Who is … Anne-Grethe Bjarup Riis?

She is a Danish actress, author, feminist and film director.

 

Where might I have seen her?

In something that scared you probably, like ‘Vild med Dans’ or for a fleeting moment in the porn scene in Lars von Trier’s Dogme movie ‘Idioterne’. She’s a tough-talking hippy-chick with thick eye-liner who is prone to fierce outbursts on reality and debate shows – did we mention that most people find her really annoying. Nevertheless, recently she has surprised everyone by directing ‘Hvidsten Gruppen’, a film about the Danish resistance during the Second World War.  

 

Sounds interesting.

Well, she’s spent most of her life fighting the ‘Nazis’ around her.

 

Political is she?

You could say that. Look under your bed and she’s the one dressed in crimson. Despite her cinematic successes, she’s probably still best known for her very loud appearances on TV, talking about anything from childcare to nuclear power – and most recently, prostitution.

 

Why is that?

Because she cares. As the country’s first lady of feminism, her voice will be heard … unfortunately, though, over those who actually know what they’re talking about. An appearance on TV2 Go’ Morgen Danmark was a classic case in point. For all her good intentions, she couldn’t stop interrupting the other guest with her confused ranting – to the point that the host, Morten Resen, had to threaten to put tape over her mouth. 

 

Then what happened?

It didn’t work, but it did make her a bit of a laughing stock around Denmark for her lack of communication skills – let’s face it, the feminist’s viewpoint on prostitution is a pretty easy argument to win.

 

Why was she on the show?

The producers were impressed by an opinion she submitted to the tabloid Ekstra Bladet.

 

So Ekstra Bladet is her newspaper of choice?

For exclusives it is. It was them she turned to first to share her shaving habits. She does her armpits, and also her lower regions. She likes to “keep it down”.




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