Rebecca De Mornay’s role in Risky Business made her a rising star in Hollywood. She showed great talent, and it looked like she had a bright future ahead.
But while her co-star Tom Cruise became a world-famous superstar, De Mornay’s career went in a different direction — one that few expected.
Not long ago, I saw a black-and-white photo of a young woman standing next to Tom Cruise. She had a classic 1980s look, and something about her caught my eye. At first, I thought she was Heather Locklear, but I soon realized it wasn’t her. That’s when I found out her name: Rebecca De Mornay.
Unusual childhood
Rebecca De Mornay was born in 1959 in Santa Rosa, California. Her childhood was often called unusual — some might even say it was a little messy.
Her parents were Wally George, a disc jockey who later became a conservative TV host, and Julie George, who wanted to be an actress.
When Rebecca was just two, her parents split up. Her mother later married a scientist, but sadly, he died when Rebecca was only five.
After losing her stepfather, Rebecca’s mother decided to take her and her brother on a trip across Europe. They traveled in a Volkswagen van and eventually settled in a small town in Austria, where Rebecca started school. Living on the road made her grow up fast, and people often saw her as older than she really was.
Rebecca was brave and independent, making her own choices early in life. At 18, she moved back to the U.S. to chase a career. At first, she loved music and dreamed of becoming a folk singer or songwriter.
Acting wasn’t on her mind until later.
“I started thinking about acting one day while I was walking down Santa Monica Boulevard here in Las Vegas,” she said in 1994.
“The only connection I had was that my mom had wanted to be an actress when she was young. But she didn’t really do anything with it — she was just a mom. When I was a teenager, she told me, ‘I think you could be very talented as an actress.’ That kind of ruined it for me, because you never want to do what your mother suggests.”
Big opportunity
In 1980, De Mornay moved to Los Angeles and joined the well-known Lee Strasberg Institute to study acting.
She got her first movie role with a small part in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1981 film One from the Heart. But it was her big break in Risky Business two years later that made people notice her.
In the 1983 hit film, Rebecca played Lana, a charming call girl who teaches a young Tom Cruise some important life lessons. With her blonde hair, doll-like face, and bright blue eyes, she was perfect for the part. In the movie, she had a mysterious and unforgettable presence.
While most people remember the 1983 comedy as the movie that made Tom Cruise a star, it also gave the then-unknown 24-year-old De Mornay a strong start in her career.
“I had only been auditioning for six months — which isn’t much — when I got the lead female role in a big movie that turned into a huge hit,” De Mornay told The Los Angeles Times in 1993.
“I got a nine-year ride from one film.”
Even though there was pressure to pick a well-known actress, director Paul Brickman was sure about choosing De Mornay. After seeing 400 women audition in the U.S. and Europe, he stuck to his decision and made sure she got the part.
One reason De Mornay played the role so well, even though she didn’t have much experience, was because she felt close to the character Lana. Their life stories were a bit similar.
“I’ve been through a lot in my life with family problems and changes, and suddenly there was a role that fit me perfectly, one I really understood.”
De Mornay and many others say Lana was the “heart of the movie.”
“I wanted to keep her dignity, even if she was having s$$ for money. She still had some honesty and soul,” she said.
Strong relationship with Tom Cruise
De Mornay knew early on that Risky Business would be a hit, but she didn’t expect it would also start a new romance. While filming, she and Tom Cruise connected both at work and in their personal lives. Their chemistry was clear on screen, and sparks flew off screen too.
“It’s no secret that Tom had a strong relationship with De Mornay during the filming,” said Curtis Armstrong, who acted with Tom and Rebecca in Risky Business, in his 2017 memoir.
At the time, De Mornay was dating actor Harry Dean Stanton, whom she met in the early 1980s while working on One from the Heart. But their romance ended quickly after she and Cruise started falling for each other.
De Mornay first joked that she thought Cruise was “annoying” when they met, but he soon won her heart. Their relationship grew into a romance that lasted two and a half years.
During this time, De Mornay felt very happy. She was one of the most popular stars in Hollywood and deeply in love. Looking back, she said the fast rise to fame was exciting but also hard to handle.
But while Cruise quickly became one of the biggest actors ever, De Mornay’s career slowed down, and people in the movie business lost some interest.
“I was more complicated and mysterious than Tom,” she told The Wrap in 2023. “His presence is like a strong, simple sound — like a major chord in music — and I’m more like a minor chord… America really loves the major chords.”
Still, her career didn’t end. De Mornay kept working in the 1980s and had some success. Her biggest hit after Risky Business was The Hand That Rocks the Cradle in 1992.
The psychological thriller was a big hit, and De Mornay’s role as a vengeful widow who enters the life of one of her late husband’s accusers made a strong impact.
“I thought while making the film that everyone would hate me. But when it came out, everyone loved my character,” she told LA Times.
During her career, De Mornay made about one movie a year. Even with her talent, she didn’t always get the big roles people expected. Part of the reason was that she didn’t try hard to become famous.
“It’s not like I got better at acting. Looking back, I learned about Hollywood’s ups and downs very fast. I was in a big hit, then some lows. But it all helped me to step back,” she said.
Rebecca De Mornay husband
When Rebecca met Patrick O’Neal, who used to be an actor and then became a sportscaster, in 1995, she decided to focus more on her family. They raised two daughters together: Sophia, born on November 16, 1997, and Veronica, born on March 31, 2001.
Balancing being a mom and working in Hollywood was not easy, and De Mornay felt this herself. While filming Identity, she brought her daughter Sophia to the set. She also said no to jobs that meant too much travel or time away from her family. She didn’t want to move for work because her main goal was to give her children a stable and safe home.
“I don’t know how some famous actresses with kids do it. Maybe they are good at doing many things at once? I’m not,” she told The Wrap. De Mornay and O’Neal split up in 2002.
Age discrimination in Hollywood might be a reason why De Mornay found it hard to compete with younger actresses. This problem has affected not only her but many others in the business. De Mornay’s friend, Carol Kane, once said, “When I turned 40, it felt like I sent an invisible message to Hollywood that said, ‘Don’t hire me.’”
One big part of the problem is that there are very few good roles for women as they get older. This has definitely affected De Mornay’s career too. Still, she is one of the lucky ones who have kept working as an actress.
“It has always been important to me to pick roles where women show strength, no matter what they do or how they do it,” she said.
Rebecca De Mornay today
De Mornay has always been known for her classic beauty and strong presence.
In the 1980s, when she first became famous, people loved her fresh, all-American look with bright blue eyes and long blonde hair. In the 1990s, her style changed to a more polished and elegant one.
Today, De Mornay keeps her graceful and classy image. As she has gotten older, she has chosen to show her natural beauty, which helps her stay elegant—the way she has always been.
Looking at recent red carpet photos from the Taormina Film Festival, it’s clear that Rebecca De Mornay looks more beautiful than ever! It’s exciting to see her following her own path and making movies she cares about. Her lasting beauty and love for acting are really inspiring!
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