Few films are as powerfully iconic as Risky Business. The movie featured the directorial debut of Paul Brickman, who would later go on to direct films like Men Don’t Leave and True Crime, and also introduced the world to a very young (and undeniably cool) Tom Cruise. Risky Business was also the launchpad for Rebecca De Mornay: a young actress with only one acting credit under her name by 1983. Co-starring in what some critics call the best high school film of all time is an amazing way to start your career, the kind of role that follows you forever. Now, four decades after Risky Business, Rebecca de Mornay is still the blonde knockout who captivated Joel Goodson to the point of performing Old Time Rock and Roll in his underwear.
In Risky Business, De Mornay plays Lana, an escort who becomes involved with Joel after an unforgettable night and a stolen glass egg. De Mornay gave Lana a unique edge that blends “experience” with innocence, turning her character into a beloved icon nearly a decade before Pretty Woman.
Immediately, audiences became enamored by De Mornay’s charm. She was that girl-next-door type Hollywood desperately needed. Her undeniable chemistry with Tom Cruise was also one of the reasons why Risky Business became such a hit; it’s no surprise to hear that the co-stars were secretly dating behind the scenes!
De Mornay remained busy in the 90s. While her Risky Business co-star was starring in Jerry Maguire and Mission: Impossible, De Mornay appeared in several high-profile thrillers and action films of the era. From Ron Howard’s Backdraft to Thick as Thieves and including The Three Musketeers, De Mornay quickly became an international star.
Starring in 1992’s The Hand That Rocks the Cradle was seen as her turn into a more mature, “serious” actress. But beyond that, it proved that her good looks were there to stay.
When De Mornay co-starred in The Shining miniseries back in the 90s, critics were quick to notice how well she performed on the small screen. This led to De Mornay appearing on shows like ER, Law & Order, and Lucifer.
Marvel fans will surely remember De Mornay as Dorothy Walker in Netflix’s Jessica Jones. Though her character isn’t likely to return to the MCU (even if stranger things have already happened), this role introduced De Mornay’s charm to a new generation – and proved she still looked amazing in her fifties.
De Mornay has kept herself busy in her acting career. This April, she will return to acting in theaters with The Pushover, a new play by John Patrick Shanley. Movies like Saint Claire and Off the Record prove that she’s still deeply embedded in Hollywood’s DNA.
One look at photos of her with the Pushover cast shows that she has aged as gracefully as Cruise himself. There was definitely something in the water on the set of Risky Business that kept its lead looking absolutely stunning four decades later.
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