Sultry Kathleen Turner defers to daughter when it comes to Miley Cyrus

MONTREAL – Kathleen Turner, once declared one of Hollywood’s most alluring stars, is pretty categorical when she’s asked what’s sexy. When it comes to Miley Cyrus, however, she defers to her daughter.

Turner knows how to steam up a screen. Heck, she even smouldered as a cartoon bunny, using her trademark husky voice to bring life to Jessica Rabbit in 1988’s “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” She was declared one of the 100 sexiest stars in film history by Empire magazine in 1995.

“Sexy is feeling good about yourself,” she said at a news conference Thursday.

She lamented that for years she’s been misquoted on the subject and wanted to set the record straight.

“I said when I walk into a room and feel really good about myself, any man who doesn’t look at me is probably gay,” Turner explained to laughter.

She added she was only quoted then as saying any man who doesn’t look at her is probably gay.

“They left out that when I walk in a room and feel really good about myself — that’s sexy. Sexy is feeling good about yourself. That’s the point. So get it right now, guys, OK?”

And Miley Cyrus? She turns the floor over to her daughter Rachel Weiss, a singer in her own right.

Cyrus, once known as the squeaky clean teen singer Hannah Montana, blew up the social media world with a raunchy, tongue-flapping, butt-waving performance at the MTV Music Video Awards on Sunday night.

The Internet was awash with photos of stars with their jaws dropped as they watched the performance with Robin Thicke and it didn’t take long for an avalanche of praising and panning.

Weiss was diplomatic.

“With regard to Mylie Cyrus’ performance, I think she’s doing the best she can,” said Weiss until Turner jumped in with, “No, but say what you said upstairs.”

Weiss, with her mother nodding, explained that what she had been saying in an earlier conversation that while it was a very controversial performance, most of the attention had been focused on its “blatant sexuality.”

She said the issue was more about “the cultural appropriation of the culture she is trying to use as a publicity tool.”

“Which is?” interjected Turner.

“It’s the cultural appropriation of what’s called Ratchet Culture and …” said Weiss, producing a broad smile from her mom, who nodded at her daughter and said to reporters, “Told ya she knew.”

“It’s appalling that a very rich white girl is hijacking, yes?” added Turner.

“Yes, but I don’t think it’s actually any of her decision making,” interjected Weiss, giggling.

“Oh?” said Turner with a frown. “That’s a shame.”

“I think she is doing what pretty much most of popular culture is doing right now which is relying upon more of a publicity stunt than performance,” said Weiss. “It’s more about entertainment value.

“Everybody that is involved in contemporary or popular culture and the music scene has a massive amount of talent. I don’t think it is usually used to its fullest and I think a lot of the people are doing things not for the art of making music or performing in a certain way but doing it for the effect of their name in a paper or their image on the Internet.”

Turner and her daughter were together at a news conference at the Montreal World Film Festival, where Turner will be honoured with a tribute Friday night. Her daughter is also going to sing a song in her honour.

Turner, who debuted in a TV daytime soap in 1977, grabbed attention with her first film in 1981 as the ruthless Matty Walker in the erotic thriller “Body Heat.”

She recalled she had no film experience and was actually denied an audition at first because of that. But she later wowed director Lawrence Kasdan when another casting director had her read a scene for him.

“There was great quiet and then Larry said, ‘I never thought I would hear that out loud as I hear it in my head.'”

She has been in a number of hit movies including “Romancing the Stone” with Michael Douglas in 1984 and “Peggy Sue Got Married” in 1986, which got her an Oscar nomination.

While she said she has fond memories of most of her films, she described “Peggy Sue” as one of her favourites.

“Everything about it to me has a bit of magic to it,” she said. “I think it might be my favourite.”

She has also been active in theatre both on- and off-Broadway and has been nominated for a Tony Award twice, for her role as Maggie in “Cat On a Hot Tin Roof” in 1990 and Martha in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” in 2005.

Turner, who is also known for her political activism with various social causes such as women’s rights, laughed when she was asked if she thought she was too young for a tribute.

“It crossed my mind,” the 59-year-old added, pointing out she is still working.

“‘Body Heat’ was 31 years ago now so I think enough time has passed that it’s possible to look back instead of being in the middle of it. So, yes, I can accept gratefully such an honour though I expect to earn it again.”