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Darlene Cates

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Darlene Cates
Cates in What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
Born
Rita Darlene Guthrie

(1947-12-13)December 13, 1947
Borger, Texas, U.S.
DiedMarch 26, 2017(2017-03-26) (aged 69)
Forney, Texas, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1993–2017
Spouse
Robert Cates
​
(m. 1963)​
Children3

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

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Author and screenwriter Peter Hedges saw a tape of Cates on a 1992 episode of Sally entitled "Too Heavy to Leave Their House". On the show, she discussed her battle with obesity and how it had affected her life. At the time of filming, she was 520 pounds.[2] Hedges offered her the role of a morbidly obese mother in the 1993 film What's Eating Gilbert Grape, which she accepted.[3] The role was expanded by director Lasse Hallstrom after learning she could act. Her performance, her first attempt at acting in any form, received critical acclaim and was lauded by her costars Leonardo DiCaprio[4] and Johnny Depp.[5]

Television roles followed on the shows Picket Fences in 1994 and Touched by an Angel in 1996.[6] She had a small role in the 2001 made-for-tv film Wolf Girl.[7]

Personal life

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Cates was born in Borger, Texas on December 13, 1947 to a gas station attendant and a homemaker, who divorced when she was 12. She grew up in Dumas, Texas.[8]

Cates met Robert Cates, a U.S. Marine, when she was 14 and the two married on January 11, 1963 - she was 15 and he was 25.[6] Cates claimed that she lied about her age to Robert, only revealing she was not 18 on the night before their wedding.[9] They had one daughter, Sheri Ann, and two sons, Mark and Chris. She had four grandchildren and lived in Forney, Texas. In 1992, she received her high school diploma via correspondence courses.[8][10]

Struggles with obesity

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While Robert was deployed on two 13 month tours in Vietnam, Cates began eating as a comfort. In combination with a thyroid condition and slow metabolism, the overeating led to substantial weight gains. In 1986, pelvic infections caused by her excess weight kept her bedridden for two years, during which she gained an additional 149 pounds (68 kg), weighing almost 600 pounds in total.[11] Cates suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts, resulting from her weight, and lived in reclusion.

After telling her doctor, she was prescribed Prozac, which she praised for "turning [her] life around." After finishing her 1992 diploma, Cates ended her five year period of reclusion, accepting an invitation to appear on the Sally show - an offer that came through her support group.[8]

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.[9]

Death

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Cates died in her sleep at age 69 on March 26, 2017. Her daughter, Sheri Cates Morgan, announced her death in a Facebook post.[12][13]

Leonardo DiCaprio, whom portrayed her son in 1994's What's Eating Gilbert Grape, posted a tribute to Facebook, stating Cates was "the best acting mom [he] ever had the privilege of working alongside. Her endearing personality and incredible talent will live on in the memories of those who knew her, and those who loved her work." [14]

Filmography

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Film

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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

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Year Title Role Notes
1992 Sally Self "Too Heavy to Leave Their House"
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

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  1. ^ "Portrayed housebound mom in 'Gilbert Grape'". The Washington Post. March 31, 2017. p. B6. 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.
  2. ^ "'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' mom Darlene Cates dies at 69". NBC News. March 29, 2017. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  3. ^ Leonardi, Marisa (December 12, 1993). "Darlene Cates Knows a Weighty Role When It's Offered". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  4. ^ Nudd, Tim (August 9, 2012). "Darlene Cates Loses 250 Lbs., Sets Sights on Acting Again". People Magazine. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  5. ^ Vincent, Alice (February 15, 2016). "Oscars flashback: whatever happened to Gilbert Grape's mama?". The Telegraph. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Darlene Cates, actress from 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape,' dies at 69". Washington Post. May 24, 2023. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  7. ^ "Darlene Cates, the Mother in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape,' Dies at 69". The New York Times. March 28, 2017. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Allis, Tim; Armstrong, Lois (1994). "Darlene Cates Talks Weight Struggle in 1994 PEOPLE Interview". People. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  9. ^ a b 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.
  10. ^ Petski, Denise (March 28, 2017). "Darlene Cates Dies: 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' Star Was 69". Deadline. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  11. ^ Strause, Jackie (March 28, 2017). "'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' Mother Darlene Cates Dies at 69". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  12. ^ Kelley, Seth (March 28, 2017). "'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' Star Darlene Cates Dies at 69". Variety. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ Desta, Yohana (March 29, 2017). "Leonardo DiCaprio Remembers Gilbert Grape Co-Star Darlene Cates, the "Best Acting Mom I Ever Had"". Vanity Fair. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
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