Faye Dunaway: A Living Legend
Among the few living legends in Hollywood, Faye Dunaway stands tall. Known for her portrayal of strong, complex women, she is one of the greatest actresses in movie history. At 83, she continues to captivate audiences.
Iconic Roles and Awards
Dunaway is perhaps best remembered for her chilling line, “No more wire hangers!” in the cult classic Mommie Dearest. She also starred in Hurry Sundown with Michael Caine and Bonnie & Clyde, securing the lead role over Jane Fonda and Natalie Wood. Born in Bascom, Florida, Dunaway has won three Golden Globes and an Emmy.
The Unforgettable Mommie Dearest
It’s impossible to discuss Dunaway’s career without mentioning Mommie Dearest. Channeling Joan Crawford’s intense energy, Dunaway shocked the crew when she emerged from the dressing room fully embodying the iconic role. The 1981 film, based on Christina Crawford’s memoir, highlights the troubled relationship between Joan Crawford and her adopted daughter. Dunaway’s portrayal blurred the lines between reality and fiction, creating a haunting combination of charm and terror.
Method Acting or Something More?
Dunaway’s dedication to the role was so intense that she once told a Hollywood biographer, “I want to climb inside her skin.” In her memoir Looking for Gatsby, she recalled being told that it felt like Joan Crawford had risen from the dead. The media even speculated that Crawford’s spirit was haunting Dunaway. The Los Angeles Times remarked that her voice seemed borrowed from Joan Crawford’s ghost.
A Role She Regrets
Despite her powerful performance, Dunaway has expressed regret over taking the role. She told Entertainment Tonight, “I think it turned my career in a direction where people would irretrievably have the wrong impression of me—and that’s an awful hard thing to beat.”
Professionalism on Set
Dunaway worked with some of Hollywood’s most attractive men, including Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Kirk Douglas, and Johnny Depp. Despite the temptation, she maintained a platonic relationship with her co-stars. “You simply don’t,” she explained in a Harper’s Bazaar interview. “It will ruin the performance and the movie. That’s my rule.”
A Romance with Marcello Mastroianni
However, the dapper Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni broke the rules for Dunaway. The two starred together in the 1968 film A Place for Lovers, and their on-screen chemistry translated into a real-life romance. Although brief, their three-year relationship was intense. Dunaway ended it when Mastroianni refused to leave his wife.
Marriages and Relationships
Dunaway married musician Peter Wolf, lead singer of The J. Geils Band, in 1974, but they divorced after five years. According to a Marie Claire article from 2017, she began an affair with British photographer Terry O’Neill during her marriage. O’Neill famously photographed Dunaway by the pool at The Beverly Hills Hotel with her Oscar for Network beside her. The couple married in 1983, and Dunaway misled the public for years, claiming their son Liam, born in 1980, was her biological child. They divorced in 1987.
A Challenging Personality
Dunaway’s reputation as a difficult and unpredictable diva has been well-documented. She was fired from the off-Broadway production Tea at Five in 2019 for creating a “dangerous” and “hostile” environment. In 1994, Andrew Lloyd Webber also dismissed her from his Sunset Boulevard production in Los Angeles.
Her co-stars and colleagues have echoed similar sentiments. Jack Nicholson called her the “gossamer grenade,” and when Johnny Carson asked Bette Davis in 1988 about the worst person she knew in Hollywood, Davis swiftly replied, “Faye Dunaway.”
A Lasting Legacy
Despite her challenging demeanor, Dunaway remains an exceptionally talented performer. In 1996, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 1997, People magazine named her one of the 50 Most Beautiful People.
Life Today
Regarding her personal life, Dunaway is currently single. In a 2016 People interview, she mentioned that she was still open to finding a partner, saying, “I’m very much a loner. But I always think that if I could find the right person, I would like to have a partner in life.”
Her most recent role was in the 2022 Italian film L’uomo che disegnò Dio alongside Kevin Spacey, proving that even in her 80s, Faye Dunaway continues to leave her mark on the world of cinema.
