History Creator / FayeDunaway

Dunaway began acting on Broadway in the early 1960s, and following a couple of minor appearances on television made her film debut in 1967 with ''Film/HurrySundown''. Her performance instantly got people talking, and earned her a UsefulNotes/{{Golden Globe|Award}} nomination for Most Promising Newcomer. She immediately followed it up with a role in ''The Happening'' (not [[Film/TheHappening the one you're probably thinking of]]).

Dunaway began acting on Broadway in the early 1960s, and following a couple of minor appearances on television made her film debut in 1967 with ''The Happening'' (not [[Film/TheHappening the one you're probably thinking of]]). Her performance instantly got people talking, and earned her a UsefulNotes/{{Golden Globe|Award}} nomination for Best New Star of the Year.

[[quoteright:310:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/faye_dunaway_4.jpg]]

Dunaway began her career on Broadway in the early 1960s, and made her film debut in 1967 with ''The Happening'' (not [[Film/TheHappening the one you're probably thinking of]]). Her performance instantly got people talking, and earned her a UsefulNotes/{{Golden Globe|Award}} nomination for Best New Star of the Year. But it was her next film that would truly change things in her favor. She had been turned down for ''Film/BonnieAndClyde'' when the casting director felt she didn't have the right face for the movies. But after watching ''The Happening'', director Arthur Penn was instantly persuaded to let her read for the role of Bonnie Parker, and subsequently cast her. Despite the film initially earning a negative critical reception for its violent content, it became a hit. Dunaway was now a star and earning rave reviews.

[[quoteright:307:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/faye_dunaway_4.jpg]]

* ''Film/{{Supergirl}}'' (1984)

* AwesomeDearBoy: ''Film/{{Supergirl}}'' was her wanting to ham it up and be goofy.
* BillingDisplacement: She's billed above the unknown Creator/HelenSlater in ''Film/{{Supergirl}}''. Faye plays the villain Selena.

[[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/faye_dunaway_4.jpg]]

She began her career on Broadway in the 1960s, and soon made her film debut with ''The Happening'' (not [[Film/TheHappening the one you're probably thinking of]]). She instantly got people talking, and earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best New Star of the Year. But it was her next film that would truly change things in her favour. She had been turned down for ''Film/BonnieAndClyde'' when the casting director felt she didn't have the right face for the movies. After watching ''The Happening'', director Arthur Penn was instantly persuaded to let her read for the titular Bonnie. Despite the film's controversial reception, Dunaway was now a star and earning rave reviews.

She would follow this up with another smash hit ''Film/{{The Thomas Crown Affair|1968}}'', alongside Creator/SteveMcQueenActor - and he would later call Dunaway the best actress he ever worked with. Her next films didn't quite set the world on fire, but she hit it big again with Roman Polanski's ''Film/{{Chinatown}}''. Things escalated even further when she lobbied for the role of a ruthless TV executive in ''Film/{{Network}}'', despite the insistence that it could do harmful damage to her career. She won an Oscar for it.

Things however took a sharp U-turn in the '80s. Christina Crawford, daughter of Hollywood star Creator/JoanCrawford, released ''Literature/MommieDearest'', a scathing memoir recounting her abuse at the hands of her stepmother. Seeing gold, producers greenlit a film adaptation. Coincidentally, shortly before her death, Crawford had named Dunaway as one of the only actresses of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood who "has what it takes" to become a true star and portray Crawford herself in a movie about her life. So Dunaway immediately accepted the role of Crawford, sure that the film would be hard-hitting and provocative. Unfortunately the result was a hammy melodrama that turned Joan Crawford into a deranged cartoon character. The studio changed its strategy and marketed the film as a comedy. But the damage was done, and audiences could not take her seriously afterwards. Still, she was nominated for a few awards. (Reportedly this film is her personal BerserkButton, and interviewers are forbidden to ask her about it.)

** She had to gain wait for ''Hurry Sundown'', which nearly made her lose out on the role of Bonnie Parker.

Things however took a sharp U-turn in the '80s. Christina Crawford, daughter of Hollywood star Creator/JoanCrawford, released ''Literature/MommieDearest'', a scathing memoir recounting her abuse at the hands of her stepmother. Seeing gold, producers greenlit a film adaptation. Coincidentally, shortly before her death, Crawford had named Dunaway as one of the only actresses of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood who "has what it takes" to become a true star and portray Crawford herself in a movie about her life. So Dunaway immediately accepted the role of Crawford, sure that the film would be hard-hitting and provocative. Unfortunately the result was a hammy melodrama that turned Joan Crawford into a deranged cartoon character. The studio changed its strategy and marketed the film as a comedy. Despite popular belief, Dunaway's performance wasn't torn to shreds; she actually won two awards for it. But the damage was done, and audiences could not take her seriously afterwards. (Reportedly this film is her personal BerserkButton, and interviewers are forbidden to ask her about it.)

Dorothy Faye Dunaway (born January 14, 1941) is an American actress.

* DyeingForYourArt: She lost thirty pounds to play Bonnie in ''Film/BonnieAndClyde'', since she had to look like a starving woman during TheGreatDepression.

* PlayingGertrude: Creator/DianaScarwid plays the grown up Christina in ''Mommie Dearest'' and is only fourteen years younger than her. Of course Faye plays Joan while Christina was a child as well.

* MethodActing: A notable practitioner of it, having trained with Creator/EliaKazan. One of the main reasons ''Literature/MommieDearest'' beacme such a TroubledProduction is that she immersed herself so much in the character she basically ''became'' Creator/JoanCrawford.

