Among the few living real legends is Faye Dunaway.
The legendary actress, well-known for portraying strong, resentful, and challenging women, is among the best in movie history.
And the eighty-three-year-old continues on…
Dunaway is best known for her twisted cry in the campy cult film Mommie Dearest, “No more wire hangers!” She also starred in Hurry Sundown with Michael Caine and Bonnie & Clyde, winning the main part over Jane Fonda and Natalie Wood.
The Florida native actress, who was also awarded three Golden Globes and an Emmy, was born in Bascom.
It’s difficult to discuss Faye Dunaway’s career without bringing up the film Mommies Dearest. Channeling Joan Crawford’s energy, Faye Dunaway shocked the Mommie Dearest crew when she initially appeared from the dressing room in the legendary role of the four-year-old actress.
The sensationalized movie Mommie Dearest (1981) is based on Christina Crawford’s memoir of the same name, which describes her troubled connection with the late actress Joan Crawford, who was her adopted mother.
Dunaway managed to create a combination of charm and terror.
In her unsettling portrayal of Crawford, Dunaway blurred the boundaries between reality and resurrecting Joan, both on and off the set. She was so desperate that she declared, “I want to climb inside her skin,” to a Hollywood biographer.
Dunaway either developed her method acting skills to a high degree or her spirit took over. In her memoir, Looking for Gatsby, she writes. “I was told by one that it felt like Joan herself had risen from the dead.”
In reality, the media began to believe that Crawford was haunting Dunaway.”(Dunaway) appears to have borrowed it for 12 weeks from the ghost of Joan Crawford,” the Los Angeles Times remarked about her voice.
In a part that will live in legend, Dunaway expresses remorse. 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.” “I should have known better, but sometimes you don’t know what you’re getting into and you’re vulnerable.”
Working with some of the sexiest men in Hollywood, like Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Kirk Douglas, and Johnny Depp, Dunaway showed extreme self-control and maintained a platonic connection with her co-stars.
A few individuals were drawn to particular things; perhaps Jack (Nicholson) and Warren (Beatty), but not many. Though Steve McQueen was contentedly devoted to someone at the time, Warren was at that point in his bachelorhood. “I wouldn’t mess around with something like that even if it were offered, but it wasn’t,” Warren said.
“You simply don’t,” she remarked in a Harper’s Bazaar interview. “You don’t do that because you know it will ruin the performance and the movie. That’s my rule.”
The dapper, Italian award-winning actor Marcello Mastroianni, broke the rules for the timeless beauty with her delicate high cheekbones because he was too much of a temptation.
Life imitates art in her connection with the Italian celebrity. starring in the 1968 film A Place for Lovers, which Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times referred to as the “most godawful piece of pseudo-romantic slop I’ve ever seen!”-Dunaway portrays a fashion designer who is having an extramarital romance with Mastroianni, a race car driver. She had a brief but intense three-year romance with the actor in real life, which she ended when he refused to leave his wife.
Dunaway stated, “I was deeply in love with him,” in a People interview. I had never encountered a man like him before, and I felt incredibly safe with him.
She wed musician Peter Wolf, the lead vocalist of The J. Geils Band, in 1974; they separated after five years.
According to a Marie Claire article from 2017, Dunaway began an affair with renowned British photographer Terry O’Neill because she was dissatisfied in her marriage to Wolf. With her Oscar from the movie The Network on the table next to her, O’Neill captured a picture of her lounging by the pool at The Beverly Hills Hotel.
After being married in 1983, Dunaway misled the public for many years, claiming that her son Liam, who was born in 1980, was actually her biological child. In 1987, Dunaway and O’Neill were divorced.
Dunaway is alleged to be a manipulative diva who is very difficult and unpredictable for co-stars, production personnel, and even hotel employees.
She was fired from her role as Audrey Hepburn in the off-Broadway production of Tea at Five in 2019 for creating a “dangerous” and “hostile” environment, and she was fired by Andrew Lloyd Weber from his Sunset Boulevard production in Los Angeles, California, in 1994.
She was dubbed the “gossamer grenade” by one of her leading men, Jack Nicholson, and when Johnny Carson questioned her in 1988, “Who’s one of the worst people you know in Hollywood?” “Faye Dunaway and everybody you can put in this chair would tell you exactly the same thing,” was the swift response from the feisty and unrepentant Bette Davis. “I don’t think we have the time to go into all the reasons—she’s just uncooperative,” the woman said. For Miss Dunaway, Miss Dunaway is Miss.
Dunaway is still a very talented performer despite her challenging, frequently harsh, and nasty demeanor.
She was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1996, and in 1997, People magazine listed her as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People.
Regarding her romantic status, she is now single.
She stated in a 2016 People interview that she was still open to dating. She says, “I’m very much a loner.” “I always think that if I could find the right person, I would like to have a partner in life, and I would.”
