The Rise, Fall, and Resilience of Debra Winger: A Hollywood Icon

In the 1980s, Debra Winger was one of the most striking and promising stars in Hollywood. During her peak years, she earned three Academy Award nominations and became a household name. However, after dominating the industry, she faded from the limelight, leaving fans curious about her disappearance. Now, at 69, Winger remains captivating, though she’s embraced a quieter life away from the spotlight.

Winger’s rise to fame was swift, propelled by her role in the 1982 romantic drama An Officer and a Gentleman. Fans couldn’t get enough of the iconic moment when Richard Gere’s character, Naval Officer Zack Mayo, swept factory worker Paula, played by Winger, into his arms. The scene became a benchmark for romantic films, and audiences envied Winger’s on-screen chemistry with some of Hollywood’s most desirable leading men.

A Promising Start

Debra Winger’s career began with a significant break in the 1976 film Slumber Party ’57, followed by her role as Drusilla, Wonder Woman’s younger sister, in the popular Wonder Woman TV series. Although she was offered the opportunity to return to the series, Winger declined, fearing the role would typecast her.

It proved to be the right choice. Winger’s career soared in the early 1980s with a string of critically acclaimed roles. She starred opposite John Travolta in Urban Cowboy (1980), brought depth to her role as Paula in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), and portrayed Emma, a young woman facing terminal illness in Terms of Endearment (1983), alongside Shirley MacLaine.

These performances garnered Winger multiple Academy and Golden Globe nominations, cementing her status as a Hollywood A-lister. However, despite her success, tensions on set and clashes with co-stars sparked rumors that would follow her career for decades.

Behind the Scenes Drama

While Winger’s on-screen chemistry with Richard Gere in An Officer and a Gentleman captivated audiences, things were reportedly far from harmonious behind the scenes. Louis Gossett Jr., who played Sgt. Emil Foley in the film, later revealed in his memoir An Actor and a Gentleman that Winger and Gere barely tolerated each other. According to Gossett, Winger found Gere’s acting unremarkable and referred to him as “a brick wall.” She also clashed with the film’s director, Taylor Hackford, calling him “animal.”

Tensions weren’t limited to one project. On the set of Terms of Endearment, Winger reportedly butted heads with Shirley MacLaine. Their different personalities—MacLaine’s glamorous, seasoned demeanor versus Winger’s free-spirited nature—led to well-documented friction. According to MacLaine, their relationship began with contrasting first impressions: MacLaine arrived on set in movie-star fur coats to channel her character, while Winger appeared in combat boots and a miniskirt.

The pair’s disagreements became the stuff of Hollywood legend, with rumors of heated arguments and even physical altercations. When both actresses were nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards, MacLaine famously declared during her acceptance speech, “I deserve this!”

Stepping Away from the Spotlight

Despite her success, Winger took an unexpected step back from acting in the mid-1990s. Fans and critics speculated about the reasons behind her decision, with many attributing it to her on-set conflicts. However, Winger herself offered a different explanation.

In an interview with People, she revealed, “I wasn’t interested in the parts I was being offered. I had either already done it or felt it didn’t challenge me. My life was offering more challenges than the work.”

During her hiatus, Winger relocated to New York City and focused on her family. She married actor and filmmaker Arliss Howard in 1996 and became stepmother to his son, Sam. Together, they had a son, Gideon Babe, born in 1997. Winger also has another son, Noah, from her first marriage to actor Timothy Hutton.

Her break from Hollywood wasn’t entirely without appearances. In 2002, she participated in Rosanna Arquette’s documentary Searching for Debra Winger, which explored why women often leave the industry at the height of their careers.

A Quiet Return

In recent years, Winger has made select appearances in film and television, showcasing her enduring talent. She earned praise for her roles in Rachel Getting Married (2008), The Lovers (2017), and Kajillionaire (2020). She also starred in With/In: Volume 2 (2021), an anthology project written and directed by her husband.

Despite living in Los Angeles, Winger remains detached from the idea of “Hollywood.” She once remarked, “I don’t even know what Hollywood is. I live under the sign and just laugh at it. For me, it’s not a real thing.”

A Legacy of Talent

Debra Winger’s career has been anything but conventional. From her early rise to fame to her self-imposed hiatus and quiet return, she’s consistently followed her own path. Fans continue to admire her for her authenticity and resilience, and her performances remain timeless.

As we celebrate her journey, one can only hope that Winger receives another well-deserved Academy Award someday. Which of her iconic films is your favorite?