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The late Farrah Fawcett spoke at length about her 40-year career in a lengthy interview recorded in 2006 and published this week by SAG-AFTRA.
Among them is the infamous “Charlie Angels,” one of the most iconic sex symbols of the 20th century and later praised for his dramatic chops in films such as “The Burning Bed.” star, who is famously private, opened up about how she overcame her self-conscious tendencies. Her turbulent “Charlie’s Angels” days when she chose to become an actress, and that Poster!
When it came to acting, her attitude was, “What did I have to lose?” The blonde beauty, who was 59 at the time of the interview, laughed about the fact that Hollywood talent scouts called her college for several years in a row, until she gave up.
She describes her cringing early experience having to be told “No, please face the camera” during a screen test for the 1970 bombshell Myra Breckinridge .
In this movie, when stars Mae West and Raquel Welch each objected that Farrah’s hair looked too much like their own, she was undaunted even though she was “very low on the totem pole.” she remembered.
“This is a strange business!” she remembers thinking.
Initially, Farrah wore a black and white costume, which was forbidden to Ms. West, but she was soon given the nightgown worn on screen by Julie Andrews.
Farrah talked about “Charlie’s Angels” and revealed about her sudden exit from the number one spot. Having one hit series in the spring of 1977, just one season later, was important in understanding her worth. When the producers refused to accede to her demands, she walked away. Interestingly, she claims: “I didn’t know it would be terrible to quit…I didn’t break my contract. I never broke my contract. You know, I guess.”
She also details her unforgettable 1976 swimsuit poster. This simple poster, shot by Bruce McBroom, captures Fawcett’s natural beauty and charisma, and sold an astonishing 12 million copies.
Thirty years after the fact, she says, “I’m still surprised” by her reaction to the hysteria surrounding the photo. “Okay, that’s good…I should have held my stomach!”
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Fawcett died of anal cancer on June 25, 2009 at the age of 62. She is survived by her only son, Redmond James Fawcett O’Neal, with her partner Ryan O’Neal, who died in December last year.
Watch the full interview here.
