Whatever happened to Debra Winger? (1 Viewer)

[Paul_D]

She was a really terrific actress, but I haven't noticed her in anything for years and years. Anbody know what happened to her?

 

[Matthew_S]

this is funny, i just saw an article somewhere (can't remember where, sorry) that was about this same topic. Basically, she had been labeled "difficult" and had been sort of outcast. I do remember that she had a couple of projects on the horizon so keep a look out.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Her appearance on Bravo's Inside the Actor's Studio debuts this Sunday (2/17). Maybe she'll talk about it.

Her latest film, Big Bad Love (directed by her husband, Arliss Howard), is scheduled for a limited release on 2/22.

M.

 

[Chad R]

She has the reputation of being difficult for a reason. She is. They go as far back as her big breakthrough roles. The story goes (Hollywood lore) that on 'An Officer and a Gentleman' she hated Richard Gere and madea big stink about having to do love scenes with him. Then on 'Terms of Endearment' she crossed swords with Shirley MacLaine, something to do with Debra being a method actor and taking up too much time between takes.

But what hurt her most in recent years was probably 'A League of Their Own' when she dropped out of the picture (the part then went to Geena Davis) when Madonna got cast. I think she gave Penny Marshal an ultimatum, her or Madonna and got the short end of the stick.

Now, if these stories are true or not, who knows. But they are the reason for her 'difficult' label, and something she hasn't gone out of her way to dispell.

 

[Bill McA]

I met Debra and her husband Arliss Howard, last September at the N.American premiere of their film Big Bad Love at the Toronto Film festival.
Both were extremely pleasant in person and their film was pretty good too, although it's more of an actor's film than anything else.
I was quite surprised at just how petite Ms. Winger really is!

 

[Scott Weinberg]

I'm a big fan of Debra Winger's, particularly her performances in Terms of Endearment, Black Widow and Leap of Faith.
As far as whether or not she's a 'difficult' actress, I couldn't really care less. Do I care if my plumber is grouchy to his boss? No. If he fixes my toilet correctly, he's a good plumber.
Plus how can you knock the actor who gave E.T. his voice?
Quite simply, you can't.

 

[Brian Lawrence]

It's funny that this would come up, Because I was just talking about her with my family a couple of days ago. Actually it was part of my ranting to them about how most female actresses seem to get forgottem in hollywood the day they turn 40. I hadn't even figured that maybe she was tough to work with, Just assumed that Today's filmmakers are more interested in casting pretty & young flavor of the month starlettes over real women.

I mean when was the last time that Mel, Arnold, Clint, Woody, or Stallone where in a film with a woman of their own age as the romantic interest?

In any case it's nice to know that Debra Winger has a new film out. She was one of my favorite actresses of the 80's.

 

[Todd Phillips]

PLUS...how can you knock the actor who played Wonder Girl on the 1970's Wonder Woman ???

 

[Michael D. Bunting]

I've always been somewhat of a Debra Winger fan......here's an autographed picture that I received via mail a few years back. Enjoy!
Link Removed

 

[Brian W.]

Yes, Debra Winger does have a reputation for being difficult to work with, and it's really damaged her career. I didn't hear she quit "A League of Their Own," I heard she was fired. But I could have heard wrong.

I know Shirley MacLaine hated working with her. Read her book "My Lucky Stars" for the detailed scoop. Anthony Hopkins has hinted she was difficult, but being the gentlman that he is, he won't get into specifics.

 

[Henry Gale]

Since this in in the Movie Forum I think I'll just revive it to comment on Searching For Debra Winger.
Saw this documentary last night and I think almost all of the members would enjoy it. There are 30 some actresses interviewed during this film, a few of them are bound to be favorites, no matter what your taste.
Check it out.
Jim

 

[Cees Alons]

Plus how can you knock the actor who gave E.T. his voice?

Cough ... Pat Welsh ... cough (pun intended).

Cees

 

[Dennis Castro]

Ya know it's funny because just the other day I was flipping through tube and stopped on Urban Cowboy. While I was watching it that exact thought popped into my mind.

