Anthony Head Credits

Best Actress

Television movie (US)

Role: Colin Tromans
Original air date: March 19, 2000
Network: E! Entertainment Television

Summary of Anthony Stewart Head's storyline: The movie is narrated by a reporter, Ted Gavin. It is the morning of the best actress nominations (the words Oscar or Academy Awards are never actually used, but clearly that's what they are). Colin Tromans and his wife Fiona Covington are having breakfast in bed while watching the nominations on TV. Ted informs us via voiceover that Colin is a director and Fiona is an actress. They are determined to bring Shakespeare to "the unwashed masses". The nominations begin and Fiona's is the first name given for a best actress nomination. She shrieks with happiness and hugs Colin. His reaction is much less joyful and she asks if something is wrong. He informs her he wants a divorce.

Later we see Colin in another bed. A woman approaches wearing nothing but a towel. It is Karen Kroll, one of the other nominated actresses. She drops the towel and gets into bed, talking about her hopes to play Lady Macbeth in Colin's new movie adaptation of Macbeth. She worries that even with the nomination, people still don't take her seriously. Colin is more interested in sex, however. When Karen mentions she is thinking about the Golden Globes, Colin says he is too, but he's referring to her anatomy and not the awards. Karen thinks they should attend together. Colin objects saying they should be discrete. Karen tells him that he has to tell Fiona that Karen will be playing Lady Macbeth. Her hands are busy under the covers and Colin is quickly distracted from thinking about it.

Some time later, Colin returns to his and Fiona's house. He is talking to Karen on the phone, assuring her that he is there only to pick up his clothes. They have plans to attend a party together in a week's time, but Colin is eager to see her before then. Karen puts him off. After the call is over, a sexually frustrated Colin continues to pack his things. He goes into the bathroom where he spots a picture of Karen on a magazine and decides to take matters into his own hands, undoing his jeans. Fiona arrives home to hear moans coming from the bathroom. Interrupted, Colin quickly zips back up and comes out, claiming tummy troubles. Fiona is glad to see him, and offers him a gift. It's a new, engraved pipe for his collection. She kisses him and then kneels down in front of him. She starts to undo his belt, with a rather distasteful look on her face, rather a turned-on one. Colin pulls away saying that it has been over a year since they had sex. He accuses her of never having enjoyed sex and only treating it as a duty. He grabs his packed bags and runs out the door exclaiming that he needs passion in his life.

A week later, Colin and Karen are at a major Hollywood party. They bump into another nominee, Connie Travers. She compliments him on his performance in Henry V and he inadvertently insults her by saying he has been a fan of hers since he was a little boy. Connie asks about Fiona and Karen cattily replies that Fiona likes to stay at home and watch old movies - like Connie's. She then drags Colin away to the bar. They order drinks and it turns out that Fiona is right there. Fiona's escort jokingly suggests they be all Noel Coward about the situation and of course, Karen has never heard of Noel Coward. Colin introduces the two women. Karen says she deeply admires everything Fiona has ever done. With a look at Colin, Fiona says it appears that way. She goes on to tell Colin that if all he wanted was to make blue movies, she would have given him freedom years ago. She walks off. Colin and Karen are then approached by Doug Littman, the head of the hottest new independent studio. He compliments her on her performance in Casino. When she points out that was Sharon Stone, he pretends he was just joking. He then tells Colin he's been a fan of Shakespeare's ever since he saw West Side Story. Doug compliments Colin on his luck being with Karen and Colin replies he's been a fan of Karen's ever since Basic Instinct. Doug then suggests that Karen should do a movie for his studio. She tells him she has other plans. Doug asks if any of them will make her the highest paid actress in Hollywood. Karen doesn't answer but Colin can't help but notice her interested look.

On the limo ride home, Colin is distant. Karen asks if it was because she was talking to Doug for so long. He admits that's it. She offers to make it up to him and straddles him. She starts to undo his belt but then realizes that there are paparazzi in a car right next to them. She jumps off and tries to hide on the limo floor. Colin says that they can't see through the tinted windows but Karen tells him they have special lenses for that. She tells the driver to step on it and they speed off with the paparazzi in hot pursuit, until both are pulled over by a police car. Of course, the next morning, the incriminating pictures of the two of them are all over the news.

At the party, Fiona meets Maria, who has just broken up with a fourth best actress nominee. The two women become friends and eventually Maria kisses her. Naturally, this moment is also captured by the paparazzi. While this is going on, Karen is meeting with Doug Littman and decides to do a version of Macbeth to be produced and directed by someone other than Colin.

Colin is having breakfast at his hotel room. The room service waiter asks if he wants a paper. Colin picks up Daily Variety and is shocked to see the news that Karen is doing Macbeth with Mel Gibson, basically putting an end to his version of the movie. The waiter says it's a good thing he didn't pick up the Insider. He gingerly hands a copy over to Colin who chokes on his pipe when he sees the picture of Fiona and Maria kissing on the front page with the headline "Best Lesbian".

The movie's narrator, Ted, has been doing interviews with all the best actress nominees. He has a habit of stealing personal items from the women he interviews and, while at Fiona's, he pockets the pipe she had tried to give to Colin earlier. He also finds out the Karen has an illegitimate child who is being raised by her former drama teacher, fitting as the woman's husband is the child's father. Ted tries to blackmail Karen with this information - but not for money. He wants Karen to star in a script he has written. She agrees, but when he celebrates while standing on the edge of a hill, she pushes him over the edge, killing him.

Colin is in bed when the phone rings. He ignores it at first, but it keeps ringing. He finally answers, looking unshaven and as if he hasn't showered in days. He is astonished to find out that Fiona has been arrested. He arrives at the police station to find a tearful Fiona. She jumps up to hug him when he enters. She clings to him for a few moments before pulling away commenting on how bad he smells. Colin just says it's life being upside down of late. But that isn't important, he just wants to know why she is being questioned. He assures her that the best lawyer available is being retained for her. Fiona explains that the police suspect her of Ted's murder because they found the pipe he stole on his body. Colin reassures her that they will sort things out.

By the time the night of the awards arrives, Fiona has broken up with Maria and been cleared of all charges in Ted's murder. She and Colin are attending together. He says he doesn't deserve her and tries to apologize for his behavior. She stops him saying they can talk later. At the awards, it is Karen who wins. 

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