Parker Posey

Parker Christian Posey, born on November 8, 1968, is an American actress renowned for her work in independent films during the 1990s, earning her the moniker "Queen of the Indies." She starred in a series of notable independent productions such as "Dazed and Confused" (1993), "Party Girl," "The Doom Generation," and "Kicking and Screaming" (all 1995), "The Daytrippers" (1996), "The House of Yes," "Clockwatchers" (both 1997), and "Henry Fool" (1998).


While Posey began appearing in more mainstream films in the late 1990s, she continued to maintain a presence in art house cinema with roles in movies like "Fay Grim" (2006), "Columbus" (2017), and "Beau Is Afraid" (2023). Her mainstream credits include roles in "You've Got Mail" (1998), "Scream 3" (2000), "Josie and the Pussycats" (2001), "Superman Returns" (2006), and "Café Society" (2016). Posey frequently collaborates with Christopher Guest and has appeared in several of his mockumentaries, including "Waiting for Guffman" (1996), "Best in Show" (2000), "A Mighty Wind" (2003), and "For Your Consideration" (2006).


Beyond film, Posey played the role of Dr. Smith on Netflix's "Lost in Space" (2018–2021) and portrayed Freda Black in the HBO Max miniseries "The Staircase" (2022). She has received recognition for her work, including a Golden Globe Award nomination, a Satellite Award nomination, and two Independent Spirit Award nominations.


Parker Christian Posey was born on November 8, 1968, in Baltimore, Maryland, to Lynda (née Patton), a chef, and Chris Posey, who owned a car dealership. She has a twin brother named Christopher. Following her birth, Posey's family resided in Monroe, Louisiana, for 11 years before relocating to Laurel, Mississippi. In Laurel, her mother continued her career as a chef and culinary instructor for the Viking Range Corporation in Greenwood, while her father continued to run his car dealership. Posey was raised in the Catholic faith.


Parker Posey attended the State University of New York at Purchase, where she studied drama.
Her first break in television came with the role of Tess Shelby on the daytime soap opera As the World Turns. Posey's first major role in a feature film was in Dazed and Confused (1993), which received favorable reviews from critics and has been identified as a cult classic.
In 1994, she appeared in Hal Hartley's short film Opera No. 1. Throughout the late 1990s, Posey co-starred in 32 independent films and earned the nickname "Queen of the Indies". These films include Basquiat, Clockwatchers, The Daytrippers, Party Girl, and The House of Yes. In particular, she received positive reviews for The House of Yes, for her role as a delusional woman in love with her own brother.


Posey has co-starred in many of Christopher Guest's films, including five of his mock documentaries, the first being Waiting for Guffman in 1996. In 1998, Posey appeared in Hartley's film Henry Fool, and the big-budget studio film You've Got Mail.


Parker Posey's career has been marked by a diverse range of roles across film and television.
In 2000, she appeared in Christopher Guest's Best in Show and the horror film Scream 3, earning positive critical acclaim for her performance in the latter and receiving an MTV Movie Award nomination. The following year, Posey starred in Josie and the Pussycats and had a supporting role in the popular NBC sitcom Will & Grace.


She continued her collaboration with Christopher Guest in 2003 with A Mighty Wind, and in the subsequent years, she appeared in films such as Sisters of Mercy, Laws of Attraction, and Blade: Trinity. Posey also co-starred in the 2005 film Adam & Steve.
In 2006, Posey had a notable role as Kitty Kowalski in Superman Returns, followed by starring in Fay Grim and appearing in For Your Consideration.


Her television work includes starring in the lead role of The Return of Jezebel James in 2007, although the show was canceled after a few episodes. Posey also starred in Zoe Cassavetes's Broken English in the same year, which received critical acclaim.
Posey's career continued to thrive, with appearances in the third season of Louie in 2012, receiving praise for her performance. She also appeared in Ned Rifle and co-starred in Woody Allen's Irrational Man in 2015.


From 2018 to 2021, Posey portrayed Dr. Smith in the Netflix remake of Lost in Space. She also starred in an episode of Tales of the Walking Dead in 2022.
Looking ahead, Posey is set to star in the upcoming third season of the acclaimed series The White Lotus, with filming scheduled to take place in Thailand in February 2024.


In addition to her film and television work, Parker Posey has ventured into other creative realms, including stage, music, and writing.
On Broadway, Posey appeared in Elaine May's Taller Than a Dwarf in 2000, directed by Alan Arkin. She also graced off-Broadway stages in David Rabe's Hurlyburly in 2005 and originated the role of Pony Jones in Will Eno's The Realistic Joneses in 2012.


Posey's musical talents were showcased in the film A Mighty Wind (2003), where she learned to play the mandolin and contributed vocals to several tracks. She also played the mandolin on The Dandy Warhols' song "I Am Sound" from their album Welcome to the Monkey House.
In late 2019, Posey starred in an audio fiction podcast titled Hunted, produced by Wolf Entertainment and Endeavor Audio. In the show, she portrays a U.S. Deputy Marshal tracking escaped convicts from a federal maximum-security correctional facility.


Posey's creative expression extends to writing as well. Her memoir, You're on an Airplane: A Self-Mythologizing Memoir, was published in 2018 by Blue Rider Press. The book offers a unique format, presenting personal anecdotes from Posey's career, random observations, stories about her life, and homemade photo collages, all framed as if the reader is sitting next to her on an airplane. You're on an Airplane received critical acclaim for its humor, irreverence, and celebration of Posey's eccentricity, with reviewers praising her natural storytelling ability and the delightful insight it provides into her personality both on and off the screen.

References

1.  Corliss, Richard (February 17, 1997). "Queen of the Indies". Time. Archived from the original on May 26, 2012.
2. ^ "Obituaries for Friday, March 28, 2008 Archived March 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine March 28, 2008, Leader Call
3. ^ "Now, We're Just Parker Posey's Parents – Humor Keeps Actress's Popularity In Perspective" Archived July 17, 2015, at the Wayback Machine July 2006, Jackson Mississippi Clarion-Ledger
4. ^ "A Woman of Independent Means". October 12, 1997.
5. ^ "Index magazine interview". Indexmagazine.com. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
6. ^ Smith, Chris (October 6, 1997). "Ring Around the Posey". New York Magazine: 42.
7. Carr, David (May 6, 2007). "An Indie Star Whose Life Is an Indie Film". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 12, 2019.
8. ^ O'Rourke, Ryan (September 17, 2023). "Richard Linklater on the Success of 'Dazed and Confused' 30 Years Later". Collider. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
9. ^ Baker, Bob (July 21, 2003). "Parker Posey still poised on the brink of broader fame". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Los Angeles Times.
10. ^ Murray, Steve (December 15, 2002). "Parker Posey sees irony in 'queen of the indies' title". The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
11. ^ Peter Knegt (January 27, 2012). "Parker Posey on 'Price Check,' Sundance and the State of Independent Film". IndieWire. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
12. ^ Holden, Stephen (March 31, 2006). "In 'Adam & Steve' a Second Chance for Lovers After a Disastrous Striptease the First Time Around". The New York Times.
13. ^ Scott Chitwood (May 5, 2006). "Superman Returns Set Visit – Part 13". Superhero Hype!. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
14. ^ Jeff Jensen (June 23, 2006). "Greatest American Hero?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 8, 2008.