Known for her sultry voice, captivating presence and commanding performances, legendary actress Kathleen Turner has left an indelible mark on the world of film and theatre.
Born in Springfield, Missouri on June 19, 1954, Turner’s career spanned more than 40 years, during which he captivated audiences with his versatile talent and unforgettable roles. Her return from stage to screen and back again is a testament to her enduring legacy as one of Hollywood’s leading ladies.
Turner’s fame began on the theater stage, where he honed his craft and became famous for his outstanding acting skills. His breakthrough came with the 1977 Broadway production of Twins, for which he won a Theater World Award.
He went on to make waves in the theater world and won a Tony Award in 1990 for his role in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Her undeniable talent and captivating presence caught the attention of directors and led her to move into the film.
In film, Kathleen Turner became a true Hollywood sensation, making her mark in a number of iconic roles in the 1980s and 1990s. Memorable performances in films such as Body Heat, Romancing a Stone and Peggy Sue Got Married established her as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after leading ladies.
Turner’s unique ability to combine emotion, intelligence and humor sets her apart and has made her an icon of female empowerment on screen. His career has spanned a variety of genres from serious thrillers to comedies, always bringing a unique and compelling edge to each role, earning him accolades and nominations for his outstanding work.
Kathleen Turner’s influence on both stage and screen cemented her legacy as a true Hollywood icon and powerful performer. Why do the handsome handsome men in Hollywood stay on the A-list for decades, while the equally beautiful female characters disappear after a few years?
What happened to actress Kathleen Turner, who worked with Steve Martin, Michael Douglas and Jack Nicholson in “Romance of the Stone”? What does it look like now? Find out more!
Kathleen Turner was born in Springfield, Missouri on June 19, 1954 to strict Christian parents who discouraged her interest in acting. “My dad was a missionary, so theater and acting was a step up from street food,” Turner explained.
His father worked in the US Foreign Service, so he lived in Venezuela, Cuba and Canada. Kathleen left her parents to pursue a career as a playwright at a high school in London.
“The seven of us were the theater mob,” Turner recalled of his childhood. “We brought in a teacher, hired him, hired him, fired him and hired another teacher.”
When Kathleen was 17, her family moved to Springfield, Missouri after her father died.
After volunteering at her local Planned Parenthood Federation, she became a lifelong advocate for women’s rights and health. She volunteers with City Meals On Wheels, Child Help USA, and the Planned Parenthood Advocacy Council of New York City.
Herbert Blau discovered Turner at Southwest Missouri State University. He encouraged her to attend the University of Maryland and get a BFA.
Turner debuted in Doctors in 1981 and then rose to fame with her stunning performance in the thriller Body Heat. After the success of Body Heat, Turner appeared in The Man With Two Brains and Romancing the Stone. Douglas, DeVito and Turner reunited for The War of the Roses and Jewels of the Nile. Turner won Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for her roles in Romancing the Stone (1984) and Prizzi’s Tribute (1985).
“This is the weirdest comedy in months,” wrote respected Prizzi critic Robert Ebert in 1985. “It’s so dark, so funny, and so funny that maybe only Jack Nicholson and Kathleen Turner could keep a straight face in during the love scenes.” I wrote. Turner is a seductive mob hitman who teams up with Jack Nicholson’s killer Charlie Partanna in New York.
“The respectability of Prizzi reinforces the image of a cunning woman, but I have to admit that my character in Prizzi is like a newlywed. She has a job, but she makes pots.
I like that,” said Turner. David Chef. “My husband and friends say it’s there.” she said “I’m not interested in knowing more.”
The following year, Turner appeared in Peggy Sue Got Married as Peggy Sue, a time traveler reminiscing about her school days in the 1960s. “It was a very hostile environment for women,” Turner said in 2018. “A sense of disdain, of support.”
Although Turner had a successful career in theater beginning in the mid-1980s, he never won another award. In 1990, Turner won a Tony Award for her performance as Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, her second major stage performance.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof earned him the Theater World Outstanding Broadway Debut Award. Turner inevitably followed with The Graduate and Tallulah.
Over the course of three years, she wrote Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? She played Martha in the movie. The role earned the actor another Tony nomination.
Turner hated the 1966 film with Elizabeth Taylor as Martha. In a 2018 interview with Vulture, he said of the Hollywood legend: “For a while, I felt like half of my life was just making up for my mistakes… Notice his tone. scared.”
“He wasn’t very good at it,” he concluded. “But luckily I’ve been lucky enough to do theater and comedy.”
Turner continued her success on stage with roles in Undercover Blues, The Virgin Suicides and Beautiful.
Who supported whom? Jessica Rabbit in Roger Rabbit (1988) had a hoarse voice. He played Chandler Bing’s father Charles Bing in Friends. Turner admitted to Vulture that she had a hard time adjusting to the Friends cast.
“Honestly, I didn’t feel as well received by the cast as I used to,” Turner said of the show. “I remember wearing this uncomfortable sequined dress and the high heels made me nauseous. I thought it was weird that none of the actors offered me a seat.”
“At one point, one of the older flight attendants said, ‘Please make room for Mrs. Turner,'” he recalled. “The ‘Friends’ cast was a great group, but my experience with them was nothing special.”
In the 1990s, Kathleen Turner experienced “unexplained pain and fever” associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
In 1994, he needed help getting out of bed. Turner used biotech drugs and exercise to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
“It was a terrible year before I was diagnosed,” she said of the 2002 rheumatoid arthritis awareness campaign. “I didn’t understand.”
“I didn’t know why I was so sick and in pain.” she explained. “I am passionate about this campaign because I want people to know that they can educate themselves, manage this disease and fight for their lives and lifestyles. You can get help.”
Turner’s condition has often been a cause for concern, especially in the news, but she hasn’t let that stop her.
He revealed in 2018 that after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 1992, he ignored doctors’ advice that he would be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. “I can’t stress enough how much I struggle with the endless pain and fear of who I am.”
“I had to hide my illness for many years,” she explained. I was ashamed to be punished for getting drunk because of my appearance. Despite his alcoholism, Robert Downey Jr. is employed by the studio. No one will approach me if I tell them I have a disease I can’t control.”
In 2007, Kathleen Turner divorced real estate businessman Jay Weiss. “It doesn’t bother me that almost 40 years after [Body Heat] I’m still being called a sex icon,” the Jessica Rabbit star, 66, said. “It was a long time ago now.”
Turner teaches practical acting at New York University. “I love teaching,” she told Shondaland in 2020. “I can explain clearly.”
“I’m strict with them. I don’t hire amateurs, I only hire people with certain qualifications,” he explained. “Otherwise I won’t be effective.”
Kathleen Turner deserves years of attention.
