FAYE DUNAWAY
By Lori Payne

During the course of her forty year career, Faye Dunaway has earned three Golden Globes, an Emmy, an Oscar© and one British Academy Award. She reached international stardom with edgy and sexy performances in Bonnie and Clyde, Chinatown, Network, Barfly, and several more movies that are too numerous to mention here. She has been called an icon, an exotic beauty, and a cult goddess. But according to Faye Dunaway, a more accurate description of herself would be ‘recluse’. The accomplished actor confided with Melanie Griffith during a phone interview for Interview magazine: “I’m a Capricorn. I’m really boring.”

On January 14th, 1941, Dorothy Faye was born prematurely to Grace and John Dunaway in Bascom, Florida. After beginning studies in Education at the University of Florida, she changed course, and enrolled in the Applied Fine Arts Program at the University of Boston. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in 1962, and began performing with the Lincoln Center Repertory Company under the direction of Elia Kazan and David Whitehead.

While in New York, Dunaway appeared in A Man for All Seasons, and Arthur Miller’s After the Fall. Her first success came in 1965, with her portrayal of Kathleen in the American Palace Theatre’s production of ‘Hogan’s Goat’. Soon afterward, her career in film began with roles in Hurry Sundown (1967), and The Happening (1967).

Dunaway’s next film was the crime saga Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and it was hailed as the beginning of the New Golden age of film. Dunaway’s character, Bonnie Parker, is listed in Premier Magazine as one of the best villains of all time. The role catapulted her to stardom, and was her initial push toward iconic status. She co-starred with Warren Beatty and earned an Oscar© nomination for Best Actress. Next, she starred opposite Steve McQueen in "The Thomas Crown Affair" (1968).

While her success as a film star is unquestioned, Faye Dunaway’s shortfalls are equally well known. Like any dramatic epic, Dunaway’s career is marked with exhilarating highs and painful lows. Audience and critic reactions to "The Arrangement" (1969) and "Little Big Man" (1970) were frosty, so Dunaway took a working sabbatical in theatre. She starred in stage productions of "A Streetcar Named Desire", and "Curse of the Aching Heart" before working again in film.

The exhilarating high began again with her portrayal of Evelyn Mulwray in Roman Polanski’s "Chinatown" (1974). Despite on-set clashes with the director, Dunaway walked away with her second Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Next was her portrayal of ruthless television executive, Diana Christenson in "Network" (1976). Again, she was nominated for Best Actress. This time, she won.

Next for Dunaway was "Mommie Dearest" (1981). For her role as Joan Crawford, Dunaway wore white pancake makeup and heavily penciled eyebrows and lips. The movie became a cult classic, the character unforgettable. While the film did enjoy success, Dunaway says that, ultimately, it hurt her career because of the stigma attached to the character, and the cult status of the film.

In 1987, Faye Dunaway was again nominated for an Academy award for Best Actress. She played Wanda Wilcox in the dramatic comedy "Barfly" and co-starred with Micky Rourke.

In 1995, Simon and Schuster published Faye Dunaway’s biography, ‘Looking for Gatsby’, a candid memoir, which she wrote with Betsy Sharkey.

Faye Dunaway has been married twice, and has a son named Liam.

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