When Mel has surgery scheduled, she has no choice but to follow a strict diet in preparation. But one day, her mother-in-law shows up, ready to cook up a storm and disrespect Mel’s new regime. Soon, tempers flare…
My husband, Dave, and I have always had a solid relationship. Sure, like most couples, there are ups and downs, but we handle them pretty well in general.
A smiling couple | Source: Midjourney
Except when it comes to his mom, Margaret.
Margaret has a knack for inserting herself into our lives, often under the pretense of being helpful. She’ll just drop by unannounced, often claiming to be worried about how I’m taking care of her son.
“Mel, it’s just my mom’s way of showing her love,” Dave would say, dismissing it all. “She’s always been so dramatic, and that’s just one of those things.”
A smiling older woman | Source: Midjourney
But to me, it just felt invasive.
Recently, things took quite a turn for the worse. I have a chronic condition that requires surgery on my spine. As a result, my doctor has put me on a strict pre-surgery diet.
“It’s not going to be great, Mel,” he told me when I went for my last check-up. “But it’s necessary, I promise you. We need you to cut down on your body weight so that after the surgery, the stress on your spine will be less.”
A woman sitting at a doctor’s office | Source: Midjourney
I understood the assignment, and I was committed to my health.
“Look, honey,” I told Dave when I went home after my appointment. “You don’t have to change your diet at all. I’ll still get you everything you want to eat, and cook what you want, too. But there’s a bunch of food that I have to avoid.”
A couple standing in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney
“No,” my husband reassured me. “I’ll do it with you. Just put the list of forbidden items on the fridge, and I’ll know what to avoid.”
I had to admit, I was surprised by Dave. This man loved his fried food. The greasier the better when it came to my husband’s diet. But this change was good for both of us, and I loved that he was being supportive.
Notes on a fridge | Source: Midjourney
So, we began diligently avoiding sugar, limiting carbs, and eating lots of greens and lean proteins. It was quite a lifestyle change, because now I had to be strict about everything I put into my mouth. But I knew that it was going to be worth it in the end.
But then, Margaret turned up like a storm about the disrupt our peace.
Last weekend, as I was reading in our home office, Margaret showed up with bags full of groceries.
A person holding a grocery bag | Source: Midjourney
Without even asking, she started preparing Dave’s favorite meal: fried chicken, mashed potatoes drenched in butter, and a decadent chocolate cake.
“Do you need any help?” I asked her when I realized that she was about to cook up a storm.
“No, darling,” she said. “You go and relax; I’m fine here.”
An older woman cooking | Source: Midjourney
So, I let her take over the kitchen. The aroma filled the house, and I felt my stomach rumble. But I knew that I couldn’t eat any of it. On one hand, I felt that Margaret was being inappropriate, but on the other hand, I was glad that Dave was getting some good food that he enjoyed.
When dinner was ready, I politely declined.
A plate of fried chicken | Source: Midjourney
“I’m really sorry, Margaret,” I began while taking out my salad greens and leftover grilled chicken from the fridge.
“What are you doing?” she asked, looking at the food that I laid out on the counter, ready to make myself dinner.
“There’s more than enough food, Mel. You don’t need to make more,” she huffed.
A woman looking into a fridge | Source: Midjourney
“I’m just making my dinner,” I said slowly. “As incredible as your meal smells and looks, I can’t eat any of it. I’m on a strict diet for my surgery. I cannot afford to have any slip-ups.”
Instead of understanding the situation like any rational person, my mother-in-law’s face twisted in displeasure.
An angry older woman | Source: Midjourney
“Oh, come on, Mel,” she said. “I worked really hard on this meal. Just a little won’t hurt.”
“I appreciate it, and I’m so grateful that you’re here and that you cooked this meal for Dave, but I just cannot risk it. This surgery is too important,” I insisted.
Cue the meltdown.
A close-up of an expressionless woman | Source: Midjourney
She started muttering under her breath about how ungrateful I was, making a big show of serving Dave a heaping plate of food. I felt a knot form in my stomach, not from hunger, but from the tension.
Then, she turned to Dave.
