Parker Posey: The Actress Who Redefined Herself and Hollywood
A Career Born from Passion and Purpose
In the 1990s, Parker Posey was a rising star with a vision. At just 20-something, she shared with an interviewer her ambition to write screenplays, particularly roles for older women. Decades later, when reminded of that statement, Posey reflected, “I love that I said that. I’ve always known, or felt, that I would feel most comfortable at this age.” This sentiment encapsulates her journey in Hollywood—a journey marked by versatility, resilience, and a deep understanding of her own evolution. While the entertainment industry has undergone significant changes since the ’90s, Posey has remained a constant, though ever-changing, presence. Her recent role in The White Lotus signals a newfound recognition of her talent, but it’s her work in independent films over the past 25 years that has truly showcased her ability to embody a wide range of characters. From the uncommon sadness in Broken English to the hallucinatory seduction in Beau Is Afraid, Posey has proven herself to be an actress of elastic range.
A Free-Spirited Life: Relationships, Regeneration, and Rory
Parker Posey’s life, much like her characters, is a tapestry of stories untethered by convention. Her romantic history has an itinerant quality, with Posey likening dating to exploring her karmic past lives. Yet, it’s not just romance that defines her; she is surrounded by a sparkling collection of friends and chosen family. There’s her “chosen parents upstate,” her young adult novelist friend, her clothing-designer friend, and even her art-forger friend. Posey’s ability to craft a life anywhere is undeniable, but as she has aged, she has felt an increasing urge to “regenerate.” This desire led her to leave her city apartment a few years ago and settle in the Catskills farmhouse she bought from Tatum O’Neal in 2007. There, she formed an adoring relationship with Rory, a Highland bull who recently passed away. “He lives in my heart,” she said, a testament to the deep connections she forms, even with the animals in her life.
Beyond the Screen: Escape Routes and Creative Pursuits
While Hollywood continues to knock on her door, Parker Posey has always eyed escape routes from the movies. Over the years, she has explored a variety of unconventional projects, from shooting a survival program about off-grid home-building to rebooting an old children’s show about wild animals. She has even considered starting a slow-TV channel or writing a walk-and-talk film for herself and Camille Paglia. But perhaps her most ambitious idea is the concept of “agritainment,” a term that typically refers to the convergence of agriculture and entertainment, such as corn mazes and hayrides. For Posey, however, it’s an opportunity to reimagine an immersive new art form built into the natural world. These ideas reflect her restless creativity and her desire to push beyond the boundaries of traditional acting.
The Audition Room: A Tortured but Triumphant Experience
Despite her creative wanderlust, Hollywood continues to call Parker Posey back. During our second meeting, she had initially planned for us to undergo a sauna in the backyard of a Brooklyn vegan restaurant, followed by a cold plunge. Instead, she texted me with a change of plans—she needed a ride after a rehearsal ran long. When I arrived at the Public Theater, I learned that she had been cast in Martin McDonagh’s next film, Wild Horse Nine, opposite Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich. Emerging from a costume-fitting wearing her rose glasses and a crimson herringbone three-piece outfit, Posey shared the story of her casting process. She had described the experience as “tortured,” leaving me to assume she had missed out on the role once again. Yet, this time, the story had a new ending. McDonagh didn’t make her read for the part; it was hers from the start. After years of navigating the challenges of auditioning—something that often left her feeling self-conscious and exposed—Posey had finally found validation.
Parker Posey: The Actress Who Keeps Hollywood Guessing
Parker Posey’s career is a testament to her resilience and adaptability. From her early days as a rising star in the ’90s to her current role in The White Lotus, she has continually redefined herself, both on and off the screen. Her ability to embody characters with depth and nuance has earned her a loyal following and critical acclaim, yet she remains a free-floating entity, always hinting at the possibility of something new. Whether she’s exploring the world of agritainment or simply enjoying the quiet life on her Catskills farmhouse, Posey is a woman who defies categorization. She is a performance artist who happens to do movies in between, as Kogonada so aptly put it.
The Future: Acting, Agritainment, and Beyond
Despite the various creative and monetary opportunities presented by her agritainment ideas, what Parker Posey really wants to do is act. It’s the medium through which she has always expressed herself, and it’s the medium that has brought her back to Hollywood time and time again. With her recent role in The White Lotus and her upcoming film Wild Horse Nine, Posey is once again in the spotlight, reminding audiences of her immense talent. Yet, even as she embraces these opportunities, she remains a woman of many interests and passions, always looking for the next great escape route. Whether she’s auditioning for roles, building an intentional community around her farmhouse, or simply enjoying the beauty of the Catskills with Rory in her heart, Parker Posey is a constant reminder that life is a journey of self-discovery, creativity, and regeneration.
