Darlene Cates
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Darlene Cates | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Rita Darlene Guthrie December 13, 1947 Borger, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | March 26, 2017 (aged 69) Forney, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1993–2017 |
| Spouse |
Robert Cates (m. 1963) |
| Children | 3 |
Rita Darlene Cates (née Guthrie; December 13, 1947[1] – March 26, 2017) was an American actress. She became known for her role in the 1993 film What's Eating Gilbert Grape, in which she played the title character's housebound mother.
Career
Author and screenwriter
Wolf Girl.[citation needed
]
Her performance in What's Eating Gilbert Grape, her first attempt at acting in any form, received critical acclaim and was lauded by her costars Leonardo DiCaprio[3] and Johnny Depp.[4]
Personal life
Cates married Robert Cates, a
U.S. Marine, on January 11, 1963.[citation needed] She had one daughter, Sheri Ann, and two sons, Mark and Chris.[citation needed] She had four grandchildren and lived in Forney, Texas.[citation needed] In 1992, she received her high school diploma via correspondence courses.[citation needed] In 2012, Cates had lost 240 pounds (110 kg) after a series of health issues in 2010 kept her hospitalized for nearly a year, and she expressed a desire to resume her acting career.[5]
Death
Cates died in her sleep at age 69 on March 26, 2017. Her daughter, Sheri Cates Morgan, announced her death in a Facebook post.[6][7]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | What's Eating Gilbert Grape | Bonnie Grape | |
| 2014 | Mother | Mother | Short |
| 2019 | Billboard | Penny | (final film role), posthumous release |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Picket Fences | Sophie Wallace | "Squatter's Rights" |
| 1996 | Touched by an Angel | Claudia Bell | "Statute of Limitations" |
| 2001 | Wolf Girl
|
Athena the Fat Lady | TV film |
References
- ProQuest 1882371328.
Rita Darlene Guthrie was born in Borger, Tex., on Dec. 13, 1947. At 15, she wed Robert Cates, and they had three children. A list of survivors was not available.
- ^ Leonardi, Marisa (December 12, 1993). "Darlene Cates Knows a Weighty Role When It's Offered". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ^ Nudd, Tim (August 9, 2012). "Darlene Cates Loses 250 Lbs., Sets Sights on Acting Again". People Magazine. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ Vincent, Alice (February 15, 2016). "Oscars flashback: whatever happened to Gilbert Grape's mama?". The Telegraph. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ^ Kaul, Greta (August 10, 2012). "Forney actress in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' sheds 240 pounds, looks to act again". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ^ Kelley, Seth (March 28, 2017). "'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' Star Darlene Cates Dies at 69". Variety. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
- ^ Cummings, Tommy (March 28, 2017). "Forney resident Darlene Cates, the overweight mom in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape,' dies". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
External links
- Darlene Cates at IMDb
- Darlene's Biography at the Wayback Machine (archived December 19, 2007)
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