“Isn’t it a shame? I go through all this trouble, and she can’t even try a bite of it.”
A plate of food | Source: Midjourney
I looked at my husband, expecting him to defend me. Instead, he shrugged and put a forkful of mashed potato into his mouth.
“Maybe just have a small bite, honey,” he said with his mouth full. “Just be polite. Have a piece of chicken and some mash.”
I couldn’t believe it. He was the person who didn’t mind changing up his diet and his routine because he wanted to support me. What was this? What was this change of behavior?
A man eating at the table | Source: Midjourney
“Dave, you know I can’t. It’s not just about being polite. It’s about my health. You know I only have a few weeks to get ready.”
Margaret’s eyes narrowed as she picked up a plate for herself.
“It’s just one meal, Melissa. I don’t see what the big deal is. Is that really how you speak to my son? And you’re making me feel like my food isn’t good enough for you.”
A close-up of an older woman | Source: Midjourney
“That’s not it at all, Margaret,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. “I’m sure the food is delicious as always, but I need to be strict here. I cannot afford any setbacks. This is my spine we’re talking about!”
“Oh, please,” she scoffed. “You’re just being overly dramatic. People have been eating real food like this for centuries without all these modern health scares.”
I could feel the heat rise in my blood. My anger was building, and so was my disappointment.
A close-up of an angry woman | Source: Midjourney
But before things could escalate further, the doorbell rang.
It was George, my father-in-law, dropping by to pick up some tools. He walked into the kitchen just as Margaret was going on about how I was “too good” for her cooking.
George surveyed the scene quickly and then looked directly at Margaret.
A smiling older man | Source: Midjourney
“Margaret, you know she’s on a diet for her surgery. This isn’t about politeness or niceties. It’s about Mel’s health. She has been trying to sort out her spine issues for years now, Marg, you know this,” he said. “You need to respect that.”
Margaret opened her mouth to argue, but George didn’t give her a chance.
“If you can’t respect their boundaries, maybe you should stop coming over unannounced.”
An older woman holding her head | Source: Midjourney
I was stunned.
George had never intervened in these situations before, and to see him take such a strong stance was both surprising and incredibly comforting.
Margaret stormed out of the dining room, clearly upset, but George stayed behind.
An upset woman storming out | Source: Midjourney
“Oh, gosh,” my husband muttered, putting his piece of chicken down as he pushed his chair back to run after his mother.
George turned to me with a kind smile.
“You did the right thing. Don’t worry about Margaret; she’ll come around,” he said. “Your health is so important.”
A smiling older man | Source: Midjourney
Dave came running back in, looking thoroughly chastened.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have said anything or tried to force you to eat any of this. I just didn’t want to upset Mom, but I realize now that I should have supported you.”
George nodded approvingly.
A man sitting at a table and holding his head | Source: Midjourney
“You’re right, Dave. This is your family, and you need to prioritize your wife’s well-being.”
“Please, you two carry on eating,” I said, returning to the kitchen. “I’m going to make some salad.”
A salad with grilled chicken on a counter | Source: Midjourney
While I was in the kitchen, I saw Margaret sitting on the bench outside. I could have gone to her, but I hated the way she had spoken to me.
Later, after the three of us had eaten, George took Margaret home.
An older woman outside | Source: Midjourney
As we got into bed, Dave apologized to me again and promised to be more supportive in the future.
It felt good to clear the air, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. Before they left, Margaret had just walked past us, not even saying goodbye.
Anyway, I still had bigger things to worry about. My surgery was more important.
A couple sitting in bed together | Source: Midjourney
She was huge in the 1980s and her performances are etched in our hearts – the iconic actress is stunning at 67
Admirers all around the world wished they were the stunning Debra Winger when Naval Officer Zack Mayo snatched factory worker Paula into his arms and whisked her from her place of employment in a classic romantic tale.
The iconic moment from the romance drama An Officer and a Gentleman, in which Richard Gere portrayed the dashing hero in navy whites, Officer Zack Mayo, became the standard for romantic tales for daydreamers.
