- Helena Bielic, Deux ou trois choses que je sais d’elle… France,1966. As per usual, the bilious realisateur Jean-Luc Godard knew nothing about actors – and future stars. In15-minute meetswith various girlsfor minor roles, he asked them all thecliché question: Are you prepared to shoot in the nude? “Depends on who’s asking,” said Sanda, who failed to win Girl in Bath. Bielic went in the tuband never made a second film. Up to 2007, Sanda made 54, for such illustrious directors as Bertolucci, Bolognini, Cavani, Demy, De Sica, Huston, etc .In fact, her1969 debut, Une femme douce, 1969, was by a film-maker greatly revered by Godard: Robert Bresson.
- Trish Van Devere, The Last Run, 1971. As we shall see, George C Scott never forgot that she dumped himfor (the never made) Techniquement douce of Italian maestro Michelangelo Antonioni. Director John Huston also quit after rows with George C Scott… who later wed Sanda’s replacement.
- Maria Schneider, Last Tango In Paris, France-Italy, 1972. Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci planned it for his Conformist couple: Jean-Louis Trintignant, and Dominique. Then, she fell pregnant by Christian Marquand, Trintignant’s brother-in-law and longtime lover of Marlon Brando… who made the film with Maria Schneider, illegitimate daughter of another of Brando’s Paris lovers, actor Daniel Gelin…!
- Charlotte Rampling, Il portiere di notte/The Night Porter, Italy, 1974. Italian realistrice Liliana Cavani considered Sanda and Mia Farrow (and was rejected by Romy Schneider), for the barely credible love story of a former concentration camp victim and her old SS captor..
- Delphine Seyrig, India Song, France, 1975. “I regret having refused it.”
- Maria Schneider, Professione: reporter/The Passenger, 1975. When it was gestating from Techniquement douce/Technically Sweet.
- Jessica Lange, King Kong, 1976. Not at all interested. So it was Jessica finally delivering the immortal line to Kong: “I’m Libra – what are you?”
- Marthe Keller, The Formula, 1980. George C Scott strikes again..! Just as he had Tina Aumont fired from The Last Run, 1971, he now did the same with Sanda. He couldn’t (or wouldn’t) understand her French accent and had her removed – swopped for Keller’s Swiss accent! Still, he made sure Dominique was paid off with $350,000.
- Kim Basinger, 9 1/2 Weeks, 1985. “Impossible to convince any European actress to play it,” recalled UK director Adrian Lyne. “One read the script and said: How dare you propose a role like this?” He obviously tried to the wrong Euros. Next? Sanda, Jacqueline Bisset, Terri Garr, Demi Moore, Tatum O’Neal, Isabella Rossellini, Kathleen Turner, Sigourney Weaver. And Andie MacDowell who thought the script was borderline sleaze. Oh, it was way over the border! That’s why they all refused to be the erotic Elizabeth finally played by Kim and assorted body doubles.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 9