Faye Dunaway turns 82: Growing old doesn't stop 'Bonnie and Clyde' star from entertaining her fans
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: The 'Bonnie and Clyde' star Faye Dunaway turned 82 on Saturday, January 14. She spent her whole career playing strong and independent women, for which she was recognized with an Oscar, an Emmy, and three Golden Globes. The actress made her cinematic debut in 1967 with 'The Happening', the same year that she portrayed the cunning thief and notorious Clyde conspirator. Dunaway's career took off after this with prominent parts in movies, including, 'The Arrangement', 'Chinatown', 'Network' and 'The People Next Door'.
The actress rose to fame for her powerful, feminine roles and she even made an appearance in a few TV programs. Dunaway is, however, not as stiff and stolid in real life as her on-screen personalities imply. She is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with but she is also a caring and compassionate mother. Dunaway acknowledged that people frequently misunderstood who she really was. The actress opened up to People Magazine that her portrayal of Joan Crawford in the movie 'Mommie Dearest', which conveyed the "false perceptions" about her genuine disposition, was perhaps the worst harm to her public image.
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Faye Dunaway as a mother
Dunaway played the character of the ruthless mother in 'Mommie Dearest' but in reality, she was a wonderful caretaker for her son Liam O'Neill. During a picture session with her the then husband, Peter Wolf, the actress met the photographer Terry O'Neill, with whom she later had a child. Dunaway and Wolf were on the verge of divorcing at the moment.
Dunaway began dating Terry soon after Wolf and she ended their relationship and she later acknowledged how quickly they fell in love. But because Terry was going through his own divorce, things got complicated. In order to prevent a media frenzy, Dunaway and Terry chose to keep their pregnancy a secret. She told People, "I've always wanted children, but my relationships always seemed so complicated. As it happened I'm happy I did wait because I'm glad Terry's the father."
Nobody knew that Faye was pregnant until she gave birth to Liam, which caused some to think that Faye had adopted her son. Faye chose to raise Liam in the Catholic tradition in order to protect him from the hardships of life in Hollywood, despite the reports to the contrary. Faye was pleased to be a mother.
Actress' personal life
Despite being misled by gossip and misunderstandings, Dunaway took advantage of her predicament and nurtured a very successful career. Liam and Dunaway refuted rumors that he was adopted, which caused the media to stop covering the subject. Eventually, the effects of 'Mommie Dearest' also subsided.
Sadly, the actress and Terry split despite the fact that the actor was the father of her child. However, she talked favorably of her ex-husband and gave him credit for making her the exemplary lady she is now. Faye hasn't quit the movie business yet, either. The actress has no plans to stop making TV series anytime soon.
Dunaway also said she never really believed she was a great beauty when she was young despite being hailed as one during her prime. In an interesting revelation, the actress admitted that growing old doesn't bother her. In her opinion, age adds depth to her emotional expressions, she said, "It is what it is. It's not something to moan or complain about. I still have a lot of creativity and emotion and it almost gets deeper as you get older – the more you understand and absorb. It's not age that makes a life. It's what you do with it."