In a timeless tale of romance, Naval Officer Zack Mayo swept factory worker Paula into his arms and carried her from her workplace, leaving fans everywhere wishing they were the beautiful Debra Winger.
The legendary scene in the romantic drama an Officer and a Gentleman–where Richard Gere played Officer Zack Mayo, the handsome hero in navy whites–became the benchmark of love stories for daydreaming fans.
Acting alongside Hollywood’s hottest men, Debra Winger was the envy of many.
Today, Winger, 67, is as beautiful as ever. In the past few years, Winger has posted photos herself on Instagram, first with brown hair and now to a natural wavy gray.
Winger’s first starring role was in the 1976 film Slumber Party ‘57, which led to a part on the hit TV series Wonder Woman (1979), where she played Drusilla, the younger sister to Lynda Carter’s Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. Winger was asked to appear more often but concerned she’d be typecast by that role, she declined.
There were no regrets for that decision, the early ‘80s would be prosperous for the rising star.
At the height of her young career, she received numerous nods from the Academy and Golden Globes for performances in three iconic movies of the 1980’s.
In 1980, she starred in Urban Cowboy, with John Travolta, who at the time was driving fans wild with his smooth dance moves in Saturday Night Fever (1977) and Grease (1988); as Paula in an Officer and a Gentleman (1982) and in Terms of Endearment (1983), where she played Emma, a dying young woman with an over-bearing mother, Aurora, played by Shirley MacLaine.
Despite her huge success, Winger, carving hours from her acting schedule, took a mini Hollywood hiatus, and more than four decades after her rise to stardom, speculation of why she left is still circulating.
Most of these rumours revolve around the feuds that Winger had with her co-stars.
Though fans couldn’t get enough of the handsome Gere, it’s been widely reported that Winger had enough of him on the set.
According to an excerpt published on ABC News from the book, “An Actor and a Gentleman,” by co-star, Louis Gossett Jr., who played Sgt. Emil Foley: “The onscreen chemistry between the two of them was terrific, but it was a different story once the camera was turned off. They couldn’t have stayed farther apart from each other.”
Gossett also claims that Winger didn’t think much of Gere’s acting and wrote that she once described Gere as “a brick wall.” And, the film’s director, Taylor Hackford, whom she also did not likе, she referred to as “animal.”
It wasn’t only people on that film that ruffled her feathers.
Winger, a free spirit in real life and in her role as Emma, also clashed with the prolific MacLaine, a glamourous, eccentric and seasoned veteran.
Their first meeting set the stage for their relationship.
“To see how my character would feel I was wearing all my leftover movie-star fur coats,” MacLaine said in an interview with People. “There was Debra dressed in combat boots and a miniskirt…I thought, ‘Oh my goodness.’”
People writes, “Indeed, the set became the source of Hollywood’s most relished rumors. Winger wanted top billing. One reportedly slugged the other.”
And then, the women were pitted against each other in the Oscars when they were both nominated for best actress.
MacLaine, taking the trophy home, said in her acceptance speech, “I deserve this!”
Rumors aside, Winger insists she “pushed the pause button” on Hollywood for personal reasons and not professional.
“The parts that were coming, I wasn’t interested in. I’d already done that or I’d already felt that. I needed to be challenged. My life challenged me more than the parts, so I dove into it fully,” Winger told People.
After starring in the 1995 romcom Forget Paris with Billy Crystal, Winger took a six-year break.
In that time, she moved to New York City and shifted her focus to actor Arliss Howard, whom she married in 1996. The pair have a son, Gideon Babe, who was born in 1997, and she is stepmother to Sam, Howard’s son from a previous marriage. She also has another biological child, Noah Hutton, whom she mothered while married to her first husband, Timothy Hutton (1986 to 1990).
She reappeared in the 2001 film Big Bad Love, that was directed and produced by her husband, who also co-starred alongside Winger and Rosanna Arquette, who’s next project was 2002 film Searching for Debra Winger. As director of the documentary, Arquette attempts to answer why Winger temporarily аbаndоned her career at peak performance.
