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E L I Z A B E T H H U R L E Y
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Yeah, baby! Hurley as the smashing Vanessa Kensington in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.
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Viva Liz Vegas
by Claire Roberts
There’s more to Elizabeth Hurley than meets the eye.
But before explaining exactly what “more” is, let’s first acknowledge her ravishing beauty. One of the world’s most photographed women, Hurley is gorgeous — the glossy, tousled brunette hair, creamy skin and eyes that are green one moment, blue the next. Then there’s the stunning figure, perfectly showcased in a couture design cunningly engineered by Versace, Dolce & Gabbana or Chanel.
The reality of Hurley is that her good looks are only the beginning. You’re just recovering from the visual impact when the 39-year-old siren engages you with her charm. Her “just-between-us” smile draws you in and is followed up by her unexpectedly full-bodied voice delivering the sexiest reading of quintessentially Queen’s English that you’ve ever heard. Whether you’re male or female, young or old, a household name or the household help, when she speaks, you’re enthralled.
Hurley is a woman of experience and complexity, past the age of experimentation but still first in line to tweak convention — especially if she can do it in a pair of stylish Jimmy Choos. Meeting her in person, you discover that she’s also extremely intelligent, intuitive and well-read, with a grasp — and enjoyment — of “the game” that’s as keen as anyone’s. And she’s got friends in high places, like The Estée Lauder Companies, the $5 billion cosmetics powerhouse she’s represented for the past nine years.
“Out of the blue, my office got a call from their office wanting to know if I’d be interested in being tested to be their new Estée Lauder girl,” she recalls. “I initially thought it was one of my friends calling as a joke, as I’d never done a day’s modeling in my life. I only really believed them when I met the Lauders. Leonard — the company’s chairman — and his wife, Evelyn, were extremely charming and have remained incredibly supportive to me through thick and thin ever since.”
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Millions of people around the world know her as the famous face of Estée Lauder in ads and commercials.
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Their confidence has been well rewarded. In the elegant tradition of Estée Lauder icons Karen Graham and Paulina Porizkova, Hurley’s image convinces consumers all over the world that all they have to do to emulate her glamour is to take home a shiny shopping bag filled with the company’s fragrances, lotions and lipsticks. She’s been the Beautiful bride and the face of Intuition in countless magazine ads, and is the first to wear the season’s must-have makeup colors.
However, it is Hurley’s very special relationship with Evelyn Lauder, the company’s senior corporate vice president, the leader of its annual Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign and the founder and chairman of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, that is bringing her to Las Vegas. Hurley’s radiance is a magnet for flashbulbs. She’s the reason behind the excitement of The Venetian’s September 2004 kickoff of the Global Landmarks Illumination Initiative in support of breast cancer awareness. Conceived by Lauder, this program sets famous monuments around the world aglow in pink light to remind women and those who love them of the importance of breast health and the need for early detection. With the flip of a switch or the pull of a lever, The Empire State Building, Niagara Falls and dozens more join The Venetian in taking on a rosy glow.
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Models Carolyn Murphy (left) and Liya Kebede flank Mistress of Ceremonies Hurley at The Hot Pink Party, at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City, to mark the tenth anniversary of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
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“Raising awareness about the disease means a lot to me because my grandmother died from breast cancer,” says Hurley, who committed herself immediately when she learned of Lauder’s tireless support of the cause. “Every person I know has been affected by breast cancer. Everybody has a mother, or a daughter, or a sister or a female friend. Working with Evelyn Lauder on the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign is one of the most fulfilling things I do. Every October, we tour the U.S., visiting cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Minneapolis — and now Las Vegas — to raise funds and awareness.” The company’s brands, which in addition to the flagship Estée Lauder include Clinique, Prescriptives, Origins, Bobbi Brown, Stila, Michael Kors and Donna Karan, sell special products during the month and donate a portion of their profits to Lauder’s foundation. According to Lauder, there is no way to measure the value of Hurley’s support. “She is an eloquent spokesperson for our work and has made countless personal appearances on behalf of our effort to raise awareness that early detection saves lives and that a cure and prevention are possible. Huge numbers of people flock to her appearances to get a glimpse of her and to meet her. We are very fortunate that she is joining us again this year to kick off our 5th Annual Global Landmarks Illumination Initiative at The Venetian in Las Vegas,” says Lauder.
Hurley arrives in town on the heels of wrapping her 20th film project, a thriller called Air Rage, which was shot in Canada under the direction of Ron Underwood (City Slickers, Tremors). “I studied dance and drama in college and started my career in the theater,” she explains, reminding you that she was an actress long before she was a model. “Once I did my first movie, I realized I preferred the medium of film, and to this day, I feel more relaxed and at ease on a movie set than anywhere else.”
She straddled satire and silliness as Vanessa Kensington in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, then romped through her role as The Devil opposite Brendan Fraser in Bedazzled. Double Whammy, in which she played a doctor opposite Steve Buscemi and Dennis Hopper, is a personal favorite. She also considers her part as a beautiful doctor who entices Matthew McConaughey “great fun.”
Producing is another passion. Hurley professes to be very proud of the two movies she’s overseen, both starring her famous ex-boyfriend, Hugh Grant. First came Extreme Measures, a thriller with Gene Hackman, followed by Mickey Blue Eyes, a successful romantic comedy with Jeanne Tripplehorn and James Caan. Although they split in 2000, she and Grant are still together in one sense — as partners in Simian Films, the production company they founded in order to option and develop projects unencumbered by the Hollywood system.
Speaking of Grant, you have to thank her long-term liaison with the appealingly goofy actor for establishing Hurley as a tabloid target. Appearing on his arm at the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral — in a Versace dress memorable for its golden safety pins — was only the beginning. The paparazzi hazed her continuously as the couple’s romantic partnership waxed and waned, and there’s no sign of a letup.
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When Hurley and Nayar appear together in public, the paparazzi aren’t far behind. But the couple finds ways to carve out private time even in public moments.
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Nonetheless, Hurley manages it all, mostly by being true to herself and doing what she thinks is right — a rare quality these days. Right now, what’s right is trying to balance the jet-set swirl of parties, photo shoots and movie premieres with her private life, which revolves around two very important males. One is her boyfriend, Arun Nayar, about whom she’ll say little, although the pair is obviously very close. He’s a constant presence in the background during her personal appearances; are wedding bells in the air? The other object of Hurley’s affection is her son, Damian, who at just two years old has his mother completely rethinking her identity.
“Pre-Damian, I was never one of those baby-mad girls who sighed dreamily every time I saw a matinee jacket,” she says. “I always assumed that one day I’d be struck by an overwhelming urge to procreate, but that day seemed far, far away. Luckily, fate interfered and now I’m completely baby mad!”
Hard as it may be to imagine Hurley as a mom, it seems to be the description she herself is most proud of. “Having Damian has given me the courage to build the life I’ve always wanted, because now I have someone to do it for and with,” she explains. “My life is scary at times, and there are moments when I want to hide under the duvet when I start to count the number of balls I’m trying to keep up in the air at once. However, one glance at little Damian’s face sends my spirits soaring again, and I know that I’m the luckiest girl in England.”
Now, she’s bringing that luck to Las Vegas.
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