Acclaimed performer Jessica Lange has indicated that her long and celebrated acting career may soon come to a formal close. Speaking in an interview with Rolling Stone, the 77-year-old Oscar winner expressed that she feels her professional journey is nearing its conclusion, pointing to both personal satisfaction with her body of work and growing difficulties within the current film-making landscape.

Jessica Lange Hints at Acting Retirement: ‘I Feel Like I’m Coming to an End… It Doesn’t Seem Easy to Get Things Made Anymore’
Image via Variety

Lange noted that while she has a few longstanding concepts that have been developed over time, their realization remains completely uncertain. Her perspective reflects shifting realities across the industry regarding the kinds of cinematic stories that receive production backing.

Major Awards Won by Jessica Lange

AwardCategoryProject
Golden Globe AwardNew Star of the YearKing Kong
Academy AwardBest Supporting ActressTootsie
Academy AwardBest ActressBlue Sky
Primetime Emmy AwardLead Actress in a Miniseries or MovieGrey Gardens
Primetime Emmy AwardLead Actress in a Miniseries or MovieAmerican Horror Story: Murder House
Primetime Emmy AwardLead Actress in a Miniseries or MovieAmerican Horror Story: Coven
Tony AwardBest Leading Actress in a PlayLong Day's Journey into Night

Reflecting on Final Projects and Industry Shifts

When asked about future ambitions or parts she still hopes to play, Lange offered a candid assessment of where her career stands today. "I actually feel like I’m coming to an end," she stated during the interview, acknowledging that her latest big-screen role could very well serve as a natural capstone to her filmography.

"Maybe it’s not a bad way to end, that last film being 'Long Day’s Journey Into Night' and playing Mary Tyrone," Lange explained. She added that while "a couple projects" have spent years in development, whether they ever reach production is out of her hands, commenting, "It doesn't seem easy to get things made anymore. At least not the kind of films that interest me."

A Slower Pace in Recent Screen Appearances

Lange returned to screens this year with appearances in both the film version of "Long Day's Journey into Night" and the television anthology series "American Horror Story 13." However, her overall cinematic activity has steadily slowed over the last decade.

Although "Long Day's Journey into Night" arrived in movie theaters in September, the production was completed back in 2022. Aside from that project, Lange has taken on only two other film roles since 2016: the comedy "Wild Oats" in 2016 and the mystery film "Marlowe" in 2022.

Looking Back on an Award-Winning Legacy

Lange entered the film industry fifty years ago with her debut in the 1976 feature "King Kong," an arrival that earned her the Golden Globe for new star of the year. Over the subsequent decades, she became one of the most decorated performers in entertainment, accumulating five Golden Globe victories across 16 nominations.

Her film work earned six Academy Award nominations, securing wins for Best Supporting Actress in "Tootsie" and Best Actress in "Blue Sky." On the small screen, Lange earned nine Emmy nominations, winning three trophies for her performances in "Grey Gardens," "American Horror Story: Murder House," and "American Horror Story: Coven." On stage, she claimed a Tony Award in 2016 for her Broadway performance in "Long Day's Journey into Night."

When asked how she hopes the public will remember her craft once she steps away permanently, Lange emphasized artistic sincerity over prestige. "For some good parts. For some good films. For being an honest actor," she shared, noting that despite the challenges of balancing family life, extensive travel, and demanding production schedules, her career remained "a great adventure."

Current Standing and Future Outlook

While Lange has not announced an immediate, hard retirement date, her statements indicate she is comfortable stepping back if unproduced passion projects fail to secure greenlights. Whether any of those long-gestating projects ultimately secure production backing will determine if audiences see the celebrated actress on screen again.

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Source: Variety

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