Jessica Lange, renowned for her performances in popular films such as Tootsie, King Kong, and American Horror Story, has faced numerous challenges in her personal life. Despite her success in the entertainment industry, Lange’s romantic journey has been marked by difficulty. At the young age of 21, she entered into matrimony with a photographer, only to later divorce him after a few years. Since then, the talented actress has chosen not to remarry.
Born on April 20, 1949, in Minnesota, Jessica Phyllis Lange hails from a diverse heritage. Her ancestry includes German, Dutch, and Finnish roots. Growing up, Jessica was part of a family of six, which consisted of her two older sisters, Jane and Ann, as well as her younger brother, George. Her father held the professions of both a teacher and a traveling salesman, while her mother dedicated herself to homemaking. Due to her father’s line of work, the Lange family frequently relocated, constantly moving from one city to another.
In 1967, Jessica was granted a scholarship to pursue her studies in art and photography at the University of Minnesota. It was during her time there that she encountered Paco Grande, a talented Spanish photographer, whom she eventually married in 1970. Following this, Lange made the decision to leave her college education behind in favor of a more unconventional and free-spirited lifestyle. Alongside Paco, she embarked on an adventurous expedition across the United States and Mexico in a microbus, fully embracing a nomadic way of life.
The beginning of her career in films
The couple’s daring and exciting life ultimately brought them to Paris, but as they established themselves there, their relationship started to deteriorate. During their time in the City of Light, Lange uncovered her love for mime theater and ventured into the realm of modeling. Her professional journey took a momentous turn when she caught the attention of Hollywood producer Dino De Laurentiis, which led to her debut in the 1976 remake of King Kong. In the film, she portrayed the classic damsel-in-distress character. Despite the movie’s success, her performance faced criticism from reviewers, resulting in a two-year struggle to secure another acting opportunity.
However, this obstacle proved to be just a minor setback in her professional journey. In 1982, Jessica Lange created a milestone by receiving Academy Award nods for Best Actress (Frances) and Best Supporting Actress (Tootsie). This remarkable feat had not been accomplished in more than forty years. Throughout her illustrious career, she has garnered two Oscars, three Emmys, a Tony Award, and five Golden Globes.
Her relationships never worked out.
Jessica Lange had a number of relationships in her personal life. She was married to photographer Francisco “Paco” Grande from 1970 to 1982, with the divorce being finalized in the early 1980s and involving undisclosed alimony payments. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Lange was romantically linked with the famous Latvian ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov. They welcomed their first child, Aleksandra Lange “Shura” Baryshnikov, in 1981.
1. In 1982, Lange began a romantic involvement with playwright Sam Shepard. Together, they welcomed two children: Hannah Jane Shepard and Samuel Walker Shepard. Throughout their relationship, they resided in different places such as Virginia, New Mexico, Minnesota, and New York City, until their separation in 2009.
She never married after her divorce.
Jessica Lange and Sam Shepherd were in a relationship for 27 years, yet they never tied the knot. Jessica mentioned that Sam was not very laid-back. Loyalty was also a problem for the couple, as both of them had been unfaithful to their previous partners. Sam confessed that he felt remorse for leaving his wife and child for Jessica. Jessica has openly discussed her ongoing struggles with severe depression, attributing her creativity to the well of emotions such as anguish, rage, and sadness that she experiences.
She has chosen to not let the negatives pull her down.
Following the birth of her children, her focus shifted entirely to them. She feels that they have provided her with a fresh outlook on life. “Every decision I make is made with my children in consideration. Being a mother is the most fulfilling role I have ever had,” she shares.
In spite of facing her own obstacles, Lange has dedicated herself to various charitable endeavors. She is actively involved as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. Moreover, in the early 1990s, she took in a child with special needs from Romania, showcasing her dedication to humanitarian efforts.
Jessica Lange continues to be an influential figure in the industry, consistently voicing her concerns about the gender bias prevalent in Hollywood. Recently, she showcased her remarkable talent in the movie Marlowe, marking another significant milestone in her career. Similarly, Kathy Bates, her co-star from American Horror Story, continues to captivate audiences
20+ People Honestly Showed What Their Jobs Are Really Like
It’s impossible to argue with the fact that all jobs are important. We see people specialize in different things every day. They could be doctors, school teachers, cashiers, or cleaners. All jobs contain things that outsiders have no idea about.
We at Bright Side have found Internet users of different professions that revealed the invisible side of their jobs. And in the bonus section, you’ll find a tweet about the difficulties that shop assistants have to deal with.
“My sister works in a photo center and this is who she was asked to take a picture of.”
This is the hand of a doctor after removing his medical gloves after 10 hours of being on the clock.
“A group of teenagers came in just to trash the theater. I was one of the people that had to clean it.”
“I work in the Arctic and Antarctic and find it much more convenient to wear my watch on a lanyard than on my wrist because of all of the layers I wear.”
“This watch has been to Antarctica countless times and to the geographic North Pole 12 times.”
“Be nice to your trash man when it’s raining and it’s 30 degrees outside. We’re not invincible. This is my hand after working 4 hours in bad weather.”
“I work at a hotel these days and went to see if a room was mislabeled as dirty. This is what I found.”
“I kept my hotel key cards from my first year working for the airlines.”
“Working hard as a truck driver has its advantages: the views!”
“My mom works at Amazon and she sent me a photo of one of the trucks she loaded.”
“I work at a call center. Whenever I get a particularly rude caller, I like to draw what they might look like. Here’s Lorraine from today.”
“I work in a fast-food restaurant, and this is our broom. My boss says it’s too expensive to replace it, yet he drives a Lincoln.”
“I work in the film industry and I’m usually too shy to ask for a picture with an actor, but I had to get one with this little guy.”
“Every staple I removed in one year at my boring office job”
“I work in a −25°F freezer every day.”
“I work at a cat shelter. These are the ’can we keep him?’ photos I sent to my partner. It worked.”
“My job involves putting labels on boxes. I hold them with my left hand and put them on the box with my right. This is what my ’clean’ hands look like.”
“I got transferred to a new location at work. This is my new break ’room.’”
You can work anywhere if you’re a programmer.
“I work as a professional princess on weekends. My kitty insists on inspecting each costume for detail accuracy.”
“I work at a hotel — a guest left this when they checked out.”
This is a bathtub full of playing cards.
“So, I work in a movie theater. ’Family of the Year’ award goes to these guys!”
“I’m a seaman. We live alone in these rooms. Depending on your position, the room can be better and bigger. This is mine.”
“I have my own toilet and shower.”
“Took this photo yesterday at work. Thought I’d share it with you guys.”
Bonus: the harsh work of shop assistants
What is your job and what downsides are there to it?
Preview photo credit AwanishSharan / Twitter, SubzeroMK / Reddit
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