This past Saturday was Susan Sarandon‘s birthday. Women, this is what 62 looks like. Hello, gorgeous.
This year also marks an anniversary, of sorts, of Sarandon’s film career. Her first role came after the 1968 Democratic Convention, when she and then-husband Chris Sarandon went to a casting call for “the kind of young people who disrupted the convention.” She got a major part in the 1970 release, Joe; he got nothing. She has been playing strong, opinionated women ever since – including snarky waitress Louise Sawyer in Thelma & Louise.
In honor of Sarandon’s birthday, wowOwow.com asked some of its illustrious contributors and readers, “If you were Louise, who would be your Thelma?”
Gossip columnist Liz Smith chose one of my personal heroes, someone who proved that down-home charm and intelligence are not mutually exclusive:
“My Thelma would have been that great former governor of Texas, Ann Richards. She was wise and funny and brave. She’d have been terrific driving the car.”
Marlo Thomas’ lifelong friend Camille is her choice: “… on more than one occasion, we’ve sailed off a cliff together (albeit figuratively) – holding hands and howling all the way!”
“Miss Manners” Judith Martin apparently was having a dark day when she answered, “I love my friends, but not enough – or too much – to drive off cliffs with them.”
Um, OK.
Personally, I can’t choose just one Thelma. The closest I can come is a trio – Stacey, Sandy and Deb – who may have been tempted to push me off a cliff during one of our road trips, but kept laughing instead. We see one another too seldom these days, but I’d take off down Route 66 with my “woo-woo sisters” any time.
How about you? Assuming no doom will end your trip, who’s Thelma to your Louise? What would be your happy ending?