Acting beside some of the sexiest men in Hollywood made Debra Winger the envy of many.
Winger, who is 67 years old, is still stunning today. Winger has shared pictures of herself on Instagram throughout the last few years; initially, she had brown hair, but now it is a naturally wavy gray.
Winger played Drusilla, the younger sister of Lynda Carter’s Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, in the popular TV series Wonder Woman (1979). Her first major role came in the 1976 film Slumber Party ’57. Winger was requested to make more appearances, but she declined out of fear that the role would mold her into a certain mold.
The emerging star would have a lucrative early 1980s and had no regrets about that choice.
She was nominated for multiple Academy Awards and Golden Globes during the peak of her early career for her roles in three classic 1980s films.
She costarred with John Travolta in Urban Cowboy in 1980; at the time, he was making fans go crazy with his slick dance moves in Saturday Night Fever (1977) and Grease (1988); she also played Emma in Terms of Endearment (1983), where she played a dying young woman with an overbearing mother named Aurora, played by Shirley MacLaine, and as Paula in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982).
Despite her enormous success, Winger took a brief break from acting to focus on other projects. Over forty years after her ascent to fame, rumors about her departure persist.
The majority of these rumors center on Winger’s conflicts with her co-stars.
Despite the fact that Winger reportedly had enough of the attractive Gere on the set, fans couldn’t get enough of him.
As stated in a passage from co-star Louis Gossett Jr.’s book “An Actor and a Gentleman,” which ABC News published, “The onscreen chemistry between the two of them was terrific, but it was a different story once the camera was turned off.” They were too close to one another to have remained apart.
Additionally, according to Gossett, Winger didn’t think highly of Gere’s acting and once called him “a brick wall.” She also called Taylor Hackford, the film’s director, who she did not like, “animal.”
Not just the characters in the movie bothered her.
MacLaine was a gorgeous, quirky, and seasoned veteran who contrasted with Winger, who was a free spirit both in real life and in her part as Emma.
Their romance began with that first meeting.
In a People interview, MacLaine stated, “I was wearing all my leftover movie-star fur coats to see how my character would feel.” “Debra was there, wearing a miniskirt and combat boots.I exclaimed, “Oh my goodness.”
According to People, “In fact, the set turned into the origin of Hollywood’s most cherished rumors.” Winger desired first place. It was said that one slugged the other.
Subsequently, the two women faced off at the Oscars after receiving nominations for best actress.
“I deserve this,” MacLaine declared in her acceptance speech as she took the award home.
Despite the rumors, Winger maintains that she “pushed the pause button” on Hollywood for private, not for work-related, reasons.
“I didn’t care for the parts that were about to happen. That was something I had already done or experienced. I required a challenge. I totally embraced the challenge that my life presented to me, Winger said to People.
MacLaine was a gorgeous, quirky, and seasoned veteran who contrasted with Winger, who was a free spirit both in real life and in her part as Emma.
Their romance began with that first meeting.
In a People interview, MacLaine stated, “I was wearing all my leftover movie-star fur coats to see how my character would feel.” “Debra was there, wearing a miniskirt and combat boots.I exclaimed, “Oh my goodness.”
According to People, “In fact, the set turned into the origin of Hollywood’s most cherished rumors.” Winger desired first place. It was said that one slugged the other.
Subsequently, the two women faced off at the Oscars after receiving nominations for best actress.
“I deserve this,” MacLaine declared in her acceptance speech as she took the award home.
Despite the rumors, Winger maintains that she “pushed the pause button” on Hollywood for private, not for work-related, reasons.
“I didn’t care for the parts that were about to happen. That was something I had already done or experienced. I required a challenge. I totally embraced the challenge that my life presented to me, Winger said to People.
We can’t imagine a Hollywood without Debra Winger and we hope she soon gets to take home an Academy Award! What are your favorite Winger movies?
Acting alongside Hollywood’s hottest men, Debra Winger was the envy of many.
Today, Winger, 67, is as beautiful as ever. In the past few years, Winger has posted photos herself on Instagram, first with brown hair and now to a natural wavy gray.
