In a timeless romance, Naval Officer Zack Mayo swept factory worker Paula off her feet, whisking her away from the mundane confines of her workplace. Debra Winger’s portrayal was the envy of fans worldwide, setting a standard for romantic tales in the iconic film “An Officer and a Gentleman”. Richard Gere’s depiction of Officer Zack Mayo, the dashing naval hero clad in his crisp blues, captured hearts across the globe.
Winger, now 67, retains her enduring beauty that first captivated audiences alongside Hollywood’s leading men. Recently, she’s shared glimpses of herself on social media, her once brown locks now naturally curly and silver. Winger’s career ignited with her debut in the 1976 film “Slumber Party ’57”, leading to a memorable role as Drusilla in the hit TV series “Wonder Woman” (1979), where she portrayed the spirited younger sister to Lynda Carter’s Diana Prince.
Despite early success, Winger bravely turned down further commitments on “Wonder Woman” to avoid typecasting, a decision that proved pivotal. Throughout the early 1980s, she garnered acclaim with Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for her roles in iconic films like “Urban Cowboy” (1980) alongside John Travolta, “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982) as Paula, and “Terms of Endearment” (1983) as Emma, a poignant portrayal of a young woman facing mortality under the watchful eye of her mother, played by Shirley MacLaine.
Yet, amid rising stardom, Winger took a hiatus from Hollywood, sparking speculation that persists over four decades later. Rumors swirled about conflicts with co-stars, including reputed tension with Gere during the filming of “An Officer and a Gentleman”. Co-star Louis Gossett Jr., who played Sgt. Emil Foley, chronicled in his book “An Actor and a Gentleman” that their on-screen chemistry didn’t translate off-screen, attributing friction between Winger and Gere to creative differences.
Winger’s outspoken nature extended beyond Gere; she reportedly clashed with MacLaine on the set of “Terms of Endearment”, where their contrasting styles and personalities led to both friction and eventual camaraderie. The Hollywood grapevine buzzed with tales of Winger’s independence and occasional clashes, enhancing her mystique.
Following her hiatus, Winger returned to the spotlight with “Forget Paris” (1995) alongside Billy Crystal before taking another break to focus on family life in New York City with her husband, actor Arliss Howard. She returned to acting with “Big Bad Love” (2001) and gained further attention with the documentary “Searching for Debra Winger” (2002), exploring her decision to step away from the limelight at the peak of her career.
Reflecting on her Hollywood journey, Winger has remained philosophical, viewing Los Angeles as a place rather than a concept of stardom. Her recent roles in films like “Rachel Getting Married” (2008), “The Lovers” (2017), and “Kajillionaire” (2020) underscore her enduring talent and commitment to diverse roles, reinforcing her status as a cinematic icon who defies easy categorization.
In 2021, Winger appeared in the anthology drama “With/In”, Volume two, in a segment titled “Her Own”, directed and written by her husband Arliss Howard. Her ongoing career continues to surprise and delight audiences, proving that while Hollywood’s landscape may evolve, Debra Winger’s allure and talent endure.
Fleetwood Mac star Stevie Nicks finally reveals what life changing advice Prince gave to her
She spent the night working on a song that would end up becoming the lead single from Nicks’ 1983 solo album “The Wild Heart” and the single went to No. 5 in the U.S. Billboard Top 100.
After writing her song ‘Stand Back” she asked for a meeting with Prince and 20 minutes later they were introduced to each other for the first time in a studio in Los Angeles.
Nicks said Prince listened to her song, inspired by his “Little Red Corvette” classic and went straight over to the keyboard to start adding his own parts.
He then got up, gave her a hug and left.
“He spoiled me for every band I’ve ever had because nobody can exactly re-create — not even with two piano players —what Prince did all by his little self,” she said in the book “Rock Lives.”
Nicks said as much as she admired Prince, she avoided a romantic relationship with him because she appreciated their musical connection.
“He spoiled me for every band I’ve ever had because nobody can exactly re-create — not even with two piano players —what Prince did all by his little self,” she said in the book “Rock Lives.”
Nicks said as much as she admired Prince, she avoided a romantic relationship with him because she appreciated their musical connection.
“I really wanted a musical relationship, and I had smartened up, even then,” she explained. “You’ll break up and never speak again. But he wasn’t interested in just that.”
In turn, Prince’s “When Doves Cry” was inspired by Nicks’ song “Edge of Seventeen.”
The Fleetwood Mac star said that she was heavily into drugs when she collaborated with Prince.
“The eighties were pretty bad drug years for me,” Stevie Nicks told The New Yorker. “And Prince was not very into drugs. And the fact that he ended up being on a lot of pain medication just blows my mind, because he was so against it, and he gave me so many lectures about it.”
The “Gypsy” singer said Prince warned her about her drug use. “I’d talk to him every once in a while on the phone, and we’d talk for hours, and he’d go, ‘You gotta be careful, Stevie.’ And I’d go, ‘I know, I know.’”
Following his death Nicks said, “My sadness is that he did die of an accidental drug overdose. He’s up there looking down, saying to me, ‘Sweetie, I can’t believe it happened either.’”
It seems Prince was right to be worried at the time as Nicks ended up in rehab twice. The singer checked into the Betty Ford clinic in 1986 for her cocaine addiction, and then went to another hospital in 1993 for her addiction to Klonopin, which Nicks said she was over-prescribed.
But in 1986, Nicks spoke to a plastic surgeon about her nose. The doctor told her she had burned a coin-sized hole in her nose from her cocaine abuse.
“I said, ‘What do you think about my nose?’” the singer recalled. “And he said, ‘Well, I think the next time you do a hit of cocaine, you could drop dead.’”
Following her conversation with the doctor, Nicks decided to check into the Betty Ford clinic. The move helped turn her life around and arguably saved her career and her life.
Thank goodness she had a conversation that set her on the right path. It sounds like it came at just the right time.
It is, however, a tragedy that Prince couldn’t get off the harmful opioids that he was on. Nicks’ story just confirms the musical genius he really was and how generous he was with his talent.
He will always be a musical legend, missed by millions.
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