Movies

Oscar-nominated horror movie star of ‘cursed’ blockbuster looks unrecognizable on rare outing

BBG News

Known for her role in a chilling film that skyrocketed her to stardom, yet created chaos in her private affairs, she made a seldom-seen appearance in public this week.

As an ardent admirer, I can’t help but recount the extraordinary journey of the Oscar-nominated actress who catapulted into global stardom following her captivating debut in a leading role. However, her meteoric rise was marred by a storm of adversity, with her life threatened and her character maligned, sensationally accused of endorsing Satanic ideologies.

Her later career would be blighted by box office flops as she was ‘typecast’ as a distressed teen.

At 18, she became well-known following her arrest for drug possession, while five years afterward, she graced the cover of Playboy magazine in a nude pose.

Over the past few years, she has shifted her attention from acting to running an animal rescue, but she still took up her most renowned role again for the 2023 sequel of the movie.

So can you guess who she is?

Linda Blair, who famously played the possessed character Regan MacNeil in the classic 1973 movie “The Exorcist” when she was only 14 years old, is now 66 years old and still an actress!

Blair maintained a casual demeanor while wearing a black t-shirt, straw hat, and high-waist pants, pushing her suitcase at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

In December 1973, the initial release of the film featured Ellen Burstyn portraying Chris MacNeil, who sought assistance from priests Max Von Sydow and William O’Malley in performing an exorcism on her possessed daughter, Regan.

I’m a devoted admirer, and I’d like to share some insights about the creative process behind two iconic films. William Friedkin, renowned for “The French Connection,” was the original director. Meanwhile, the screenplay adaptation for this masterpiece was penned by none other than William Peter Blatty, the brilliant mind behind “The Exorcist” novel.

Audience members who eagerly attended the captivating movie were taken aback by the depictions of extreme violence and vulgar language in the portrayal of Blair’s character.

In one gruesome moment Regan is shown masturbating with a crucifix.

Other parts depict the character experiencing a dizzying spell and vomiting near a priest as he attempted an exorcism to remove the demon from Regan’s body.

Or:

Different scenes display the character becoming dizzy and throwing up in the presence of a priest, who was striving to cast out the demon residing within Regan.

In certain nations, the movie “The Exorcist” faced controversy and was either prohibited or limited due to its content. Additionally, rumors circulated that the film was under a curse, following an unexplained studio fire and various production misfortunes.

In his own words, Friedkin stated: ‘From the start, we were troubled by mysterious and ominous occurrences. It was undoubtedly the most challenging task I’ve faced in my lifetime.’

The movie remains one of the most terrifying ever made, raking in $441 million at the box office and receiving 10 Academy Award nominations, marking an unprecedented achievement as the first horror film to be nominated for Best Picture.

Blair received a Golden Globe as the Best Supporting Actress and was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Supporting Actress.

At the time of the film’s release, rumors spread Blair had been killed off during its making.

In the movie, there were other tales about the young actor overcoming various challenges, yet it was the portrayal of a demonic possession that left lasting psychological scars on him afterwards.

In the year 1977, I stepped back into the character of Regan once more for the sequel to “The Exorcist,” titled “Exorcist II: The Heretic.” Unfortunately, this portrayal failed to find favor with both critics and audiences alike.

In that very year when I turned 18, I found myself facing charges for conspiring to commit a felony, specifically for an alleged transaction involving the selling and buying of cocaine.

Instead of opting for a trial, she admitted her guilt to a less severe offense of conspiring to hold cocaine, receiving a sentence of three years’ probation as part of the agreement.

In the process of acting out wildly on a movie’s prop-bed, which turned out to be quite strenuous, Blair incurred a spinal injury that eventually led to scoliosis.

Blair would never reach the heights of her The Exorcist performance again. 

In the year 1974, she played the role of a teenage runaway who experienced sexual abuse in the thought-provoking television movie titled “Born Innocent.

That same year aged 15 she dated Australian singer Rick Springfield, who was 25 at the time.

She built her reputation as a Horror Movie Leading Lady, appearing in movies such as “Stranger in Our Home” (1978), “Hell Night” (1981) and “Grotesque” (1988).

She was nominated for five Razzie Awards between 1980-1985. 

Back in 2013, down under in sunny Australia, here I was, a die-hard fan of Linda Blair, eagerly devouring every word she said. Little did I know, this trip would unveil some intriguing secrets about my beloved actress and the iconic movie we both adore. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Linda herself confessed that the film’s producers intentionally spread whispers and rumors about her and the movie to fuel controversy – a revelation that had me reeling in disbelief and admiration all at once!

She said that there was a lot of negativity surrounding her experiences, so she started a global press tour as an explanation.

I traveled to England, Australia, and various places around the globe to discuss the movie and demonstrate my well-being.

In 1982 in an attempt to break free of her horror movie roots, she posed nude for Playboy.

In 1996 she made a cameo in Scream and appeared on Broadway the following year in Grease.

In 2006, she guest-starred on Supernatural, playing the part of Detective Diana Ballard.

In 2010, she appeared as herself on the cable series Pit Boss and Jury Duty.

Before The Exorcist: Believer, her last screen role was in ghost drama Landfill in 2021. 

She reprised her Regan role again in 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer.

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2025-07-26 01:34

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