Oscar-Winner Julianne Moore Isn't Afraid To Tell It Like It Is

From gay rights to Alzheimer’s, Oscar-winner Julianne Moore doesn’t shy away from challenging characters. And when it comes to real life, she’s not afraid to tell it like it is either. Yael Kohen meets a refreshingly upfront Hollywood icon.

- Yael Kohen

Nestled on a picturesque corner in Manhattan’s hip West Village is a cosy little bistro called Cafe Cluny. The decor is a bit twee: distressed mirrors, shelves lined with naturalistic tchotchkes, walls adorned in delicately framed autumn leaves and butterfly wings. The patrons, at breakfast anyway, look like well-to-do creative types – men in beige and grey-toned cable-knit sweaters, and women in cream or black. Each person is mildly recognisable, as if any one of them could be a character actor from an indie film, which is probably because this is exactly the kind of place where celebrities go to blend in – including Julianne Moore, who is a regular. In here, Moore doesn’t look like an Oscar-winning actress who regularly walks the red carpet. Her famous fiery hair is a more muted auburn, swept up into a messy bun. Her trousers are off-black and slouchy, her top is navy with small polka dots. As she settles into her spot on a warm-taupe banquette, she looks just like everyone else: an actress who requires a double take just to place her.