Oscar-winner Olympia Dukakis weathers ‘Cloudburst' with glee

For Olympia Dukakis, the idea of playing a foul-mouthed, hard-drinking, aging lesbian in Thom Fitzgerald's “Cloudburst” was a breath of fresh air.

“When he called and asked if I'd be interested, I said yes immediately,” the 80-year-old Academy Award winner said from her home in New York.

“Cloudburst” screens at 7:30 p.m. today at Camelot Theatres, and at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Palm Canyon Theatre.

Dukakis laughs readily and salts her speech with a few well-placed expletives, much like her characters in “Moonstruck,” “Steel Magnolias” and “Tales of the City.” That “Cloudburst” has been well received at film festivals across North America tickles the 1987 Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner.

“It's won several audience awards, and that means so much to us,” she said. “The audiences seem to get it.”

As Stella, Dukakis is in full bloom. She holds nothing back in her portrayal of a woman intent on keeping Dot, played by fellow Academy Award-winner Brenda Fricker, her lover of 30 years, out of a nursing home. It's a role that fits in perfectly with Dukakis' resume of strong women's roles.

“I'm what they used to call a ‘character actress,'” she said. “And Stella is certainly a character.”

But Dukakis is the star of “Cloudburst” and carries most of the film on her shoulders. Despite the responsibility, “We had a such a good time making this movie,” she said.

Especially the scene where Stella drives off with a naked man on the windshield of a truck. Dukakis managed to talk Fitzgerald into letting her drive the vehicle instead of using a stunt double.

“Talk about putting your balls on the line for your art,” she said with a hearty laugh. “I'd never driven a truck before.”

Prior to “Cloudburst,” Dukakis worked with Fitzgerald on “3 Needles” in 2005 and “The Event” in 2003.

“I knew how Thom worked as a filmmaker and how much care he takes with his stories and actors,” she said. “I'd wanted to work with him again.”

Along with Fitzgerald's work ethic, it was the message that attracted Dukakis to “Cloudburst.”

“Thom wanted people to know what it means to have no legal connection to the person you love,” said Dukakis. “It's a very important part of the story.”