Meet the 90-Year-Old Artist Capturing Hollywood’s Most Iconic Faces!

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Artist Don Bachardy has attracted numerous Hollywood celebrities such as Marlene Dietrich and Mark Ruffalo for portrait sittings over a span of nearly seven decades. His studio, located on the second floor of his bungalow with stunning views of Santa Monica Canyon, has produced around 17,000 portraits. Some of these works can be found at prestigious institutions like the Smithsonian, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the National Portrait Gallery in London. A collection of over 100 pieces from his career, ranging from early, meticulously constructed black-and-white watercolors to more expressive later portraits, will be displayed at “Don Bachardy: A Life in Portraits” at the Huntington Library starting April 12 and running through August. The library is set to become the permanent home for Bachardy’s extensive archive, which may represent the most comprehensive artistic depiction of Hollywood ever created.

As a kid, my fascination with films stemmed from my mom, but my knack for creating portraits was something I picked up from my older brother Ted. He’d sketch everyone, often actors he found in movie magazines, and I couldn’t help but be inspired by his work. So, I started drawing too. At 90, I might walk a bit slower and my eyesight isn’t as sharp behind these wire-frame glasses, but that sparkle in my hazel eyes is still very much alive.

On Valentine’s Day in 1952, I was just a young, buzz-cut 18-year-old gamer, and it was on that day that I crossed paths with the charismatic, 48-year-old Isherwood. His captivating novels set in Weimar era Berlin, particularly The Berlin Stories, would later inspire the classic musical Cabaret. Quite a memorable encounter it was!

“I’d never met someone so charming, but he was older than my father,” recalls Bachardy.

Initially, he relied on discovering his portrait subjects within magazine pages. However, an opportunity arose when Isherwood agreed to pose for him. From then on, the artist found immense joy in depicting the natural contours and emotions of his subjects’ faces without any makeup or digital alterations. As Bachardy puts it, “That was the only method I desired to employ.” He later enrolled at Chouinard Institute of Arts, now CalArts, due to Isherwood’s encouragement (and financial support). “When I was with Chris,” he adds, “I began encountering genuine movie stars, and it was exhilarating.

Adelaide Drive residence served as a creative hub for both Bachardy and Isherwood, where they produced a great deal of art. This house overlooked the beach scene that they often depicted in their work, most notably in Isherwood’s 1964 masterpiece, A Single Man, which later inspired Tom Ford’s debut film adaptation.

Chris came up with the concept for the novel during a tough period at home, as Bachardy later explained. ‘He eliminated my character, Jim, from the book and imagined a life without me,’ he said. Despite facing challenges, they remained strong as one of the early openly gay Hollywood couples until Isherwood passed away in 1986.

Today, Bachardy’s art studio is filled with portraits – from Frances McDormand and Theresa Russell to Jerry Brown and Isherwood, all in various stages of dress or undress. Despite our past plans for a sitting, Bachardy and I had never managed to coordinate one before. Given his age now, he requires everything to be perfectly arranged. Posing for Bachardy isn’t about glamorous gossip; instead, he demands complete stillness and quiet. If you’re restless, it will be evident in the final painting. While some sitters perch on the oak swivel chair he provides, there’s also a bed under the corner window where he has painted numerous nudes, both male and female, at ease. On his custom-made painting bench, he fixes his gaze on me until the phone interrupts us.

Right now, I’m with someone, but could I still jot down your name? Of course! Here it is: Signeourney Weaver. I’ll give you a call later.” He scribbles the actress’s name and number on a random scrap of paper and promises to get in touch.

Angelina Jolie reminisces about her experience when she was pregnant. She recalls asking Don to paint her for the first time. Each instant that I sat for him remains vivid in my memory – the position I was lying in, the room’s lighting, the rhythmic sound of his brush, and the intense gaze he had. His portraits are profound; each stroke carries meaning, and his color choices are a form of poetry. There’s an enchantment to his work, as if he can somehow capture the essence and soul of the person he’s depicting. The paintings he made during my pregnancy are the most accurate representation of me, and I cherish them dearly.

In January, countless portraits in Adelaide were remarkably near the Palisades Fire that came very close to destroying almost every house across the canyon.

Pietro Alexander, son of the late Light and Space artist Peter Alexander (who was also a frequent subject of Bachardy), stated that he made Don leave, but the following day, Don returned home.

And who can blame Bachardy for potentially going down with this made-for-Hollywood ship?

Bachardy mentioned as he softly spoke, “Over these many years that I’ve lived here, I consider myself a reliable worker.” Right before I departed his studio for the first time last summer, he added, “My work is essentially a chronicle of my life, encompassing all the individuals I’ve encountered… everyone who posed for me.

You can find this article in the April 2nd issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. If you want to stay updated, consider subscribing to it. (Link provided)

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2025-04-05 20:55