10 Movie Moments That Actually Happened To Actors In Real Life
2. Gloria Swanson Struggled To Transition To Talking Movies - Sunset Boulevard
A bit of a deeper cut now, with Sunset Boulevard's brilliant Gloria Swanson. In the film, Swanson portrays Norma Desmond, a former silent film star who struggled to successfully transition into talking pictures, but hopes to return to prominence with a new project.
Swanson was such a perfect casting choice for Desmond because this is precisely her own lived history - she too was a legendary, glamourous actress of the silent film era who failed to carry that success into talkies.
According to writer Charles Brackett, he never considered anyone else but Swanson to play the part, and given the obvious parallels between player and part, it's easy to believe him.
The major difference, however, is that Swanson had largely accepted her fading stardom and wasn't especially seeking a major comeback with Sunset Boulevard, but rather a hefty payday.
All the same, she scored a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her phenomenal performance, and though this led to her receiving many lucrative movie offers, she ended up turning most of them down.
At least she didn't lose her mind like Norma though, right?