of it is because corporations own all those big studios. Years ago, the people who were in charge, they were also interested in really good movies. They trusted that good movies would make money, but now it’s about huge profits; you want to make a billion dollars, and a lot of it is falling flat. Because the audience don’t want to see remakes. I mean, there are some good remakes, but when you get onto your fifth, sixth remake, it’s not very good. It’s a little disappointing. So, we make indie movies.
Like, I’m making my indie movie on a nickle and a dime. There are 5 Academy members that make this movie. My director, my editor, animator, composer Charles Bernstein, who has scored over 140 movies and me, so we’re in post-production, and we’re half-way there.
It’s a miracle movie.
JAY
USA: Land of the Mustaches.
RUTANYA
Yes, that one. So, if I go out with that movie, I’m happy. Actually, I’ve had several people donate from France and England and so, people out there are very generous.
At the end of the credits, I was fortunate to have Janice Ian, who has been a famous songwriter for years and years. She was my favourite when I was 17, and she wrote a song called At Seventeen. It was a hit song in the late 60s.
We get to hear one of her songs at the end, with the credits. Everyone who donates will get a credit there, which you’ll get to see.
So, it’s been a real journey. Without the help of these people, I would not have realised my dream, and my dream came out of doing it.
I wrote the script in around 2 and a half weeks, and then we shot it with 2 eighteen-hour days. But the thing is, it came out of COVID. But, I was very logical, I thought, “You know what, there’s a lot of fear going around. If you’re over 70, you’re going to die”. And I also thought, “What if I die, aged 78, and I hadn’t told the story I’ve always wanted to tell?”
So, after writing the story, I called my friends up; my director friend and two others, who work as DPs (director of photography), and I said, “You know what, I need to film this, ‘cause who knows? I’m in that vulnerable group.” So, they said, “Okay! We’ll come over ” And my director, Leon Joosen, when he came over, said, ”I’m going to make a set.” He’s very creative. So, we took one of the bedrooms and we made it into a set. It was remarkable how well it worked, it’s just amazing. So, if it wasn’t for COVID, Jay, I probably would never have made this movie.
Older Sally Ann in Stolen Lives (2009)
JAY
Wow. I’ve noticed, if one is pushed into a corner, that creative spark comes from nowhere, and amazing things happen. As opposed to normal circumstances, where time is not an issue.
That’s one of the things that has been consistent with you, Rutanya. You’re an actor and also a creative person – proactivity is at the forefront of your decisions. Whether you’ve worked on mainstream famous films, or independent movies, it was proactivity that has allowed you to survive for decades, not years, decades!
RUTANYA
It is decades! You’re absolutely right!
Admiral Evans in Too Big to Fail (2011)
JAY
What advice would you have for upcoming actors?
RUTANYA
Well, I said it to a young actress, I said, “If there’s anything else you loved doing, apart from acting, then do it.” She was shocked. I said, “Because, acting has to be the one thing you have to do. It’s a long road.”
99% sure, you will not be able to make a living out of acting, alone. And it’s for a long time, if ever. So, unless you have very well-to-do parents who can support you for the next 20 or 30 years, it’s usually a journey with poverty. You see, I’ve never had a second choice. It’s a challenge to your very being, and if you don’t have it, that spark in you. If that spark isn’t there, it’s going to be too hard.
I mean, there were people in my actor training, who were wonderful, brilliant. And, they dropped out after 4 or 5 years.
Mrs. Pavlovsky in Where is Kyra? (2017)
It’s going to require that need, and if that need isn’t there, then I say, go for something else. But if that need is there, then go for it. It may take time, or it may not take time, you may be the one who hits the jackpot, but if you’re not that 1%, then strive with getting the best knowledge that you can. That doesn’t necessarily mean studying with name people, but studying with someone who will stick with you through your journey, help you, and not put you down. Don’t study with people who, in any way, demean you. If someone does that, step away, find somebody else. Get a positive acting teacher, who knows your journey is one of growth, growth as an actor, but also growth as a human being, too.
I’m a better actor today, because I understand people more. I accept people, I don’t judge people. I see their greatness and their frailties, it’s really about becoming a better human being. As you become a better human being, you become more empathetic, more curious about life. You’re more ready to portray different people. Put away your smart phone, limit yourself with it. Be out there in the world and observe.
My teacher, Paul Mann said to me, “I wouldn’t have to teach acting if people sat down for a few hours and watch people.” Well, there’s some truth to that, because now, everybody is on their smart phone. Put it away!
Being a good actor is being a human being with more insight than when you started.
If something lives in you that’s so important, good! Find the support you need. Find people you need that share the same or a different passion. It doesn’t matter if the passion is different, it’s a passion. Live your passion and just love it. It’s your life.
Rutanya with her son, Jeremy Bright, at the Oscars.
JAY
You passed your acting legacy, to your son, right?
RUTANYA
Yes, and you know what, Jeremy wasn’t going to be in acting. He did a couple of things as a child actor, and after a while, I said to him, “Jeremy, I want you to have a life as a kid. You have no responsibilities, just be a kid.” He was like 8 years old, so I said to him, “If you grow up and you finished college, and you want to be an actor, then you’re adult enough to make that decision.”
So, after he finished university, one day he came home, and he said, “Mum, remember when I was 8 years old, and we had this conversation?” I said, “Yes?”
He said, “Well, I’m going to be an actor.”
That really shocked me, because he was going into law. He had all these great opportunities lined up for him. He said, “Mum, if I became a lawyer, it’s going to kill my soul.” And I said, “Wow. Well, you know the journey. It’s not easy, you’re going to have a lot of difficulties.”
“It’s what I want to do, mum.” He said And I said, “Fine! Then, do it.”
So, Jeremy has studied with several teachers and spent the last couple of years with Paul Calderon. He now knows quite a bit and is very dedicated. In a way, I think he’s a better actor now, at his age, than I was at his age. So, he’s getting some opportunities. However, it is more challenging and difficult today, than back when I started. So, I support him in every way, I can, it’s his journey. And, he’s accepted the actor’s life, the way that it is. It’s his passion. He’s very independent of me. He’s a wonderful human being, I’m very proud of him.
JAY
Wow, truly wonderful. Well, thank you, Rutanya, for sharing your time. Truly, I enjoyed talking with you.
RUTANYA
No, worries. Thank you, very much.
Lyn Marino in The War with Grandpa (2020)
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Rutanya has written a book, The Mommie Dearest Diary: Carol Ann Tells All, which goes into her stories with the likes of John Wayne, Roman Polanski, Barbra Streisand, Sylvester Stallone, Sir Laurence Olivier, Gene Hackman, Robert Altman and Bob Dylan.
AND, goes into depth with her adventures of making the cult classic Mommie Dearest starring Faye Dunaway.
Available on Amazon (hard / soft cover and on Kindle) and various book stores and online platforms.