Her most recent credit dates back to 2022, when she costarred in the Italian film L’uomo che disegnò Dio with Kevin Spacey.
I Kicked Out My Grandparents, Who Raised Me, From My Graduation — Karma Quickly Taught Me a Lesson
My name is Sarah, and my story began with a tragedy. When I was two, my mom died in a car accident, and my dad left us. My grandparents took me in. They became my whole world. They loved and supported me through everything. Thanks to them, I just graduated from high school and got into a great college.
Graduation day was supposed to be perfect. I couldn’t wait for my grandparents to see me get my diploma. I was so excited.
Graduation party | Source: Pexels
“This is for you, Grandma and Grandpa,” I thought as I put on my cap and gown. I couldn’t wait to see my grandparents’ proud faces when I walked across the stage. They had given me everything.
Suddenly, I heard someone call my name. “Sarah?”
I turned around and saw a man I didn’t recognize. He had a kind face but looked a bit worn out. “Yes, that’s me,” I said cautiously.
Man with blue eyes looks at the camera | Source: Pexels
He smiled, his eyes sad. “It’s me, your father.”
I felt my breath catch. “My father? No, my father left me when I was two.”
His face fell. “No, that’s not true. I’ve been looking for you all these years. Your grandparents hid you from me.” The man opened his wallet and showed me my childhood photo with a young man I knew as my father. This was the only photo of him I’ve ever seen.
Young man with his small daughter | Source: Pexels
My mind spun. “What? They said you abandoned me.”
He pulled out his phone and showed me text messages. Angry, hurtful words from my grandmother. “They told me to stay away, Sarah. They never wanted me around.”
Tears filled my eyes. Could this be true? My grandparents had lied to me?
“Why would they do that?” I whispered, feeling a mix of anger and confusion.
Shocked Sarah looks at her father | Source: Midjourney
“I don’t know, Sarah. But I’m here now. I’ve always wanted to be part of your life,” he said softly.
I saw my grandparents sitting in the audience, smiling and waving at me. My emotions were in turmoil. I couldn’t believe they had lied to me for so long. I marched over to them, anger boiling inside me.
“Leave,” I said loudly, my voice trembling with rage.
Sarah shouts at her grandparents | Source: Midjourney
Grandma’s smile faded. “Sarah, what’s wrong?” she asked, her eyes filling with tears.
“Leave now!” I shouted, my voice echoing in the hall. People turned to look.
Grandpa stood up slowly, his face pale. “Sarah, please, talk to us. What’s happening?”
“You lied to me! You kept my father away from me all these years. Just go!” I insisted.
Angry but determined Sarah | Source: Midjourney
My father approached me, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Thank you, Sarah. I know this is hard.”
“Why did they lie?” I asked, tears streaming down my face.
“I don’t know, but we can talk about it,” he said gently. “Let’s get through today first.”
Later, I sat across from my father in a quiet corner of the cafe, my coffee growing cold in front of me. I studied him, trying to reconcile the man before me with the stories my grandparents had told.
Coffee cup in a cafe | Source: Pexels
“So,” I began, my voice trembling slightly, “tell me everything. Start from the beginning.”
He sighed and took a sip of his coffee. “It’s a long story, Sarah. But you deserve to know the truth.”
He paused, collecting his thoughts. “When your mother and I first got together, everything was great. We were young and in love. But your grandparents never liked me. They thought I wasn’t good enough for her.”
Sarah’s father | Source: Midjourney
“What do you mean?” I asked, my eyes searching his face for honesty.
“They were always judging me,” he continued, shaking his head. “Your grandfather thought I was a loser because I didn’t have a fancy job. They wanted your mom to marry someone else. When you were born, it got worse.”
My heart ached. “Why didn’t you come back? Why didn’t you try to find me sooner?”
Sad Sarah talks to her father | Source: Midjourney
Silently, he pulled out his phone and showed me old text messages from Grandma. They were filled with anger and demands to stay away.
My hands shook as I read them. “I can’t believe they would do this.”
“They thought they were protecting you,” he said softly, squeezing my hand. “They didn’t trust me, and I can’t blame them for being angry, but they lied to you. I’ve been trying to get back into your life ever since.”
Hand squeeze | Source: Pexels
Tears welled up in my eyes. “Why did you come to my graduation?”
“I heard about it through an old friend,” he explained. “I wanted to see you, to congratulate you. I thought maybe enough time had passed that you’d be ready to meet me.”
I nodded slowly, absorbing his words.
Sarah slowly nods | Source: Midjourney
“We fell on hard times,” he said. “My son, your half-brother, is very sick. I need a lot of money for his treatment, and I thought I could borrow at least $1000 from you.”
