Glenn Close and Jeff Goldblum had a ball making The Big Chill, which follows a group of 30-somethings who reunite for a weekend after a friend’s unexpected death. There were dance parties, pranks, and lifelong bonds formed on the set of Lawrence Kasdan’s film, which was packed with actors who would go on to become big stars: Tom Berenger, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Mary Kay Place, Meg Tilly, and JoBeth Williams, in addition to Close and Goldblum.
In the 42 years since Close and Goldblum starred in that seminal film—which earned the former her second Oscar nomination—the actors have remained close while building diverse, powerful résumés. Proof of their illustrious careers comes just minutes into our Reunited conversation, when Goldblum asks Close if she’s kept a lot of her costumes, and she reveals that she’s actually got some 1,000 pieces archived at Indiana University. “It makes me so happy,” Close says.
This year she took on another transformative role as devout church lady Martha Delacroix in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, while Goldblum reprised his role as the Wizard in Wicked: For Good. Each a legend in their own right, these two continue to surprise audiences with whimsical but grounded characters—and they’re the first to say they’re having a blast doing it.
Here, the longtime friends discuss The Big Chill’s lost epilogue, what they do when they’re not agreeing with a director, and working with legends like Mike Nichols, Kasdan, and Sanford Meisner.
Vanity Fair: What do you remember about the first time you met?
Glenn Close: We did a table read [for The Big Chill]. Did you do the table read in New York?
Jeff Goldblum: No. I was out here and had an audition or two with Lawrence Kasdan and [producer] Michael Shamberg.
Close: I had dated Kevin [Kline]. He’s remained my friend, but I had dated Kevin and he was dating my best friend—
Goldblum: Mary Beth Hurt.
Close: And then he had broken up with her for Diane Venora. Mary Beth was asked to read the part that Mary Kay [Place] ended up taking. And Diane Venora read the part that JoBeth [Williams] got, and Mary Beth found herself riding up in the elevator, I think, with Diane Venora—and she still was in love with Kevin. And Bill Hurt was her ex-husband!
