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VivaAmerican actress, writer
Date of Birth: 23.08.1938
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Viva
Early Life and CareerViva, born Janet Hoffman, is an American actress and writer, best known for her work as a superstar in Andy Warhol's show. She was born in Syracuse, New York. Viva was given her pseudonym by Andy Warhol even before she released her first film. After some time, she started acting under her husband's last name, Auder. Viva appeared in several of Warhol's films and was a frequent guest at his famous studio, The Factory. It is known that Warhol was speaking to Viva over the phone when he was shot by the legendary radical feminist Valerie Solanas.
Writing Career
Afterwards, Viva began appearing in films by other directors and simultaneously pursued a writing career. Her first book, 'Superstar,' provided an insider's perspective on Warhol's Factory. The book garnered significant interest not only for its content but also for Viva's unique approach to writing, such as recording conversations on tape. Besides books, Viva also wrote actively for publications like 'The Village Voice' and 'New York Woman.'
Later Life
In her second book, 'The Baby,' Viva incorporated video recordings, which were later released separately by her ex-husband, Michel Auder. In 1971, Janet served as a narrator in the experimental jazz production 'Escalator over the Hill' by Carla Bley. In the 1970s, Viva collaborated extensively with Shirley Clarke's 'Teepee Video Space Troupe.' With Michel Auder's help, Janet maintained a video diary. Among other things, the videos captured the birth of her daughter, Alexandra 'Alex' Auder. Alexandra was not Viva's only child; she later gave birth to another daughter, Gabriella, outside of marriage. Gabriella followed in her mother and sister's footsteps and became an actress.
Currently, Viva resides in Palm Springs, California, and focuses on painting landscapes. However, she has not completely left behind her film career, as she appeared in Paul Morrissey's film 'News From Nowhere' in 2010. Viva's bibliography consists of just two books to date.