Winger gained some momentum with roles in Rachel Getting Married (2008) with Anne Hathaway, the 2017 romcom The Lovers, and the crime-comedy, Kajillionaire (2020).
In 2021, she was in With/In, Volume two of the anthological drama film, in the segment Her Own, which is written and directed by her husband, who also co-stars.
“I don’t know what Hollywood is. I’m living under the freaking sign now, and I just stare at it and laugh. Los Angeles is a place, but the idea of Hollywood doesn’t really exist for me,” Winger said, adding, “…although there must be some in-crowds that I just don’t know about.”
We can’t imagine a Hollywood without Debra Winger and we hope she soon gets to take home an Academy Award ! What are your favorite Winger movies?
Paris Hilton, sad news
Paris Hilton revealed her anguish and annoyance at hearing disparaging remarks about her 8-month-old baby, Phoenix Barron, in a recent emotional social media post.
Hilton didn’t take long to protect her child from these harmful remarks because she is a strong and compassionate mother.
An Amazing and Hardy Child
Hilton, who is renowned for her composure under duress, highlighted that Phoenix the infant is both “perfectly healthy” and has a “large brain.” She wished to convey that her son is a happy, independent young man who is deserving of love and respect.
Hilton vented her frustration on her Instagram Story about people who would harm her child. She anticipates remarks because she is a well-known person, but it is just “unacceptable” and extremely upsetting to target her child or anybody else’s.
Hilton is hoping for the same in return for all of the hard work she has put into creating a loving, respectful, and accepting workplace.
The Difficulties of Being a Mother in Public
It may be difficult to navigate parenthood in the spotlight, and Hilton is aware of the particular difficulties she encounters. Some people believe she’s not a good mother if she doesn’t share pictures of her child on social media.
However, there are some that react cruelly and hatefully when she does share happy moments. Hilton doesn’t waver in her devotion to and delight in her kid, though.
She calls him the “biggest blessing” of her life and describes him as “perfectly healthy, adorable, and angelic.” Her desire to have a child has really come true.
For Hilton, spending each day with Phoenix is a potent reminder of what’s important in life. In spite of the nasty remarks, she begs for compassion and understanding from others.
She finds it hard to understand why someone would criticize such innocence. Through her brave narrative, Paris Hilton aspires to encourage greater empathy in society.
Although the event made her more aware of cruelty, it also brought her support from mothers in her community and online who stood up for her and Phoenix.
Knowing that there are so many people in the world that adore and support me fills me with such gratitude. It meant a lot to me that someone was watching out for Phoenix and that they would stand up for me.
The Paris in Love actress claims that parents have been reaching out to her via emails, direct messages, and other correspondence, saying they couldn’t believe she had to go through this at such an early stage of motherhood.
“I just read through all of the notes expressing how much people like Phoenix, how stunning he is, and how important it is to ignore trolls. Seeing how much love there is for my son and me simply meant a lot to me. I sincerely thank everyone who is reading this. I sincerely appreciate everyone’s concern for us.
As she begins this new chapter of parenting with Reum, Hilton, a mother of two, enters the holiday season and declares herself to be “just over the moon that our little princess is here!”
“Having my little baby boy and now my little girl makes my life feel so complete,” the woman tells PEOPLE.
Phoenix was born, and according to Hilton, the pair is “just so grateful and so happy.” Being able to spend our first holidays as parents is amazing.
“I’m eagerly anticipating those times. I’ve always loved the holidays, but now that I have family to spend them with, they’re even more meaningful to me.
Celebrating the Arrival of Phoenix
On January 16, Paris Hilton and her husband Carter Reum welcomed their first child, Phoenix, into the world via surrogacy.
Hilton expressed her unfathomable love for Phoenix on Instagram along with the happy news of his arrival. By telling people about this amazing tale of love and hope, let’s celebrate it. We can share compassion and understanding by working together.
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