The B-Side Episode 160 – Debra Winger (featuring Murtada Elfadl)

      Welcome to The B-Side! In this space, we focus on movie stars—not the films that brought them fame or maintained it, but the ones they made in between.

      Today, our discussion centers on the remarkable Debra Winger! The B-Side films we'll cover include Legal Eagles, Betrayed, The Sheltering Sky, and Forget Paris. Joining us is the invaluable Murtada Elfadl, a Culture Writer, Critic, and Film Curator.

      We delve into Winger's meteoric rise to fame, her unforgettable performance in Terms of Endearment, and her (arguably unfair) reputation for being “difficult.” There's also a rich conversation about Rosanna Arquette’s documentary Searching for Debra Winger, which features interviews with various well-known actresses discussing aging in Hollywood. This documentary was partly inspired by Winger's departure from the industry for more than five years in the mid-1990s.

      Our chat also touches on Shirley MacLaine’s Oscars speech from 1984, Tom Berenger's pride in Betrayed and his role in it, along with the many NBA players who make appearances in Forget Paris. We reference the excellent reviews of Betrayed by Janet Maslin and Roger Ebert, and celebrate Debra’s infectious laugh.

      Lastly, we discuss Raquel Welch's lawsuit against MGM, which she won after being dismissed from Cannery Row (a role later taken by Winger), Winger's decision to leave A League of Their Own following Madonna's casting (there’s a special Patti LuPone clip from Evita here!), and the fact that Melanie Griffith and William Hurt were director Bernardo Bertolucci’s top picks for the leads in The Sheltering Sky, as well as Winger’s notable appearance on Watch What Happens Live.

      Tune in below and subscribe here. Also, be sure to follow us on Bluesky at @tfsbside.bsky.social. Enjoy!