Vanessa Kensington

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Vanessa Kensington
Austin Powers character
Vanessa Kensington.jpg
Elizabeth Hurley as Vanessa Kensington
First appearance Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
Last appearance Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
Created by Mike Myers
Portrayed by Elizabeth Hurley
Information
AliasOprah Cunningham
NicknameMiss Kensington
GenderFemale
OccupationBritish agent
Spouse Austin Powers
RelativesLouis Kensington (father)
Marie Kensington (mother)
Nationality British

Vanessa Kensington is a fictional character in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and, briefly, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me . She was played by actress and model Elizabeth Hurley, and was considered Hurley's breakthrough role. [1]

Contents

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

Vanessa Kensington was the daughter of Marie Kensington, Austin's partner from the 1960s. She was among the secret agents that welcomed the thawed Austin Powers to the 1990s. [2] She was initially disgusted by Austin's politically incorrect, womanizing attitude, as Powers immediately treats her as a sexual objective, [3] [4] But she soon warms to his good nature and falls in love with him. At the end of the film, she and Austin marry and are shown in their honeymoon suite.

One scene of Hurley eating a sausuage almost caused the movie to receive an "R" rating in the United States. Hurley got some flack for appearing in the film despite having Shakespearean acting roots, whereupon Hurley would reply that "Shakespeare woudl have loved Austin Powers!" [5]

Her weapon of choice is a Desert Eagle.

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

In the second Austin Powers film, the Kensington with Austin is quickly revealed as a fembot. This is first realized by Austin when she malfunctions under the influence of a television remote control. Seemingly under the control of Dr. Evil, she self-destructs shortly afterward. Austin is briefly distraught, but quickly gets over it, enjoying his freedom and taking up with Felicity Shagwell. Vanessa's replacement with Felicity is parodying James Bond films when the previous Bond Girl is never mentioned in the next film. It is unknown where the real Vanessa is when she was replaced.

Austin Powers in Goldmember

Elizabeth Hurley was to reprise as Vanessa but she declined due to scheduling conflicts.

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References

  1. Barron, Lee (July 2006). “Elizabeth Hurley Is More Than a Model”: Stars and Career Diversification in Contemporary Media, in Journal of Popular Culture
  2. Halberstam, Judith (2001). "OH BEHAVE!: Austin Powers and the Drag Kings". GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies. Duke University Press. 7 (3): 425–452. doi:10.1215/10642684-7-3-425.
  3. Skweres, Artur (October 2006). Mimicry in Three Amigos, Austin Powers, and HouseSitter, in Homo Ludens as a Comic Character in Selected American Films pp 55-79
  4. Oh Behave! Austin Powers and the Drag Kings, in In a Queer Time and Place: Transgender Bodies, Subcultural Lives (2005)
  5. Parker, Ryan (27 April 2017). 'Austin Powers' at 20: Mike Myers, Jay Roach, More Spill Secrets in Shagadelic Oral History, Hollywood Reporter