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5 Shocking Secrets Glenn Close Revealed About Fatal Attraction (The Ending That Made Her 'Furious')

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Decades after its 1987 release, Fatal Attraction remains one of the most culturally significant and controversial psychological thrillers ever made, yet the story behind its creation—and its star's true feelings—continues to evolve. As of late December 2025, actress Glenn Close has repeatedly offered fresh, candid insights into her career-defining role as the 'bunny boiler' Alex Forrest, revealing a deep conflict over the character's legacy, the film's notorious ending, and its lasting impact on the portrayal of mental illness in cinema. Her recent commentary provides a crucial, updated perspective on the film's enduring topical authority, especially in light of the modern TV series reboot.

The film, which co-starred Michael Douglas as Dan Gallagher and Anne Archer as his wife Beth Gallagher, was a massive box office success, grossing over $320 million worldwide on a $14 million budget, but its critical reception was often overshadowed by intense public debate. Close’s portrayal earned her one of her eight Academy Award nominations, but the actress has spent years trying to recontextualize the character, arguing that Alex Forrest was a victim of a deeply misunderstood mental health crisis, not a simple, one-dimensional villain.

Glenn Close: A Biographical Profile and Career Milestones

Glenda Veronica Close is an American actress, producer, and singer with a prolific career spanning over five decades on stage and screen. Her work is marked by immense critical acclaim and numerous prestigious awards, cementing her status as one of the greatest actresses of her generation.

  • Full Name: Glenda Veronica Close
  • Born: March 19, 1947, in Greenwich, Connecticut, United States
  • Profession: Actress, Producer, Singer, Writer
  • Education: College of William & Mary (graduated 1974)
  • Key Awards and Nominations:
    • 8 Academy Award Nominations (for roles including Fatal Attraction and The Wife)
    • 3 Primetime Emmy Awards
    • 3 Tony Awards (a rare 'Triple Crown of Acting' winner)
    • 3 Golden Globe Awards
    • 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards
  • Notable Films (excluding Fatal Attraction): The World According to Garp, The Big Chill, The Natural, Dangerous Liaisons, 101 Dalmatians, Albert Nobbs, and The Wife.

The 5 Biggest Revelations About Glenn Close's 'Fatal Attraction' Role

Close’s recent interviews on shows like The Drew Barrymore Show and The Graham Norton Show have brought a renewed focus to the film, offering startling details about the production and her personal fight to give Alex Forrest a more nuanced portrayal. These revelations are crucial for understanding the film's true legacy.

1. The Original Ending That Made Her "Furious"

The most significant and recent revelation centers on the film's notorious final scene. In the theatrical release, Alex Forrest is killed by Beth Gallagher (Anne Archer) in a violent bathtub confrontation, a change mandated after disastrous test screening audiences reacted negatively to the initial, more complex conclusion.

The Original Ending: The original script and filmed ending saw Alex commit suicide by slashing her throat with a knife, framed to look like Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas) had murdered her. This ending would have led to Dan's arrest, making him the true victim of his own mistake, not the hero saved by his wife.

Close was so invested in this ending, which she felt aligned with her character's psychological state and sense of justice, that she was "furious" and initially refused to film the reshoot. She felt the studio’s decision to turn Alex into a "homicidal maniac" was a betrayal of the character's emotional depth.

2. The Character Was Based on Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Close has consistently argued that Alex Forrest was not merely evil, but deeply disturbed. She researched the character extensively, consulting with psychiatrists to understand the underlying mental conditions that would drive Alex's extreme actions, such as the infamous 'bunny boiling scene.'

The BPD Connection: Close and the filmmakers intended for Alex's behavior—the intense fear of abandonment, unstable sense of self, and volatile relationships—to be a depiction of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), possibly combined with traits of Antisocial Personality Disorder. The film's enormous success inadvertently created a stigmatizing link between the fictional Alex Forrest and BPD in popular culture, something Close now regrets and actively seeks to correct.

3. The Shocking Realization About Her Nudity

In a recent candid moment, Close revealed that upon rewatching the 1987 erotic thriller, she was genuinely "shocked" by the amount of nudity featured in her scenes. She admitted that at the time of filming, she was so focused on the intense, dramatic elements of the role that she was oblivious to how often her breasts were shown.

This admission highlights the difference between the perception of nudity in the 1980s and the modern era, adding a layer of retrospective analysis to the film's sexual politics and the character's vulnerability.

The Enduring Legacy: From 1987 Film to the Modern TV Series

The cultural impact of Fatal Attraction is undeniable. It launched a wave of "erotic thrillers" and became a cautionary tale about infidelity, terrifying men across America—a phenomenon Close herself has noted.

The TV Series Reimagining

The film's legacy was recently tested with the launch of the Fatal Attraction TV series, starring Lizzy Caplan as Alex Forrest. The series attempted to address the movie's flaws by offering a more balanced view, exploring Dan Gallagher's culpability and delving deeper into Alex’s mental state and backstory.

Critics noted that the TV version, created by Alexandra Cunningham, improved the narrative by shifting the blame and offering a more empathetic, less demonized portrayal of the female lead, a character analysis that aligns closely with Close's decades-long defense of Alex Forrest.

Feminist Critique and Cultural Shift

Despite its financial success, the original film faced severe criticism from feminist groups who felt the film punished the independent, sexually assertive woman (Alex) while ultimately rewarding the cheating, married man (Dan). Close's ongoing commentary, especially her insistence that Alex was a victim of mental illness and a manipulative system, serves as a powerful, decades-later response to this critique, pushing the conversation toward a more compassionate understanding of the antagonist.

In the end, Glenn Close’s performance as Alex Forrest is a masterclass in cinematic intensity, but her persistent, decades-long fight to humanize the character and expose the studio's preference for sensationalism over psychological truth is what truly defines the enduring, complex legacy of Fatal Attraction.

glenn close fatal attraction
glenn close fatal attraction

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