Fans everywhere could only dream of being the stunning Debra Winger, especially after the unforgettable moment when Naval Officer Zack Mayo, played by Richard Gere, swept factory worker Paula (played by Winger) into his arms and carried her out of the factory in the iconic romance movie An Officer and a Gentleman.
This memorable scene, where the dashing officer in his navy whites picks up Paula, became the gold standard for love stories for many people. Fans everywhere couldn’t stop daydreaming about it, and for years, that scene symbolized romance.
But it wasn’t just the scene that made Debra Winger a star—it was her incredible talent. Fans were often jealous of her, especially since she acted alongside some of Hollywood’s most handsome men. Even today, at 69 years old, Debra is still stunning. Over the last few years, she’s shared pictures of herself on Instagram, starting with her beautiful brown hair and later showing off her stylish wavy gray hair.
Rising Star
Debra Winger landed her first major role on the TV show Wonder Woman (1979), where she played Drusilla, the younger sister of Lynda Carter’s Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. She was a rising star, but after that, Debra was offered more roles. However, she turned them down, worried they might typecast her.
“I didn’t want to be stuck in one kind of role,” she said later, and she never regretted that decision. Instead, the early 1980s brought her even bigger opportunities and critical acclaim.
A Career Full of Hits
Debra Winger’s career soared during the early 1980s. She starred in several unforgettable films that became classics. In 1980, she worked alongside John Travolta in Urban Cowboy, where she captivated audiences while Travolta was dazzling them with his moves from Saturday Night Fever and Grease.
In 1982, she played Paula in An Officer and a Gentleman, the role that solidified her as one of Hollywood’s top stars. Then, in 1983, she earned an Academy Award nomination for playing Emma, a young woman dying of cancer, in the heart-wrenching movie Terms of Endearment, starring alongside Shirley MacLaine.
Despite her huge success, Debra decided to take a brief break from acting. Even today, people still wonder why she stepped away from the spotlight. The most common rumor is that she had conflicts with her co-stars, but there’s much more to the story.
Drama Behind the Scenes
Many people thought Debra didn’t get along with her An Officer and a Gentleman co-star Richard Gere. Although their on-screen chemistry was undeniable, things were different once the cameras stopped rolling. Louis Gossett Jr., who played Sgt. Emil Foley in the film, wrote in his book An Actor and a Gentleman that the two were “terrific” on-screen, but “a different story once the camera was turned off.”
He added, “They couldn’t have remained more far from one another.”
According to Gossett, Debra didn’t think much of Gere’s acting and once called him “a brick wall.” She didn’t hold back her opinions, even about the film’s director, Taylor Hackford, whom she referred to as “animal.” The tension didn’t end with Gere. Debra also had a bit of a clash with her Terms of Endearment co-star, Shirley MacLaine.
Clashing Personalities
Debra and Shirley had a pretty rocky relationship from the start. In an interview with People, MacLaine shared her experience of meeting Debra. “I was wearing all my leftover movie-star fur coats to see how my character would feel,” MacLaine recalled. “Debra was wearing a miniskirt and combat boots. Oh my goodness,” she added with a laugh.
Their differences didn’t just end with their fashion choices. As the set of Terms of Endearment became the talk of Hollywood, rumors started to swirl. One of the biggest stories was that Debra wanted top billing for the movie. It was also reported that at one point, the two women even had a physical altercation.
When both Debra and Shirley were nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars, the competition between them only heated up. During her acceptance speech, Shirley MacLaine made a memorable comment, saying, “I deserve this!” as she held her Oscar.
Despite the rumors and conflicts, Debra has always maintained that her decision to take a break from acting wasn’t about her co-stars—it was more about personal reasons. She later explained, “I wasn’t interested in the upcoming parts. I had either already felt that or had already done it. I required a challenge. I threw myself into it wholeheartedly because my life challenged me more than its components.”
A Break from Hollywood
Debra took a six-year hiatus from acting after her role in Forget Paris (1995), a romantic comedy with Billy Crystal. During that time, she moved to New York City and started focusing on her personal life.
She married actor Arliss Howard in 1996, and together they have two children—Sam, Arliss’ son from a previous marriage, and Gideon Babe, who was born in 1997. Debra also has a son, Noah Hutton, from her previous marriage to actor Timothy Hutton (1986-1990).
Her husband, Arliss, directed and produced the 2001 film Big Bad Love, which starred Debra alongside Rosanna Arquette. Debra’s next big project was Searching for Debra Winger (2002), a documentary directed by Rosanna Arquette, which tried to explain why Debra suddenly left Hollywood at the height of her career.
Return to the Spotlight
Debra Winger made an exciting return to acting with several notable roles. In 2008, she starred in Rachel Getting Married, acting alongside Anne Hathaway. In 2017, she appeared in the romantic comedy The Lovers, and in 2020, she played a key role in the crime-comedy Kajillionaire. These roles helped her regain her momentum, and fans were thrilled to see her back on screen.
In 2021, she appeared in the segment Her Own in the film With/In, which was written and directed by her husband. Even though she’s been in the industry for decades, Debra remains grounded and down-to-earth.
“I have no idea what Hollywood is. Now that I’m living under the freaking sign, I just chuckle while staring at it,” she said. “Los Angeles is a place, but the idea of Hollywood doesn’t really exist for me.”
A Bright Future
Debra Winger has shown that she’s more than just a pretty face or a talented actress—she’s a force of nature. Despite stepping away from Hollywood for a while, she’s still a fan favorite and deserves to be celebrated for her incredible career. We’re all hoping to see her win an Academy Award soon because Hollywood would be incomplete without her.
What do you think of Debra Winger’s journey? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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