Kathleen Turner dominated the 1980s with her husky voice, fierce charisma, and unforgettable performances in Body Heat, Romancing the Stone, and The War of the Roses.
But behind her Hollywood success, Turner faced a painful and life-altering battle that left her almost unrecognizable.
In her late 30s, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that caused severe joint pain, swelling, and stiffness.
“The pain is very bad because there’s no way to sit, lie, or stand that allows you to escape it,” she once revealed.
The medications used to treat her condition, including steroids, led to noticeable weight gain and facial swelling, drastically altering her appearance.
As she stepped back from the limelight, tabloid rumors accused her of having a drinking problem, speculation Turner later admitted was easier to endure than revealing the truth about her illness.
Now in her 70s, though her physical transformation reflects years of battling a chronic illness, Kathleen has accepted it all, making public appearances every now and then over the years.
“I am a very stubborn woman. I got back to full strength, as full as I would ever be again.”
But behind her Hollywood success, Turner faced a painful and life-altering battle that left her almost unrecognizable.
In her late 30s, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that caused severe joint pain, swelling, and stiffness.
“The pain is very bad because there’s no way to sit, lie, or stand that allows you to escape it,” she once revealed.
The medications used to treat her condition, including steroids, led to noticeable weight gain and facial swelling, drastically altering her appearance.
As she stepped back from the limelight, tabloid rumors accused her of having a drinking problem, speculation Turner later admitted was easier to endure than revealing the truth about her illness.
Now in her 70s, though her physical transformation reflects years of battling a chronic illness, Kathleen has accepted it all, making public appearances every now and then over the years.
“I am a very stubborn woman. I got back to full strength, as full as I would ever be again.”
