It

A couple of days ago Sally and I watched Tom Hanks in Charlie Wilson's War. Hanks was smart enough to use Philip Seymour Hoffman, one of the best actors of our age, to complement himself. He also used a little known actress to play his assistant. Little known when she was signed for the part, maybe.

Amy Adams is one of those people who walk into a scene and my eyes immediately go to her. There were several beautiful girls in Charlie Wilson's War but none of them had what Amy has, star quality. I've never understood what makes someone a star, but whatever defines star quality, or it, Amy Adams has got it. We all know it when we see it.


In a review of Julie & Julia I opined that Adams is now getting parts Nicole Kidman got when she was Adams' age, like Kidman has somehow moved into the over-the-hill realm of movie parts.

Yesterday I saw the October 2007 issue of Vanity Fair, which featured not only gorgeous photos of Kidman, but also of Adams. I think its fair to say that I underestimated Nicole Kidman when I wrote those words and without salt or butter I now eat them.

I believe the truest test of a star is in their legacy. When I saw these pictures recently on the Life Magazine site, it reminded me that years after their movies were made, years after their deaths, Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe are still stars.



I suspect that future generations will still be looking at both Nicole Kidman and Amy Adams and saying, "Those women were movie stars. They had it."