 

[DeeF]

New documentary on Showtime, this month:

Searching for Debra Winger

made by Rosanna Arquette

about actresses over 40, the lack of roles, difficulty balancing family and work, etc.

Debra makes a mesmerizing appearance in the film. She has dyed her hair red.

I don't think film acting is terribly gratifying work (except for money and fame!). It's boring, endless, grinding work. It's nothing like acting on a stage, where you are actively communicating to an audience. A film actor is being photographed, in take after take after take. Additionally, most movies with real good roles for women are hard to find, because the studios skew their topics to teenage boys and young men.

There are some actresses that seem to able to retain good careers after 40, but not many: Susan Sarandon, Meryl Streep, Ellen Burstyn, Vanessa Redgrave. Even Jane Fonda gave it up some years ago.

If Debra was difficult, it's probably because she is smart, capable, and hates the politics. She says in the doc that after her first dailies were exhibited on "An Officer and a Gentleman," made when she was 24 years old, the late Don Simpson came into her dressing room and told her she looked bloated -- he gave her a diuretic to slim down.

It's simply an unrealistic profession. God bless everyone, particularly the women, who have braved it and survived unscathed.

 

[Karl_Luph]

Isn't it just like the Hollywood idiots to label Debra Winger "difficult". I guess if you don't want to follow their little Hollywood mantra you get labeled. I'll continue to look for Debra Winger movies , as I too think she's an excellent actress.

 

[ChuckSolo]

I just saw a trailer with her in an upcoming movie when I went to see "Pirates of the Caribbean:Curse of the Black Pearl" this past weekend. I can't remember the name of the movie though.

 

[Henry Gale]

Radio (2003) opens on November 21. The other leads are Ed Harris and Cuba Gooding in the title role.

 

[Rob Bartlett]

As far as whether or not she's a 'difficult' actress, I couldn't really care less. Do I care if my plumber is grouchy to his boss? No. If he fixes my toilet correctly, he's a good plumber.

Well sure, but but maybe the pumber's boss figures he isn't worth the hassle. Winger may be talented, but she isn't smart if she thought burning bridges in any industry was the way to get to the top, let alone one based primarily on popularity.

The docu strikes me as interesting. However, it was a serious, blidning lapse of judgement, nay instinctual common sense to include on their part Sharon Stone. She hasn't lost footing in the industry because got older, but because 1) Her choice in projects and 2) She got famous for showing her cooch. Stone is the exact same sort of figure that many older, more talented in the industry had lost roles to. She was young, medicore, and ready to bare, while her betters languished. Now that the exact situation has happened to her, she thinks she can go on the circuit talking about what a bitch it was to women? Yes it is Sharon, and you were part of the problem, not part of the solution.

 

[TheLongshot]

2) She got famous for showing her cooch.

Which, according to her, was against her wishes.

Jason

 

[Vickie_M]

Scott: I'm a big fan of Debra Winger's, particularly her performances in Terms of Endearment, Black Widow and Leap of Faith.

I missed this thread the first time around, and I just wanted to say that I LOVE that someone else besides me appreciates Black Widow!! I love that movie. I love Debra Winger and Theresa Russell in it, and I'd love to have it on DVD. It might be a tiny bit far-fetched (mainly how the friendship develops) but I still find it mesmerizing, just watching those two women interact.
For those who haven't seen it, Russell plays a woman who marries men then kills them (in quite a clever way) for their money. She researches her husband-to-be to the letter, changes her looks and identity to something that would catch his eye and suit him, then marries him, unfortunately for him. After the will is settled, she disappears, moves to another city, and begins again. Winger plays a workaholic federal agent who tries to catch Russell. Both characters are fascinating to me and while Winger's isn't the showy role, the way she portrays the character's quiet determination and intelligence makes it one of my favorites of hers.
(I'm also a sucker for Legal Eagles and Wilder Napalm just because of Debra)
I thought she was in the upcoming movie Thirteen (which I'm going to see tomorrow night) but I don't know where I got that. I just looked and it's Holly Hunter.