Vanessa Redgrave

Vanessa Redgrave in Isadora

Vanessa Redgrave (1937 - )

Film Deaths:

• Isadora (The Loves of Isadora) (1968) [Isadora Duncan]: Neck accidentally snapped when her scarf gets caught in the rear wheel of her car.

• Dropout (1970) [Mary]: Shot to death by police as she chases after Franco Nero. (Thanks to Eugene)

• Mary, Queen of Scots (1971) [Mary, Queen of Scots]: Executed (off-camera) by beheading; we only see the axe descending, followed by a scene of Glenda Jackson holding Vanessa's Bible and rosary. (Thanks to Stephen and PortsGuy)

• Julia (1977) [Julia]: Stabbed to death by Nazi soldiers after they break into her bedroom. When the scene occurs, it's ambiguous whether we're seeing her murder as it happens, or seeing Jane Fonda dreaming of it. However, we later learn that Vanessa was indeed killed in the way we saw. (Thanks to Karen)

• Howards End (1992) [Ruth Wilcox]: Dies of natural causes; it's been so long since I've seen this movie, I can't recall whether her death or body was shown on-screen.

• The House of the Spirits (1993) [Nivea del Valle]: Decapitated when the car is hit by a train while she's riding with Armin Mueller-Stahl. (Thanks to Eva)

• Little Odessa (1994) [Irina Shapira]: Dies of a heart attack in her kitchen, collapsing in front of her son (Edward Furlong).

• Deep Impact (1998) [Robin Lerner]: Commits suicide by taking an overdose of sleeping pills. The movie intercuts between a scene of Vanessa preparing for her suicide and a scene of Elijah Wood and Leelee Sobieski's wedding; Vanessa's body is shown sitting in a chair at the end of this cross-cutting sequence.

• Evening (2007) [Ann Lord]: Dies of an unspecified illness as her family gathers by her bedside. (Thanks to Brian)

• The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh (2012) [Rosalind Leigh]: Dies, presumably of old age/natural causes. (I have not seen this film, but her death is mentioned in the story outline on the film's IMDB listing.)

• Song for Marion (Unfinished Song) (2012) [Marion]: Dies from terminal cancer when Terence Stamp awakens in their bed to find her struggling, followed by a cut to their son (Christopher Eccleston) talking to paramedics about her passing.

• Lee Daniels' The Butler (2013) [Annabeth Westfall]: Dies (off-screen), presumably of old age/natural causes, at some point between her last scene and the later portion of the story. (Her death is not mentioned in the dialogue, but considering the character's age in her final scene and the length of the story's timeline, it can be assumed.)

• Foxcatcher (2014) [Jean du Pont]: Dies (off-screen) from old age; her death is revealed when Mark Ruffalo asks why her son (Steve Carell) was not there for Channing Tatum's final round.

Television Deaths:

• Faerie Tale Theatre: Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs (1982) [The Evil Queen]: Dies of a heart attack out of shock from watching her mirrors turn black to her reflection.

• Orpheus Descending (1990 TV) [Lady Torrance]: Shot twice in the stomach by Brad Sullivan. (See also Anna Magnani in the 1959 version The Fugitive Kind.) (Thanks to Samantha)

• What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (What Ever Happened to...?) (1991 TV) [Blanche Hudson]: Dies of exposure and/or exhaustion when Lynn Redgrave brings her out to the beach after a lengthy period of confinement & torture. (See also Joan Crawford in the 1962 version.)

• Young Catherine (1991 TV) [Empress Elizabeth]: Dies of old age/natural causes. (Thanks to Matt)

• The Thirteenth Tale (2013) [Vida Winter]: Dies of pancreatic cancer. (Thanks to Brian)

Noteworthy Connections

• Daughter of Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson.

• Sister of Lynn Redgrave and Corin Redgrave.

• Ex-wife of Tony Richardson (director).

• Wife of Franco Nero.

• Mother of Joely Richardson, Natasha Richardson, and Carlo Gabriel Nero (director).

Gallery

Vanessa Redgrave in Little Odessa