Joanne Woodward Health Status: With her lengthy career, Joanne Woodward has solidified her status as one of the greatest acting powerhouses in Hollywood history. This southern belle, who was born in Thomasville, Georgia, on February 27, 1930, has earned a rightful position among Tinseltown’s elite thanks to her remarkable performance on screen.
The 1950s saw Woodward’s ascent to fame as both reviewers and audiences were drawn to her captivating roles in TV series like Hitchcock Presents and the Goodyear Playhouse. Her extraordinary skill translated to the big screen, when she debuted in 1957’s The Three Faces of Eve as a woman with several personalities. Joanne was nominated three more times in her career for the Academy Award for Best Actress, which she won for the performance.
Off-screen, Woodward’s marriage to the late, great Paul Newman—another legendary actor—is a quintessential Hollywood romance. Theirs was an almost fifty-year passion that transcended the glitz and glitter. The drama The Long Hot Summer was the first movie in which the pair would feature together. The others were Paris Blues (1961), From the Terrace (1960), Rally ‘Round the Flag, Boys! (1958), and A New Kind of Love (1963).
Regretfully, Joanne has been battling health problems lately. To learn more about Joanne’s struggle with Alzheimer’s and her current state of health, keep reading.
Joanne Woodward Health Status
The current six-part documentary The Last Movie Stars is on the remarkable love story of Joanne and Paul. The Hollywood star was battling her own health concerns in addition to her husband’s cancer struggle, as revealed by the Ethan Hawke-produced HBO miniseries. A few days before her husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2007, Joanne received an Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis.
It’s interesting to note that Joanne played Barbara, a character suffering from Alzheimer’s, in the 1985 TV movie Do You Remember Love? The New York Times claims that “Miss Woodward takes Barbara through an incredible range of emotional colours, from bratty girl to fearful woman, as her disease progresses, while never losing contact with the character’s fierce intelligence.” Joanne disclosed to the newspaper that the performance was “an hommage” to her mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s.
Brendan Schaub Daughter Health: His Emotional Update On Her Health
What is the Alzheimer’s Disease?
Millions of people worldwide suffer from the degenerative neurological condition known as Alzheimer’s disease. It mostly affects the elderly, impairing their everyday functioning, memory, and cognitive abilities. According to the Mayo Clinic, it starts with confusion and forgetfulness and advances to major cognitive impairment, personality changes, and the inability to do daily chores.
The accumulation of abnormal proteins in the brain, which causes plaques and tangles that obstruct neuronal transmission, is what sets Alzheimer’s disease apart. Though age, genetics, and lifestyle choices all play a role in its development, the precise aetiology is unknown. There is now no treatment available; just short-term symptom relief with medications. In order to fight this horrible disease, early identification and research into prevention and therapeutic measures are essential.
Is Joanne Woodward’s Illness New?
As mentioned earlier, Joanne received her Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2007, only a few days before Paul received his cancer diagnosis. The Oscar winner has maintained a low profile in her final years, so it’s not apparent when her symptoms first appeared.
How is Joanne Woodward Health Status currently?
Hawke highlighted that Joanne could still see the movie during The Last Movie Stars’ advertising campaign, stating, “That’s why the family wanted me to do [the film] now; they wanted it to come out while she’s still alive and can see this, to support her.”
Joanne was also shown in the film as “living with her family in Connecticut.” “At this point, the best that can be done for Joanne is to keep her comfortable while waiting for the inevitable,” a source told Ok! Magazine in April 2023. Her ability to endure this crippling illness for this long is a testament to her bravery and tenacity.