Monday, Aug. 09, 1999

The Lady and the Champs

By Jeffrey Ressner/Los Angeles

When The Thomas Crown Affair first appeared in 1968, its most memorable scene was a sexually charged chess game between Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway. Audiences will feel rooked by the remake--it lacks the original's kitschy cool--but they'll surely remember "the Dress": a black peekaboo number worn by Rene Russo that is snug as a body stocking and virtually transparent. Like the diaphanous gown Marilyn Monroe donned for J.F.K.'s birthday, Russo's outfit is a sheer delight. "The costume designer just brought it in one day, folded up to the size of a handkerchief," recalls Russo, who gazed through the gossamer and asked, "Why don't you just paint some glitter on my body instead?" After a few test shots, she shrieked, "Oh, my God, you can see my entire a__!" Sensitive to her insecurities, director John McTiernan cleared the set, eliciting grumbles from crew members eager to see Russo strut her stuff with co-star Pierce Brosnan.

No stunt butt was needed for this model turned actress, whose sultry looks and good-natured smirk helped establish her as the gal-pal of choice to such aging screen heroes as Clint Eastwood (In the Line of Fire), Kevin Costner (Tin Cup) and Dustin Hoffman (Outbreak). "There's a sense of ease working with her because she doesn't take herself too seriously," says Mel Gibson, who co-starred with Russo in two Lethal Weapon sequels as well as the kidnapping drama Ransom. Although Russo jokes about her recurring roles as sidekick to mature macho men, she's easygoing enough to divulge her real birthday. Ask most actresses their age, and you'll get a how-dare-you stare or an outright lie. Russo, a devout Christian, once sought divine guidance about fudging her age for show biz's sake and ultimately decided to take the righteous path. She's 45. "What's sad is that actresses who are 40, 45, 50 and 60 aren't being considered for choice roles," she says. "And some of them have more to give today than ever."

Raised in Burbank, Calif., and discovered at 17 by an agent who spotted her from his car after a Rolling Stones concert, Russo suffered some tough breaks: a deadbeat dad, childhood scoliosis, spiritually bankrupt if well-paid years as a top cover girl. Things are better now, thanks to her faith and family life with screenwriter husband Dan Gilroy and five-year-old daughter Rose. Though Russo has yet to carry a film on her own (her sole effort was the failed kid flick Buddy), she still takes home $5 million a picture. Next she branches out to broad comedy as the Russian moll Natasha in The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. But what will she do with that darn dress? "It's not in my closet," she laughs. "After the scene ended, the wardrobe people ripped it off my body, and I turned back into a plain Cinderella again." And there's no sin in that.

--By Jeffrey Ressner/Los Angeles