Back in the 1980s, Debra Winger was at the top of her game. She wasn’t just another Hollywood actress—she was the actress. With her magnetic performances and powerful on-screen presence, Winger earned three Academy Award nominations and worked alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest heartthrobs. She seemed destined for legendary status. But just as quickly as she rose to fame, she faded from the spotlight. Fans were left wondering: what happened to Debra Winger?

Today, at 67, Winger lives a much quieter life. She’s embraced a new chapter that makes her almost unrecognizable to those who followed her dazzling career in its heyday. And yet, her story remains as fascinating as ever.

From Breakout Star to Leading Lady

For many moviegoers in the early ’80s, Debra Winger was the leading lady. Her performance as Paula in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) was iconic. Who could forget that final scene where Richard Gere’s character, Naval Officer Zack Mayo, swoops into the factory and carries her away? It’s the stuff of Hollywood dreams, and Winger was the face of it.

But her journey to stardom didn’t start there. In the late 1970s, she caught people’s attention when she played Drusilla, Wonder Woman’s younger sister, in the popular TV series Wonder Woman (1979). Winger, though, wasn’t interested in being typecast. She turned down future appearances and instead focused on building a career in film—and that decision paid off.

By the early 1980s, Winger was one of Hollywood’s most in-demand actresses. She starred opposite John Travolta in Urban Cowboy (1980), at a time when Travolta was riding high from Saturday Night Fever and Grease. But it was An Officer and a Gentleman that made her a household name. Then came Terms of Endearment (1983), where she played Emma, a young woman facing terminal illness and a complicated relationship with her mother, played by Shirley MacLaine. That role earned Winger another Academy Award nomination and solidified her as one of Hollywood’s top talents.

The Mystery Behind Her Disappearance

Despite her career soaring, Winger made a decision that shocked Hollywood—she stepped away. Over the years, speculation swirled about why she left the spotlight. Some thought she just needed a break. Others blamed conflicts on set.

One of the most talked-about stories involved her strained relationship with Richard Gere during An Officer and a Gentleman. According to co-star Louis Gossett Jr., their chemistry on screen didn’t carry over behind the scenes. In his memoir An Actor and a Gentleman, Gossett recalled that Winger found Gere uninspiring—she even called him “a brick wall.” She also reportedly butted heads with director Taylor Hackford, allegedly referring to him as “an animal.”

Another infamous feud? Her clash with Shirley MacLaine on the set of Terms of Endearment. Their strong personalities collided often. MacLaine once described how Winger showed up in a miniskirt and combat boots, while she stuck to classic Hollywood glam. Rumors swirled that their disagreements even turned physical. And when both actresses were nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars, things got even more tense. After MacLaine won, she famously declared, “I deserve this!”—a line many thought was a jab at Winger.

Despite all the drama and rumors, Winger insists her decision to step away was personal. In an interview with People, she explained, “I wasn’t interested in the upcoming parts. I had either already felt that or had already done it. I needed a challenge. My life challenged me more than my career did.”

Life Beyond Hollywood

After starring in Forget Paris (1995) alongside Billy Crystal, Winger took a six-year break from acting. She moved to New York City and shifted her focus to her personal life. In 1996, she married actor Arliss Howard. She became a stepmom to his son, Sam, and in 1997, they had a son together, Gideon Babe. Winger also has another son, Noah Hutton, from her first marriage to actor Timothy Hutton (they were married from 1986 to 1990).

Though many thought she had retired for good, Winger slowly made her way back to the screen. She starred in Big Bad Love (2001), directed by her husband, and was the subject of the documentary Searching for Debra Winger (2002), directed by Rosanna Arquette. The film explored why Winger stepped out of the Hollywood spotlight and how other actresses grapple with the industry’s pressures.

In the years that followed, Winger picked her roles carefully. She appeared in Rachel Getting Married (2008) with Anne Hathaway, The Lovers (2017), and Kajillionaire (2020), a quirky crime comedy. In 2021, she acted in With/In: Volume Two, an anthology film co-written and directed by her husband.

Hollywood on Her Own Terms

Though Winger returned to acting, she’s never gone back to Hollywood’s glitz and glamour. She lives a low-key life and seems happy that way. As she once said, “I have no idea what Hollywood is. Now that I’m living under the freaking sign, I just chuckle while staring at it. Los Angeles is a place, but the idea of Hollywood doesn’t really exist for me.”

Debra Winger may not be chasing stardom anymore, but her legacy in film is undeniable. Fans still hold out hope that she’ll one day win an Oscar. And while she may not grace the covers of magazines as she once did, her talent and body of work continue to inspire.

So, which Debra Winger film is your favorite?