Barry Otto’s daughter Gracie has shared a heartbreaking update on her father’s health.
The 82-year-old star of Strictly Ballroom, Australia, The Great Gatsby and The Dressmaker was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s six years ago.
Gracie, who has been documenting her father’s life since his diagnosis, recently celebrated the premiere of her documentary, Revealed: Otto by Otto, on Saturday.
The 37-year-old said she treasures the moments they share, even if he no longer recognizes her.
“I was asking him a lot of things, and then it became a big rush to ask him while he was still alive. And he’s still alive, but just barely,” she said. stellar magazine.
Barry Otto’s 82-year-old daughter Gracie (pictured) has shared a heartbreaking update on her father’s health.
“He has moments of absolute clarity that occur very rarely and usually refer to someone or something from the past… it’s like he’s trying to remember who he is, and that’s quite beautiful in a way,” he continued.
His documentary, premiering on Stan on June 16, captures his father’s journey. However, she doubts he will ever see it.
“Dad doesn’t look at things anymore, that’s the sad thing,” she told the publication.
Gracie, 37 (left), who has been documenting her father’s life since his diagnosis, recently celebrated the premiere of her documentary, Revealed: Otto by Otto, on Saturday. In the photo of her with her sister Miranda and her Otto.
‘I’ll show you some things. When I put on Strictly Ballroom, I kept pointing at him on the screen; I don’t think (he understood) until the end, and I turned to see him clapping when his character was on stage, and he had tears in his eyes when they played ‘Love Is In The Air’ as he lowered the curtain. ‘ she shared.
Gracie’s documentary has been described as “absorbing”, but not a traditional biopic of her father and Australian icon Barry.
Rather, it is “a deeply personal reflection on his relationship with his father, filmed over five years, at the twilight of his career and as his health deteriorates.”
In the film, Gracie takes her father to Brisbane to relive her childhood, her poor upbringing and her first foray into theater in moving scenes.
Gracie said she treasures the moments they share, even if he no longer recognizes her: “I was asking him a lot of things, and then it became a big rush to ask him while he was still alive. And he’s still alive, but just barely,” she told Stellar magazine.
The documentary also reveals Barry’s health problems after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
The family kept Barry’s diagnosis a secret for a while, partly so he could continue working, but felt the film could help others deal with the illness.
Barry has enjoyed an impressive film and theater career spanning more than 50 years.
Revealed: Otto’s Otto premiered at the Sydney Film Festival and will air in Australia on Stan from June 16.
“He has moments of absolute clarity that occur very rarely and usually refer to someone or something from the past… it’s like he’s trying to remember who he is, and that’s quite beautiful in a way,” he continued.