The Soul Mate Ava Gardner

Ava Gardner, photographed by Robert Capa on the set of The Barefoot Contessa, 1954

It's fun to tell the Ava stories-the bawdy, cynical stories about the worthlessness of it all-but the real Ava, the soul mate Ava, was a real friend, and she discounted all the frippery of success and fame and beauty and distilled it all down to those people, those friends, around whom you could be yourself and be loved and be comfortable. The stardom got her out of Grabtown, North Carolina, and then it made her comfortable to take care of her friends. Every voyage for Ava always took her back to her circle of friends, and I was always welcome there.

Tennessee Williams/Interview with James Grissom

© 2014 James Grissom