I looked at him, torn between anger and pity. “Why didn’t you tell me all of this before?”
“I didn’t want to ruin your big day,” he said with a sad smile. “I wanted to wait until we could talk properly.”
Sarah’s father tells her his side of the story | Source: Midjourney
I sighed, feeling a mixture of emotions. “This is a lot to take in.”
“I know,” he said gently. “Take your time. I’m not going anywhere.”
I looked out the window, watching the world go by. “I need to talk to my grandparents. There’s so much I need to sort out.”
Cafe windows | Source: Pexels
“Of course,” he said, reaching across the table to take my hand. “I’ll be here when you’re ready.”
I squeezed his hand, then stood up. “I need to go. But thank you for being honest with me.”
“Thank you for listening,” he said, his eyes hopeful.
As I walked out of the cafe, I felt a heavy weight on my shoulders. I had a lot to think about and even more to discuss with my grandparents.
Sarah walks out of the cafe | Source: Midjourney
I walked into our house, feeling a heavy weight on my shoulders. The decorations from the graduation party were still up, and the colorful balloons seemed to mock my confusion. My grandparents were sitting at the kitchen table, talking quietly. Their faces lit up when they saw me, but the joy quickly faded when they noticed my expression.
“Sarah, what’s wrong?” Grandma asked, her voice full of concern.
Sarah realizes what she has done | Source: Midjourney
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my trembling hands. “I’m so sorry,” I began, tears welling up in my eyes. “I shouldn’t have made you leave my graduation. I need to know the truth. Please, just tell me everything.”
Grandma’s face softened, and she reached out to take my hand. “Oh, Sarah, we understand. It must have been so confusing for you.”
Grandpa nodded, his eyes sad. “We did what we thought was best to protect you. But you deserve to know the whole story.”
Grandma | Source: Midjourney
I sat down, my heart heavy with guilt and curiosity. “Dad said you kept him away from me. He showed me messages, Grandma. They were from you.”
Grandma sighed deeply, her eyes filled with pain. “Yes, I sent those messages. Your father…he wasn’t a good man, Sarah. He started drinking and using drugs after you were born. He was drunk when he caused the accident that killed your mother. We didn’t want him to hurt you too.”
Sarah’s grandmother tells her the story | Source: Midjourney
I swallowed hard, trying to process their words. “But he said he’s been sober for years. And he said he needed money for his son’s treatment. Is that true?”
Grandma and Grandpa exchanged a worried glance. “He always knew how to manipulate people,” Grandpa said softly. “If he’s back, it’s because he wants something.”
I took a deep breath. “I need to know for sure. Do you think we could find out more about his life now?”
Sarah learns the truth about her father | Source: Midjourney
Grandpa nodded. “We can try. Maybe we can find something online.”
We all moved to the living room, and Grandpa opened his laptop. He logged into Facebook, and we began searching for my father. It didn’t take long to find his profile. His profile picture showed him with a woman and a young boy.
“Is that his new family?” I asked, my heart pounding.
Young family | Source: Pexels
“It looks like it,” Grandpa said, clicking on the woman’s profile. Her name was Lisa, and her profile was public.
We scrolled through her posts, looking for any mention of the boy’s illness. My heart ached as I thought about the possibility of my father lying to me.
“Look at this,” Grandma said, pointing to a post from a few weeks ago. It was a picture of the boy playing soccer, smiling and healthy.
Boy plays soccer | Source: Pexels
“Doesn’t look like he’s sick,” Grandpa muttered, scrolling further. There were more pictures of the boy, all showing him active and happy.
Grandma hugged me tightly. “We’re so sorry you had to go through this, Sarah. But we’re glad you know the truth now.”
I nodded, tears streaming down my face. “I’m so sorry for doubting you. I should have trusted you from the start.”
Grandpa put his arm around me. “We forgive you, Sarah. You were just looking for answers.”
Grandpa hugs Sarah | Source: Midjourney
We sat together, the three of us, finding comfort in each other. I knew I had made mistakes, but I also knew I was loved and forgiven. My grandparents had always been there for me, and now, more than ever, I realized how lucky I was to have them.
The next day, my father came to the house, looking hopeful. “Did you get the money?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No, Dad, I can’t give you any money.”
He frowned. “But it’s for your brother’s treatment.”
Sarah sends her father away | Source: Midjourney
“I know you lied about that,” I said firmly. “I saw the photos. He’s not sick. You just wanted the money.”
His face turned red with anger. “You’re just like your grandparents,” he snapped. “I should’ve stayed away.”
“Maybe you should have,” I replied, my voice steady. “I’m done with your lies.”
Enjoyed this story? Check out this one, where Christine’s grandparents shockingly cut her off from the inheritance. Unbeknownst to them, this is all part of Christine’s plan to bring her family together.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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