Wednesday, September 15, 1999
The Kindness of the Redfords
"He's a good father," says James Redford
simply.
By Jeannie Williams
That's why Robert Redford was on hand this week for a screening of an HBO film on which his screenwriter son, James, was executive producer, The Kindness of Strangers. The project has a personal resonance: It's about organ donations, and though he's not in it, James has had two liver transplants.
"For several years he was chased by the furies pretty good," says dad Robert, who greeted his son with a big hug. "That's the toughest roles sometimes a parent has to play, not being able to help, but to just be therein support. It's not like the old days, when you could pick them up and take care of it. It's something he had to go through himself. The result of his experience is why we're here tonight, and it's pretty great.
"The director/actor, like many thousands, was sweating out Hurricane Floyd. He's about to shoot a movie on an island off Savannah, Ga. He got word at Monday's HBO reception about the evacuation order and said wryly: "How's that for good news!"
He hasn't made a film since The Horse Whisperer in 1998 but says, "I don't slack off. I was inviting my soul, enjoying life.
"This one, The Legend of Bagger Vance, "isn't a golf movie; it's got golf init. It's a metaphorical piece" concerning major players Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones "and a fictional character from Savannah." Stars are Will Smithas the title character, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron. Redford must think it's good timing: "Half the country's now gone golf-mad.
"I asked what he thinks of Warren Beatty's rumblings about a possible presidential run. "Not much," said Redford dismissively.
James, 37, who wrote Hearts and Bones (with Kiefer Sutherland and Daryl Hannah), said of Kindness, "It was important for me to do this. Most people who go through a transplant come out of it and feel compelled to give something back. A lot of people are out there waiting.
"When the movie begins airing Sept. 23 on HBO, a Web site on transplants will be in the credits.
FLASHES: Demi Moore is guest-editing Marie Claire mag's December millennium issue. She says it has been "wildly fun" so far. Cameron Diaz teams with entrepreneurs Karim Masri and Hubert Baudoin to open Bambu, a Far Eastern eatery in South Beach in December. Rupert Everett, Amber Valetta, Tommy Hilfiger and Martha Stewart were among diners after Hilfiger's New York show Tuesday with new Harper's Bazaar editor Kate Betts at Fressen.
VIPS: Lisa Marie Presley has been a star of this week's designer shows inNew York, with new beau John Oszajca escorting her. They attended the Versace show, and on Tuesday they were happy huggers at the Marc Jacobs event (with Lisa Marie sporting hair extensions). The two are in "a committed relationship" since meeting in May in L.A., says a spokeswoman. Oszajca, who hails from Hawaii and at 25 is a tad younger than Presley, 31,is a hot new singer/songwriter with Interscope Records. He boasts a singleon the soundtrack for the summer movie Mystery Men.
Presley's long-awaited Capitol album is definitely in the works, and she'll be in the studio with it next month. As of now her beau isn't involved, but stay tuned.
JAMES REDFORD, executive producer, "The Kindness of Strangers"
(c) 1999 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.