Changes: Mira Furlan

Revision as of 14:17, 21 May 2010

Mira Furlan as Ambassador Delenn of *Babylon 5*

Mira Furlan played the role of Danielle Rousseau during the first four seasons of the show, until her character was killed in "Meet Kevin Johnson". Melissa Farman later played a younger version of her character in Season 5.

Background

A leading actress of theatre, film and TV in Croatia, one of seven independent countries that formerly made up Yugoslavia.
Was heavily criticized in Croatia following a 1991 theater performance in Belgrade, Serbia, a time when Croatia was under attack by the Serb-controlled Yugoslav Army.[1]
Fallout from the resulting scandal caused her to emigrate to the US with her husband Goran Gajic in November 1991.
Starred in the Warner Brothers TV-series Babylon 5 as Ambassador Delenn (a Minbari who took on human characteristics and possessed remarkable strength of character). She also portrayed Delenn in three Babylon 5 TV movies.
Is a member of The Actors Studio.
Her film credits include leading roles in over 25 films.
Has appeared regularly on Yugoslav Television, playing leading roles in numerous series and TV-films.
Received all the highest awards in her former country, both for her stage and film work, including two Golden Arenas (Yugoslav Oscars) for Best Actress.
A former member of the Croatian National Theatre and a frequent guest star at major theatres in the whole country.
Also has made a 1 time appearence in the hit tv show Ncis as Dina Ricci in South By Southwest

Departure from Lost

In "Meet Kevin Johnson", Danielle Rousseau was shot and killed. According to an interview with her husband, Goran Gajić, Furlan had requested that the producers write her character out of the show, as she was tired of living in Hawaii—a type of ennui known among Lost cast members as "island fever".

However, in a more recent interview, Furlan claims that she did not choose to leave the show, that she loved "being on the show and loved playing that role" and is "really disappointed and angry with those rumors, because I don’t know where they are coming from."

On March 28, 2008, Furlan was awarded back her grandmother's apartment in Zagreb in court. She and her husband are still living in Los Angeles, where they intend to remain.

From Croatia Press:

“

Furlan has been awarded back her flat in Zagreb, which she had left at the beginning of the 1990s, as [she] was hounded for culturally cooperating with Belgrade colleagues, something that brought about a smear campaign against her.
...
Mira Furlan left Zagreb at the height of the war in Croatia and found a new home in the United States where after struggling for a while she managed to get roles in acclaimed series like Babylon 5 and Lost. She has recently returned to Croatia with theatre roles played at the Ulysses Theatre owned by colleague and actor who had seen a similar destiny Rade Serbedzija.

”

(The "recently" in the above quotation refers to the summers of 2002 through 2005.)

External links

mirafurlan.net Official Site, includes information about current and past roles and photgraphs
mirafurlan.com Official Autograph Site, includes biography, photos, and autographed collectibles
Unofficial fansite for Furlan and her husband, Goran Gajic
A Letter to my Co-Citizens essay by Furlan explaning why she traveled to Belgrade in 1991 to perform in a theater festival
Gloria Interview with Goran Gajić Interview with Furlan's husband explaining her departure from Lost
- Lostpedia Forums An English translation by a Lostpedia forums member
Croatia Press News article describing Furlan's return to Zagreb, Croatia

@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 In {{ep|4x08}}, [[Danielle Rousseau]] was shot and [[Body_count|killed]]. According to an [http://www.gloria.com.hr/intervju/showpage.php?id=4855 interview] with her husband, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goran_Gajić Goran Gajić], Furlan had requested that the producers write her character out of the show, as she was tired of living in Hawaii—a type of ennui known among ''Lost'' cast members as "island fever".
-However, in a new [http://geekadelphia.com/2010/05/21/farpoint-2010-an-interview-with-mira-furlan-of-lost interview], not long after her reapparance in "[[What They Died For]]", Furlan claims that she did not choose to leave the show, that she loved "being on the show and loved playing that role" and is "really disappointed and angry with those rumors, because I don’t know where they are coming from." Furlan also specifies that she is saddened that the character of Danielle was not developed further: "I loved playing that character and there was so much in that character. I just, I’ll just regret all those things weren’t developed, that’s my sadness about that."
+However, in a more recent [http://geekadelphia.com/2010/05/21/farpoint-2010-an-interview-with-mira-furlan-of-lost interview], Furlan claims that she did not choose to leave the show, that she loved "being on the show and loved playing that role" and is "really disappointed and angry with those rumors, because I don’t know where they are coming from."
 On March 28, 2008, Furlan was awarded back her grandmother's apartment in Zagreb in court. She and her husband are still living in Los Angeles, where they intend to remain.