Greta Lee on 'Late Fame', New York's Lost Bohemia, and the Death of the Stage Diva

In an interview with CULTURED, actor Greta Lee discusses her role as Gloria in Kent Jones's film 'Late Fame', which follows aging poet Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe) as he is rediscovered by young admirers. Lee, who embodies a downtown striver, critiques contemporary acting as 'two-inch performances' and laments the loss of larger-than-life stage divas like Heather Headley, Patti LuPone, and Audra McDonald. The film, shot in New Jersey and Washington Square Park, captures a vanished New York. Lee worked with makeup artist Kabuki to create Gloria's anachronistic look, inspired by Isabella Rossellini. She reflects on her own early days in New York, the changing geography of artistic possibility (now Seoul, Mexico City), and the necessity of letting certain dreams die. 'Late Fame' releases August 7 via Magnolia Pictures.