This well-known actress, born on May 16, 1955, to Ruth and Robert in Cleveland, Ohio, showed early talent. She was a bright child who graduated from high school at 15 years old before enrolling in college to study criminology.
But acting had silently captivated her heart.
She kept her passion for performance hidden from her family, only pursuing it until a near-fatal encounter forced her to reconsider her career.
At the age of 17, she was working at an amusement park in California to supplement her income when she was involved in an accident that changed her life forever.
The driver of a tiny vehicle swerved just as she stood up in the rear seat. The teenager was ejected from the vehicle and landed on the asphalt.
She awoke in a hospital, dazed and scared, with severe injuries. The collision resulted in a cerebral hemorrhage, which left her blind and paralyzed on one side of her body.
Doctors warned her that she could never be able to walk again, let alone live a regular life. But after regaining her strength, the actress took a radical decision: she would pursue acting full-time.
After relocating to Los Angeles to pursue her goal, she won her first major role on the television series “Wonder Woman,” as the superhero’s younger sister, Drusilla.
She was a new face who did not fit easily into any category. Despite this, her abilities were evident. Her powerful, commanding personality on TV swiftly earned her a place in the spotlight.
Her breakthrough role came in the 1980 picture “Urban Cowboy,” in which she played opposite John Travolta.
Her performance instantly elevated her to celebrity status.
In the years since she has won back-to-back roles in critically praised films. She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her performance in “An Officer and a Gentleman” in 1982, co-starring with Richard Gere.
A year later, she received another Oscar nomination for “Terms of Endearment,” a heartfelt family drama starring Shirley MacLaine and Jack Nicholson.
By the mid-1980s, the actress was at the pinnacle of her career, widely considered one of the most accomplished actresses of her time. Despite her success, she remained disillusioned with Hollywood.
While filming “An Officer and a Gentleman,” the actress recounted that someone on set once slipped her a bottle of water retention pills, claiming she looked “puffy in the dailies.”
Her strong-willed demeanor earned her respect and fear throughout Hollywood.
She wasn’t hesitant to express her opinions, even if it meant disagreeing with directors or declining lucrative roles.
After obtaining her third Oscar nomination for “Shadowlands” in 1994 – a film she hailed as “the most literate script I’ve ever read” — she announced her retirement from acting.
Her decision astounded many because she was still at the peak of her career. Some thought that her relationship with then-Nebraska Gov. Bob Kerrey, whom she met while filming “Terms of Endearment,” affected her decision.
Others said health difficulties were to blame, citing her recurring back troubles. But she emphasized that her decision to quit Hollywood was personal.
During her break, she concentrated on her personal life.
In 1996, the Hollywood actress married actor, director, and writer Arliss Howard, whom she met on the filming of “Wilder Napalm” in 1993.
Together, they raised their blended family of three sons: Noah, born in 1987 during her first marriage to actor Timothy Hutton, her stepson Sam, and Babe, her youngest son from her second marriage.
Like their mother, all three brothers followed professions in movies. Noah is a cameraman, director, and editor; Sam works in screen advertising; and Babe is an actor, writer, and director.
This actress is none other than Debra Winger, who, despite occasional appearances in small films, remained relatively unknown until 2016, when she joined the Netflix series “The Ranch” starring Ashton Kutcher.
Despite her departure from the performing industry throughout the years, admirers have never forgotten Winger’s ageless beauty.
As of 2017, Winger divided her time between her working farm in Sullivan County, New York, and various film projects. She enjoys spending Sundays gardening and working on solarizing her property.
