Villainous nurse role won Oscar

• Published date: 01 October 2022
• Publication title: Otago Daily Times (New Zealand)

Fletcher died in her sleep on September 23 aged 88 surrounded by family at her home in Montdurausse, France, her agent, David Shaul, said

After putting her career on hold for years to raise her children, Fletcher was in her early 40s and little known when chosen for the role opposite Jack Nicholson in the 1975 film by director Milos Forman.

At the time, she did not know that many other prominent stars, including Anne Bancroft, Ellen Burstyn and Angela Lansbury, had turned it down.

‘‘I was the last person cast,’’ she recalled in a 2004 interview.

‘‘It wasn’t until we were halfway through shooting that I realised the part had been offered to other actresses who didn’t want to appear so horrible on the screen.’’

The character was so memorable she would become the basis for a Netflix series, Ratched, 45 years later.

Cuckoo’s Nest went on to become the first film since 1934’s It Happened One Night to win best picture, best director, best actor, best actress and best screenplay.

Clutching her Oscar at the 1976 ceremony, Fletcher told the audience, ‘‘It looks as though you all hated me.’’

She then addressed her deaf parents in Birmingham, Alabama, talking and using sign language: ‘‘I want to thank you for teaching me to have a dream...