Happy birthday, Jessica Lange! The veteran Hollywood star celebrated her 77th birthday on April 20.
For an on-screen career that has lasted an impressive five decades, the actress continues to thrill fans at just the sight of her casting (which her latest role might indicate, but more on that in a bit…).
Despite her status as one of the industry's most talented performers now, Jessica's career began on a large but suitably rocky foot with her film debut in 1976's King Kong, which was a box office success but critically panned.
The star was simply demoted to "damsel-in-distress eye candy" for her performance, especially given she ventured into acting after a brief stint in the modeling industry. However, it only took a few key performances to earn the respect of the industry, and eventually the Triple Crown of Acting.
Take a look at Jessica Lange's career trajectory over 50 years (!) in Hollywood, from her movie debut to her highly-anticipated latest comeback…
© Getty ImagesKing Kong: 1976
Just a few years after beginning a modeling career with Wilhelmina while living in Paris, Jessica returned to the United States and was cast by Dino De Laurentiis in his upcoming remake of King Kong.
While pegged as the ultimate ingenue, her performance was largely panned. However, Jessica, who had classical acting training, found her footing soon after with roles in Bob Fosse's All That Jazz (1979) and The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981), earning her raves for her work.
© Getty ImagesTootsie: 1982
1982 was a banner year for the actress, starring in both the drama Frances and the comedy Tootsie, earning massive raves for both performances, especially being praised for showcasing her versatility as a performer. Frances earned Jessica a Best Actress Oscar nomination, while Tootsie actually won her a Best Supporting Actress prize, both in the same year.
Country (1984), Sweet Dreams (1985), Crimes of the Heart (1986), Music Box (1989), and Cape Fear (1991) continued her hot streak, with three of those earning her additional Oscar nods.
© Getty ImagesBlue Sky: 1994
While Blue Sky was filmed in 1990, its release kept being delayed due to budgetary constraints until it finally saw the light of day in 1994. Expectations were low for the dramedy as a result, but Jessica's performance as a bipolar military wife earned her the best reviews of her career.
She won her second Oscar for it, for Best Actress, making her only the second actress (after Meryl Streep) to do so. Performances in films like Losing Isaiah, Rob Roy (both 1995), A Thousand Acres (1997), Titus (1999), and Broken Flowers (2005) boosted her profile leading into the 21st century.
© Getty ImagesGrey Gardens: 2009
After a brief dip in her work, 2009 put Jessica back in the spotlight with her Primetime Emmy-winning performance in HBO's Grey Gardens opposite Drew Barrymore, establishing her as a viable television actress as well. That especially expanded when she ventured into the Ryan Murphy universe (again, more on that in a bit).
© Getty ImagesLong Day's Journey Into Night: 2016
The actress made her Broadway debut back in 1992 in a production of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, which was critically panned. However, taking the revival to the West End resulted in more rapturous reviews.
She did earn acclaim for her role in the play A Long Day's Journey Into Night on the West End in the early aughts, earning an Olivier Award nomination for her work. And in 2016, when the production transferred to Broadway, Jessica won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play, officially bestowing her with the Triple Crown of Acting.
© InstagramAmerican Horror Story: 2011–present
Of course, most modern audiences now know the star for her various campified and layered performances in the American Horror Story franchise, beginning with Murder House in 2011, and continuing on through Asylum, Coven, Freak Show and Apocalypse, winning her two more Primetime Emmys.
And AHS fans can rejoice, Ryan Murphy Productions officially announced on April 6 that Jessica will return to the franchise for its 13th season after an eight year-long gap.