* PlayingGertrude: Diana Scarwid plays the grown up Christina in ''Mommie Dearest'' and is only fourteen years younger than her. Of course Faye plays Joan while Christina was a child as well.

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/faye_dunaway_4.jpg]]

Things however took a sharp U-turn in the 80s. Christina Crawford, daughter of Hollywood star Creator/JoanCrawford, released ''Literature/MommieDearest'', a scathing memoir recounting her abuse at the hands of her stepmother. Seeing gold, producers greenlit a film adaptation. Coincidentally, shortly before her death, Crawford had named Dunaway as one of the only actresses of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood who "has what it takes" to become a true star and portray Crawford herself in a movie about her life. So Dunaway immediately accepted the role of Crawford, sure that the film would be hard-hitting and provocative. Unfortunately the result was a hammy melodrama that turned Joan Crawford into a deranged cartoon character. The studio changed its strategy and marketed the film as a comedy. Despite popular belief, Dunaway's performance wasn't torn to shreds; she actually won two awards for it. But the damage was done, and audiences could not take her seriously afterwards. (Reportedly this film is her personal BerserkButton, and interviewers are forbidden to ask her about it.)

!!Filmography:

* BillingDisplacement: She's billed above the unknown Helen Slater in ''Supergirl''. Faye plays the villain Selena.

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%%!!Faye Dunaway's work provides examples of the following tropes:

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!!Fay Dunaway provides examples of the following tropes:
* BerserkButton: Do ''not'' ask her whether the pee incident from Film/{{Chinatown}}[[note]](Supposedly, she grew so upset at Creator/RomanPolanski's perfectionist methods that she urinated in a cup, then threw it in his face)[[/note]] is true.

* ''Film/{{The Thomas Crown Affair|1999}}'' (1999)

Things however took a sharp U-turn in the 80s. Christina Crawford, daughter of Hollywood star Creator/JoanCrawford, released ''Literature/MommieDearest'', a scathing memoir recounting her abuse at the hands of her stepmother. Seeing gold, producers greenlit a film adaptation. Coincidentally, shortly before her death, Crawford had named Dunaway as one of the only actresses of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood who "has what it takes" to become a true star and portray Crawford herself in a movie about her life. So Dunaway immediately accepted the role of Crawford, sure that the film would be hard-hitting and provocative. Unfortunately the result was a hammy melodrama that turned Joan Crawford into a deranged cartoon character. The studio changed its strategy and marketed the film as a comedy. Despite popular belief, Dunaway's performance wasn't torn to shreds; she actually won two awards for it. But the damage was done, and audiences could not take her seriously afterwards. (Reportedly this film is her personal BerzerkButton, and interviewers are forbidden to ask her about it.)

Things however took a sharp U-turn in the 80s. Christina Crawford, daughter of Hollywood star Creator/JoanCrawford, released ''Literature/MommieDearest'', a scathing memoir recounting her abuse at the hands of her stepmother. Seeing gold, producers greenlit a film adaptation. Coincidentally, shortly before her death, Crawford had named Dunaway as one of the only actresses of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood who "has what it takes" to become a true star and portray Crawford herself in a movie about her life. So Dunaway immediately accepted the role of Crawford, sure that the film would be hard-hitting and provocative. Unfortunately the result was a hammy melodrama that turned Joan Crawford into a deranged cartoon character. The studio changed its strategy and marketed the film as a comedy. Despite popular belief, Dunaway's performance wasn't torn to shreds; she actually won two awards for it. But the damage was done, and audiences could not take her seriously afterwards.

* BerserkButton: Do ''not'' ask her whether the pee incident from Film/{{Chinatown}}[[note]](Supposedly, she grew so upset at RomanPolanski's perfectionist methods that she urinated in a cup, then threw it in his face)[[/note]] is true.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/faye_dunaway_4.jpg]]

She began her career on Broadway in the 1960s, and soon made her film debut with ''The Happening'' (not [[Film/TheHappening the one you're probably thinking of]]). She instantly got people talking, and earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best New Star of the Year. But it was her next film that would truly change things in her favour. She had been turned down for ''Film/BonnieAndClyde'' when the casting director felt she didn't have the right face for the movies. After watching ''The Happening'', director Arthur Penn was instantly persuaded to let her read for the titular Bonnie. Despite the film's controversial reception, Faye was now a star and earning rave reviews.

She would follow this up with another smash hit ''The Thomas Crown Affair'', alongside Creator/SteveMcQueen - and he would later call Faye the best actress he ever worked with. Her next films didn't quite set the world on fire, but she hit it big again with Roman Polanski's ''{{Film/Chinatown}}''. Things escalated even further when she lobbied for the role of a ruthless TV executive in ''{{Film/Network}}'', despite the insistence that it could do harmful damage to her career. She won an Oscar for it.

Things however took a sharp U-turn in the 80s. Christina Crawford, daughter of Hollywood star Creator/JoanCrawford, released a scathing memoir recounting her abuse at the hands of her stepmother. Seeing gold, producers greenlit a film adaptation. Coincidentally Joan had named Faye as one of the only actresses of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood who "has what it takes" to become a true star. So she immediately accepted the role of Joan, sure that the film would be hard-hitting and provocative. Unfortunately the result was a hammy melodrama that turned Joan Crawford into a deranged cartoon character. The studio changed its strategy and marketed the film as a comedy. Despite popular belief, Faye's performance wasn't torn to shreds; she actually won two awards for it. But the damage was done, and audiences could not take her seriously afterwards.

She's still acting away in independent films, television and on the stage. In fact she won three Golden Globes post-''Mommie Dearest''. She also released a memoir in 1995 called ''Looking For Gatsby'' and was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1996.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/faye_dunaway.jpg]]