Anne Heche’s Ex Thanks Co-Star For Honest, Touching Tribute: ‘We So Rarely Investigate The Abuse…’
Anne Heche’s ex-boyfriend James Tupper thanked her co-star for her “accurate” and honest tribute to the late actress.
As we’ve been reporting, The Brave star, who had been reported brain dead earlier in the week, was declared legally dead on Friday following a car crash which trapped her inside a burning house for over an hour. On Sunday evening, her body was officially taken off of life support and her organs were donated.
Emily Bergl, who starred alongside Anne in ABC’s Men in Trees, posted a touching tribute to her co-star over the weekend. In a caption alongside a photo of Heche posted to Instagram, the Desperate Housewives actress began her post with questions she had been asked about the Volcano star over the years:
“’You worked with crazy Anne Heche?” “So how crazy was she?’ I worked with Anne Heche for two years on the TV show Men in Trees, and this line of questioning was usually the first out of people’s mouths.”
Bergl described the Six Days Seven Nights alum as more curious “than any other famous person” she worked with:
“She elicited more curiosity than any other famous person I’ve ever worked with. I’d like to give you the answers to the questions I most received about Anne, answers that I gave many, many times.”
The Carrie 2 star set the record straight about Anne’s reputation, saying she was “a genius” and “astoundingly focused and prepared”. She went on to praise her friend for her work ethic:
“Anne was not only a genius, but one of the most astoundingly focused and prepared actors I’ve ever worked with. I don’t think I ever saw her miss her mark. I imagine she may have called for her line once or twice but I can’t recall her ever needing it. I asked her what her secret was, and she told me her first job was playing twins on Another World, so she had to memorize up to seventy pages of dialogue a day.”
Wow! Seventy pages of dialogue — PER DAY! What a commitment…
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Emily recalls the “only joke” she made about Anne, saying she believed the actress “didn’t have a psychotic break, but really was an alien”:
“The only joke I did make about Anne was that it’s likely she didn’t have a psychotic break, but really was an alien, because her strength seemed super human.”
This could be a nod to Rosie O’Donnell’s confession from early last week where she admitted she felt bad for mocking the Spread star amid her mental health struggles.
The Shameless alum continued to praise Heche, speaking about her amazingly “spontaneous” career, how she paved the way for conversations on mental health, and how she was “so much fun to be around” despite her “harrowing” struggles throughout life:
“She would work for twelve hours, invite everyone to the bar, drink a couple of doubles, and be back at work at four AM. As I would roll in feeling barely human, she would walk into the makeup trailer, always on time, her smiling face luminous without a lick of makeup. Scene after scene, her work would be flawless, and yet always remained spontaneous. I don’t think she was capable of phoning it in. And then she would do it all again the next day. It’s no wonder Anne titled her brilliant memoir Call Me Crazy, she beat everyone to the punch. She was talking about mental health before it was acceptable to talk about those struggles. She was raped by her father, her brother killed himself, and her mother told her she would burn in Hell for loving a woman. But despite a sometimes harrowing life, she was so much fun to be around.”
So incredible and inspiring! The 47-year-old finished her post by mentioning how the “abuse” surrounding people who are deemed crazy is “rarely investigated”. She also admitted to paying a huge sum to read the Donnie Brasco actress’ memoir after her death:
“She was insouciant, joyous, insightful. We so rarely investigate the abuse, the gaslighting, the misogyny, the homophobia that drives people to finally take up the “crazy” mantle that’s been placed upon them. I would tell you to read Call Me Crazy, but it’s now $200 on Amazon. I paid it because I want to read it again. She was a true genius, and I miss her. #ripanneheche”
See the full post (below):
What a candid and truly honest tribute. And the Hung alum’s ex-boyfriend seems to agree! In the comments of Emily’s post, he said:
“Oh god thank you for writing this. Is all completely accurate and true. love you e.”
So sad and so touching…
Our hearts go out to Anne’s loved ones, may they find peace. Her legacy will live on for years to come as she continues to inspire those around the world with her story.
[Image via MEGA/WENN]