Hollywood loses another icon – Raquel Welch dead at 82

Home EntertainmentCelebs Hollywood loses another icon – Raquel Welch dead at 82

Hollywood loses another icon – Raquel Welch dead at 82

written by Savanna Douglas February 16, 2023
Hollywood loses another icon – Raquel Welch dead at 82

The iconic American actress and model, Raquel Welch, has passed away at 82. According to Welch’s manager, she passed peacefully after suffering a brief illness. Rachel was known for her captivating on-screen presence and her status as a sex symbol of the era.

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Welch grew up in Illinois in the US, where she participated in teen beauty pageants and went on to become a local weather forecaster before getting into modelling and cementing her career as a Hollywood icon.

Raquel landed her first big role in the 1966 film, One Million Years B.C., where she played a prehistoric woman clad in the now-famous deerskin bikini. Although her lines were few, Raquel quickly became a sensation, catapulting her to international fame.

Sunset Boulevard / Corbis / Getty Images)

Welch had not only made her foray into the acting world, but her skimpy two-piece also turned heads and led her to become a sex symbol of her era. Raquel’s rise to stardom was not solely based on her looks, though.

She was also a talented actress and continued to take on challenging roles that showcased her diverse acting abilities. In the 1971 film “The Last of Sheila,” for instance, where she played a complex and multifaceted character, earning praise from critics and demonstrating her range as an actress.

The accolades started to roll in when Welch received a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Actress in a Musical or Comedy for her 1974 role in “The Three Musketeers.”

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She was named one of the “100 Sexiest Stars in Film History” in an issue of Empire magazine in 1995 and was also ranked third in Playboy’s “100 Sexiest Stars of the 20th Century.”

It was Raquel’s beauty and sex appeal that made her an icon. Her hourglass figure, sultry voice, and captivating gaze made her a symbol of sex and desire, and she quickly became the pin-up icon of her generation. Her presence in films such as “Fantastic Voyage,” “Myra Breckinridge,” and “Fathom” cemented her status as an object of desire, and she became a fixture in the public imagination.

Sunset Boulevard / Corbis / Getty Images

When speaking about becoming a sex icon in the ’60s and ’70s, Welch admitted that she was not brought up to become one and had no plans to do so, adding that her status a sex symbol was “probably the loveliest, most glamorous and fortunate misunderstandings.”

In another quote, Raquel says:

“The whole sex symbol thing is part of what I do as an actress. It’s a kind of character I play. It’s part of me, but not the whole me.”

She also appeared on “The Cher Show” in 1975 and performed “I’m a Woman” with Cher.

In one of her most iconic television appearances to date, Welch performed ‘I’m a Woman‘ with Cher on the The Cher Show in 1975.

Despite the pressures of fame and the scrutiny of the media, Raquel Welch remained a powerful and independent figure, refusing to be pigeonholed or defined by her sex symbol status.

She continued to take on challenging roles, demonstrating her talent and range as an actress, and she became an advocate for women’s rights and empowerment. She continued to work in the entertainment industry, appearing in films, television shows, and stage productions throughout her career.

Screen Archives / Getty Images

Today, we pay tribute to Raquel Welch, a true legend of the entertainment industry. Her talent, beauty, and charisma left an indelible mark on the world of film and popular culture, and she will be remembered as one of the most iconic and influential figures of her time.

Condolences and tributes from Raquel’s fellow Hollywood stars streamed in, after the news of her passing had broke:

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World renowned fashion designer Paco Rabanne has passed away at 88

Feature Image: Getty

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