Glenn Close sat down with A&E Editor Lauren Smart and Features Intern Chase Wade during her visit to campus Tuesday. (TYLER WILLIAMS/The Daily Campus)

Glenn Close,  the Emmy, Golden Globe and Tony Award winning, Oscar nominated actress, partook in a question and answer session with a theater filled with wide-eyed and excited film and theater students.

Close (“Fatal Attraction,” “101 Dalmatians,” “Hamlet”), was in Dallas  securing funds for her newest film project, “Albert Nobbs,”  accompanied by two of her colleagues: producer Bonnie Curtis (Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan) and composer Paul Bogaev (Dreamgirls, Chicago, Nine).

The three answered questions ranging from their favorite moments in the entertainment industry to their lowest points while working in Hollywood.

During the session, Close repeatedly pointed out the importance of a liberal arts education and encouraged the thespians before her to pursue anything they found interesting and to never stop learning.

In a sit-down interview with The Daily Campus, Close echoed her earlier statements.

“As an artist, you should stay curious about things other than what you are focusing on,” Close said. “The more you are curious, the more you are informed in life.”

Having only visited Dallas one other time in her illustrious career, Close had the opportunity to visit SMU’s Meadows Museum and experience Dallas’ art community first-hand.

“I was very impressed with the Meadows Museum,” Close said. “The whole arts community here is very impressive.”

A highlight during the question and answer session came when Close was explaining that a good actor has a way of “summoning the forces.” Close chose to demonstrate to the audience the act of looking into the light.  By simply raising her chin, Close mesmerized  her audience.

Earlier in the day, while at Meadows, Close taught one of SMU’s masters of acting classes.

Attended mainly by juniors and seniors, the class allowed Close to be not only an actor, but to be a teacher as well. A senior, Yevgeniya Cats, said she was thrilled when she learned that an acting legend was teaching her class.

“She gave us her point of view on a lot of things in the acting world,” Cats said. “It was nice to know that we are being taught the same stuff that a legend like Glenn Close regards as true.”

Stan Wogewodski, the Meadows theatre chair, was also pleased with Close.

“Glenn [Close] teaching in the Masters of Acting class was quite splendid,” Wogewodski said. “She was a really great person to have come and speak to the students and encourage them on their acting endeavors.”

To further expand her reach on Dallas’ art scene, Close will also be visiting Dallas Independent School District’s art magnet Booker T. Washington High School. In their newly built auditorium, located in the heart of Dallas’ growing arts district, Close and Bonnie Curtis will be discussing the arts and its importance to the school’s students.

Later in the week, Close will be hosting a cocktail party to raise funds for Booker T. Washington High School and will finalize funding for “Albert Nobbs,” a film Close and Curtis are producing together. The film is based on the play Close starred in more than two decades ago.

“Playing the part on stage allows me to know what a challenge the film concept of the play will be,” Close said.

Even though Glenn’s time on SMU’s campus was fairly short, her impact on the students and staff here will be remembered.

“Glenn was by far the biggest and most distinguished talent that we have had come through Meadows,” Cats said. “I really hope that Glenn can be the catalyst for more things to come at SMU.”