From the age of six, 'Linda Blair' (qv) had to get used to the
spotlight, both as a model and in motion pictures, when she out of
600 applicants got chosen to the role of Regan - the possessed
child in _Exorcist, The (1973)_ (qv). Linda was about set to take
the Academy Award for that role, but when it leaked how little of
the possessed child she actually had been (dubbed voice by Mercedes
McCambridge, and substantial use of a dummy) that dream broke, and
with that disappointment probably came the first blow to what
should have been a sure road to stardom. Over the next few years
she had no trouble finding leading roles in a number of pictures,
mostly as some kind of abused child (13-year old alcoholic,
rape-victim, just to mention a couple), but the early attention
brought with it the life in the fast lane and Linda, as quite a few
others, in recent years, hadn't had the time to learn how to handle
it, and drugs, a bunch of unsteady relationships etc. almost
brought her career to an end.
|
|
– Appeared in the 2001 comedy flick LISA PICARD IS FAMOUS.
|
– Nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role at Academy Awards for THE EXORCIST (1974)
|
|
|