Winger’s first starring role was in the 1976 film Slumber Party ‘57, which led to a part on the hit TV series Wonder Woman (1979), where she played Drusilla, the younger sister to Lynda Carter’s Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. Winger was asked to appear more often but concerned she’d be typecast by that role, she declined.
There were no regrets for that decision, the early ‘80s would be prosperous for the rising star.
At the height of her young career, she received numerous nods from the Academy and Golden Globes for performances in three iconic movies of the 1980’s.
In 1980, she starred in Urban Cowboy, with John Travolta, who at the time was driving fans wild with his smooth dance moves in Saturday Night Fever (1977) and Grease (1988); as Paula in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) and in Terms of Endearment (1983), where she played Emma, a dying young woman with an over-bearing mother, Aurora, played by Shirley MacLaine.
Despite her huge success, Winger, carving hours from her acting schedule, took a mini Hollywood hiatus, and more than four decades after her rise to stardom, speculation of why she left is still circulating.
Most of these rumours revolve around the feuds that Winger had with her co-stars.
Though fans couldn’t get enough of the handsome Gere, it’s been widely reported that Winger had enough of him on the set.
According to an excerpt published on ABC News from the book, “An Actor and a Gentleman,” by co-star, Louis Gossett Jr., who played Sgt. Emil Foley: “The onscreen chemistry between the two of them was terrific, but it was a different story once the camera was turned off. They couldn’t have stayed farther apart from each other.”
Gossett also claims that Winger didn’t think much of Gere’s acting and wrote that she once described Gere as “a brick wall.” And, the film’s director, Taylor Hackford, whom she also did not like, she referred to as “animal.”
It wasn’t only people on that film that ruffled her feathers.
Winger, a free spirit in real life and in her role as Emma, also clashed with the prolific MacLaine, a glamorous, eccentric and seasoned veteran.
Their first meeting set the stage for their relationship.
“To see how my character would feel I was wearing all my leftover movie-star fur coats,” MacLaine said in an interview with People. “There was Debra dressed in combat boots and a miniskirt…I thought, ‘Oh my goodness.’”
People writes, “Indeed, the set became the source of Hollywood’s most relished rumors. Winger wanted top billing. One reportedly slugged the other.”
And then, the women were pitted against each other in the Oscars when they were both nominated for best actress.
MacLaine, taking the trophy home, said in her acceptance speech, “I deserve this!”
Rumors aside, Winger insists she “pushed the pause button” on Hollywood for personal reasons and not professional.
“The parts that were coming, I wasn’t interested in. I’d already done that or I’d already felt that. I needed to be challenged. My life challenged me more than the parts, so I dove into it fully,” Winger told People.
After starring in the 1995 romcom Forget Paris with Billy Crystal, Winger took a six-year break.
In that time, she moved to New York City and shifted her focus to actor Arliss Howard, whom she married in 1996. The pair have a son, Gideon Babe, who was born in 1997, and she is stepmother to Sam, Howard’s son from a previous marriage. She also has another biological child, Noah Hutton, whom she mothered while married to her first husband, Timothy Hutton (1986 to 1990).
She reappeared in the 2001 film Big Bad Love, that was directed and produced by her husband, who also co-starred alongside Winger and Rosanna Arquette, who’s next project was 2002 film Searching for Debra Winger. As director of the documentary, Arquette attempts to answer why Winger temporarily abandoned her career at peak performance.
Winger gained some momentum with roles in Rachel Getting Married (2008) with Anne Hathaway, the 2017 romcom The Lovers, and the crime-comedy, Kajillionaire (2020).
In 2021, she was in With/In, Volume two of the anthological drama film, in the segment Her Own, which is written and directed by her husband, who also co-stars.
“I don’t know what Hollywood is. I’m living under the freaking sign now, and I just stare at it and laugh. Los Angeles is a place, but the idea of Hollywood doesn’t really exist for me,” Winger said, adding, “…although there must be some in-crowds that I just don’t know about.”
Without Debra Winger, we couldn’t imagine Hollywood, and we hope she wins an Oscar soon! Which Winger films are your favorites?
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