Kathleen Turner, a name synonymous with Hollywood cool, recently surprised everyone. The legendary actress made a rare public splash at the New York premiere of “The Roses” on Monday, August 25. Her presence turned heads and got everyone talking, showing she still knows how to command a room. She was there to support the new comedy, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman.
At 71 years old, Turner looked stylish in an all-black outfit, complete with sandals. She carried a cane and had her right arm in a sling. But don’t let that fool you; she walked the red carpet with a quiet strength that felt just right for the moment. Before the big night, she even hinted at her plans to a prominent news channel, USA Today.
“The Roses” is a fresh take on “The War of the Roses,” a classic film from 1989. Die-hard fans know Turner starred in that original alongside Michael Douglas and Danny DeVito. So, her appearance felt like a warm embrace of the new version. She told USA Today, “I plan to see ‘The Roses’ at the New York premiere. It should be fun, and I have a bet with myself that they don’t die.” A little humor, a lot of charm – that’s Kathleen Turner for you.
Turner didn’t just walk the carpet; she also posed for photos with the remake’s lead actors, Cumberbatch and Colman. Cumberbatch looked sharp in a black suit and brown shirt. Colman chose a chic black blazer and skirt. The new stars clearly admired the original. Cumberbatch shared with USA Today that he and Colman grew up with the 1989 film. He added, “It was an iconic film that we both remembered from our youth. And we are big fans of Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas.”
Benedict Cumberbatch, Kathleen Turner, and Olivia Colman Jason Mendez/Getty Images for Searchlight Pictures
Turner’s career took off with “Body Heat” in 1981. She then starred in many hits like “Romancing the Stone,” “The Jewel of the Nile,” and “Peggy Sue Got Married.” She reached great heights, becoming a huge star. But behind the scenes, she faced a tough personal battle. She was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in her late thirties.
This autoimmune disease hit at a difficult time. Turner opened up about it in a 2018 interview with Vulture. She explained how it affected her career. “Rheumatoid arthritis hit me in my late thirties, the last stage when Hollywood would consider me a sexually attractive leading lady,” she said. Back then, people didn’t know much about autoimmune diseases, so her illness felt like a mystery.
For those unfamiliar, rheumatoid arthritis is no joke. The Mayo Clinic explains it’s an autoimmune condition where the body attacks its own joints. This causes pain, swelling, and inflammation. It can also harm other parts of the body like the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels. Common symptoms include stiff, swollen joints, tiredness, fever, and losing your appetite. There’s no cure, but treatments can help put the disease into remission.
Turner went through nearly a decade of living with the condition. Finally, she found remission thanks to treatment, which included “massive amounts of steroids.” She shared that this treatment changed how she looked. It was a hard pill to swallow, she told Vulture. “The hardest thing was that so much of my confidence was based on my physicality. If I didn’t have it, who was I?” But she’s a fighter, and she faced it head-on. “You work with what you have, the best you can. That’s what I’ve done,” she declared. Her story reminds us that true star power shines from within.
You can catch “The Roses” when it hits theaters this Friday, August 29.