I Thought She Was Gone & Never Comong Back! Another Lie...

New York Post ^ | April 7, 2006 | Liz Smith

[publius1]

I was having lunch with a goddess - Jessica Lange - one of America's greatest, most intelligent, distinguished and beautiful actresses. Lange has won two Oscars ( for "Blue Sky" and "Tootsie") and every other kind of nomination under the sun, and she is to be honored on April 17 by the Film Society of Lincoln Center.

Jessica is a mature woman, still gorgeous in her prime, laughing about how Hollywood flashes a distinct lack of interest in actresses over 35. When I told her that her Academy Award-winning performance in "Tootsie" is one of my all-time favorites, she seemed amazed. "You know, I never realized it could have such an effect. I made that picture thinking I was just 'the girl' in the movie!" (Somehow Ms. Lange has never been "just the girl" in movies, though she did sit in King Kong's hand in the 1976 remake.)

Jessica is the mother of several almost grown-up children and still very much "with" her very own "cowboy" - the gifted writer/actor Sam Shepard. She has been living in New York for the last two years and says, "I am just thrilled to be back in the city!" She is looking forward to her big night because the F.S. of L.C. is a grand organization, having begun in 1972 by saluting none other than Charlie Chaplin. For her own event, I'm told those honoring Jessica will include Sydney Pollack, David Strathairn, Jeff Bridges, Ann Roth and, of course, Sam Shepard. "He could hardly say no!" giggles Jessica of her life companion who comes and goes from his ranch in Kentucky.

Ms. Lange has a movie called "Bonneville" coming in the fall, with Kathy Bates and Joan Allen as her girlfriends, all taking a life-changing road trip.

[publius1]

Is the lesson here that "goddesses" don't keep promises? Or that if you are everything about America embarrasses you, there's a place for you in Mike Bloomberg's New York?

[Qwertrew]

Last time I saw a picture of Jessica, her face looked like it had been stretched tighter than a trampoline. Money may not buy you happiness, but it will hire you a good plastic surgeon.

[lfod1776]

Jessica Lange abandoned her husband Paco Grande when he started going blind with retinitis pigmentosa.

[Labyrinthos]

Last time I saw a picture of Jessica, her face looked like it had been stretched tighter than a trampoline. Money may not buy you happiness, but it will hire you a good plastic surgeon.

From what you describe, her plastic surgeon may not have been all that good. I saw Kenny Rogers the other night on American Idol, and his face is stretched so tight that his teeth look like they are popping out. Sly Stallone also looks ridiculous.

[bondjamesbond]

From Liz...

When the New York Times, the newspaper of record, reviewed Jessica's performance, critic Stephen Holden noted that the star gave half a performance because "the upper half of Ms. Lange's face appears immobilized by plastic surgery."

Criticism is fine, but you can take it from me - Jessica Lange has never had any plastic surgery!

This woman has never had any plastic surgery?

Yeah, right Liz...

The sad thing is that Jessica Lange was a beautiful young woman and could have been a beautiful older woman if she had just let her face age naturally. Instead she looks like she has gone 15 rounds with Iron Mike Tyson and her face is paralyzed above the chin.

It is a great tragedy of our age that so many women seem to feel that it is better to look butchered and young than beautiful and old.

[poobear]

"Money may not buy you happiness, but it will hire you a good plastic surgeon."

Most of the time I see these 'lifts' on these actresses and it boggles the mind. I'm pushing 50 and have had nothing. If anything I'd just like to loose 15 pounds. Jessica's face has always had a jowled look to it even when she was young. I'd say a life of hatred and liberalism just took its toll. Now she looks ridiculous. Can't hide whats inside I guess.

[manwiththehands]

I'm not so sure ... flame suit standing by ... but the most recent film I saw her in was Big Fish just a couple of years ago. I thought she looked great, and I didn't get the impression she had had anything done.

But I've had a lust crush on her since she got "blow dried" by King Kong.

[Dallas59]

But I've had a lust crush on her since she got "blow dried" by King Kong.

...NOW I remember her!

[I still care]

Hmmm. No plastic surgery? Her face has that surprised look with the triangle eyebrows that are usually a hallmark.

[newfreep]

She never looked better than the ending scene in "All That Jazz"!!!!

[B-Chan]

I agree. She really did look like an angel in that movie.

[rabidralph]

She looked pretty good in Hush--a thriller with Gwyneth Paltrow.

[Calm_Cool_and_Elected]

My husband and I thought Kenny Rogers was barely recognizable.

CC&E

[Labyrinthos]

My friend wasn't sure he was the real Kenny Rogers.

[Calm_Cool_and_Elected]

Did you see the Bill O'Reilly show last year with the actress that had the Botox shots in the brow? He kept asking her to frown and she couldn't. It was absolutely hysterical. I think the woman was suing because no one would hire her (or broke a contract) and O'R was making the point that it was because after Botox, she wasn't able to make facial expressions.

CC&E

[KosmicKitty]

What is it with these Hollywood types, male & female. They have to be nuts to think that they look "good".

Okay, I know, they are nuts, but still. Aren't there any competent plastic surgeons in So. California??

[KosmicKitty]

Anyone have a picture of Kenny?

(Does he still make a good chicken?)

[bondjamesbond]

Okay, I know, they are nuts, but still. Aren't there any competent plastic surgeons in So. California??

A 57-year-old woman is not going to look like a 27-year-old woman. The best plastic surgeon in the World can't make that happen. If they try, the patient winds up looking like a perpetually suprised and paralyzed accident victim.

Five years ago, you could get away with it because people were not aware of the signs. Now, everybody is adept at spotting the people who have had work done, and it just screams out at you.

It is really sad. All of the really attractive women of my generation are destroying their own faces instead of accepting nature. If Jessica Lange looks this bad now, can you imaging the horror she will present in 10 years' time?

Eventually people are going to realize that the gracefully aging woman down the street looks a heck of a lot better than the "Hollywood Stars". Then the pendulum will start to swing back. To late for these folks, though.

[P-40]

This woman has never had any plastic surgery?

Maybe they used concrete?

[Fudd]

Are you trying to tell me that Michael Jackson has had cosmetic surgery?????

/sarc