Faye Dunaway Movies, Early Life, Background, Career, Awards, Relationships and Net Worth

American actress, Faye Dunaway movies established herself as one of the most remarkable actresses and won her multiple Golden Globe awards, BAFTA and Emmy.

Synopsis

The first actress to receive a Leopard Club Award, Faye Dunaway has also been an Officer of the order of Arts and Letters. Making screen debut with 1967 film The Happening, Dunaway rose to fame through her portrayal of Bonnie Parker in Bonnie and Clyde. For the same film, she received her first Academy Award nomination.

The other Faye Dunaway movies are The Thomas Crown Affair, The Arrangement, The Towering Inferno and Network. For the later movie, she earned an Academy Award for Best Actress. She later continued to establish her career in movies appearing in mature roles. The later Faye Dunaway movies are The Rules of Attraction (2002) and Mommie Dearest. Additionally, she had significant roles in plays like A Streetcar Named Desire and After the Fall.

Early Life and Background

Dorothy Faye Dunaway was born on January 14, 1941 in Bascom, Florida to Grace April and John MacDowell Dunaway Jr. She is an American with Scots-Irish, English and German descent.

Dunaway went to Florida State University and University of Florida before graduating from Boston University with a degree in theatre. Further, she took classes for tap dancing, piano and singing in her younger days. At the age of 21, she took classes at the American National Theatre and Academy during the time of which Llyod Richards spotted her.

Consequently, she got a golden opportunity to perform in Broadway. She performed in A Man for All Seasons produced by American National Theatre and Academy. Soon, she got to act in Broadway dramas Hogan’s Goat.

Acting Career, Movies and Awards

Her role in award-winning play Hogan’s Goat led her to critical acclamation. Moreover, her appearance in the role earned her television role in 1965 series Seaway. It did not take her long time to appear in a few other films during the same time.

However, her major success came with 1967 popular film Bonnie and Clyde. She landed the lead role of bank robber Bonnie Parker in the film which catapulted her success to summit in Hollywood as an actress.

The following year, she starred in The Thomas Crown Affair opposite to Steve McQueen. This film continued her success journey in Hollywood. Faye Dunaway movies Little Big and The Three Musketeers: The Queen’s Diamonds also added to her success in acting industry.

Her career prospered as she took up challenging roles in films such as Chinatown (1974) and Three Days of the Condor (1975). Similarly, she earned the Academy Award for Best Actress for 1976 film Network. The other Faye Dunaway movies Mommie Dearest (1981) and Barfly (1987) marked her career excellence. For the later movie, she won Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in Motion Picture Drama.

Taking up the senior roles, Dunaway continued her acting in several films. Some of the popular Faye Dunaway movies in her later career are The Handmaid’s Tale (1991), The Story of Joan of Arc (1998), Arizona Dreams (1993) and The Rules of Attraction (2001).

Apart from appearing in big screen, the remarkable actress starred in Master Class as Maria Callas. Furthermore, she has made a number of significant TV appearances including on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Grey’s Anatomy.

Personal Life and Relationships

In 1962, Dunaway was in romantic relationship with stand-up comedian Lenny Bruce. They remained in relationship for a year. However, she remained engaged to photographer Jerry Schatzberg from 1967 to 1968.

Dunaway later fell in love with her co-star Marcello Mastroianni who was a married man. They started a live-in relationship which lasted for 2 years. Despite the fact that they wanted to marry each other, Mastroianni, could not hurt his wife. Consequently, Dunaway left him and Mastroianni reported he never got over the relationship with Dunaway.

In 1974, the actress married lead singer of The J. Geils Band, Peter Wolf. Nevertheless, the couple divorced in 1979. She then married photographer Terry O’Neill in 1983 with whom Dunaway got compatible.

The couple has a son Liam Dunaway O’Neill, born in 1980. Terry later revealed that Liam is adopted.

Salary and Net Worth

One of the remarkable actresses of her time, Faye Dunaway movies have earned her wide fame as well as money. She has accumulated the net worth of $40 million through her lifelong involvement in acting industry.