The accomplished actress has amassed more than 60 film and television credits throughout her career.
Born in Santa Rosa, California, she made her biggest impact on screen during the 1980s and 1990s.
Among her most memorable performances, she unnerved audiences as a disturbed nanny in one of the decade’s defining psychological thrillers.
But her breakthrough arrived almost 10 years earlier, when she played Tom Cruise’s seductive onscreen love interest amid speculation that their romance extended beyond the movie set.
The role established her as one of the era’s leading sex symbols, while critics and audiences alike praised her alluring performance.
Now 67, the actress has been photographed during a rare appearance in Los Angeles. Can you identify her?
The acclaimed actress has more than 60 film and television credits to her name
The actress, now 67, was recently spotted during a rare Los Angeles outing—but can you guess who she is?
It’s Rebecca De Mornay, the star of 1983’s Risky Business and 1992’s The Hand That Rocks The Cradle!
In Risky Business, De Mornay played Lana, the call girl hired by Cruise’s teenage character, Joel, while his parents were away.
The following morning, Joel is stunned by Lana’s expensive “bill” and turns his family home into a brothel in a desperate attempt to raise the money.
According to former co-star Curtis Armstrong’s 2017 memoir, De Mornay and Cruise, 64, allegedly became romantically involved while making the box-office hit, as detailed in his book, Revenge of the Nerd.
In his memoir, Armstrong, now 72, wrote that “it’s no secret that Tom engaged in an intense affair during the shooting [with De Mornay],” allegedly behind the back of her then-boyfriend, Harry Dean Stanton.
The pair appeared to remain together after filming ended. In 1985, De Mornay and Cruise were seen attending a screening of The Breakfast Club.
Armstrong, who was 28 when he appeared alongside Cruise in the 1980s hit, recalled that Risky Business was the final film made by the then-19-year-old actor as simply “Tom,” before he became the internationally famous Tom Cruise known today.
The movie centers on Joel Goodsen, played by Cruise, who hires Lana, portrayed by De Mornay, for a night of pleasure while his parents are away on vacation.
It’s Rebecca De Mornay, who starred opposite Tom Cruise in 1983’s Risky Business (above)
EXPLORE MORE: Federal Agents Raid New York City Adult Day Care Centers in Medicaid Fraud, Money-Laundering and Kickback Investigation
De Mornay looked elegant in a casual monochrome outfit
After his relationship with De Mornay, Cruise began dating Cher in 1985. Two years later, he married Mimi Rogers.
Their three-year marriage ended in 1990, after which Cruise went on to marry Nicole Kidman.
The pair were together for 11 years, and adopted two children, before calling it quits in 2001.
She went on to marry country singer, Keith Urban, in 2006, after about a year of dating. They are parents to daughter Sunday Rose, 18, and Faith Margaret, 15, and finalized their divorce in January.
Meanwhile, he and Katie Holmes ended their marriage, after six years, in 2012.
De Mornay married writer Bruce Wagner in 1986, but they ultimately divorced in 1990. She was briefly engaged to singer Leonard Cohen, before her past relationship with sportscaster Patrick O’Neal.
She and O’Neal share two daughters together: 29-year-old Sophia and 25-year-old Veronica.
De Mornay’s other memorable movies from the 1980s include The Trip To Bountiful with Geraldine Page and John Heard, plus Runaway Train with Jon Voight and Eric Roberts.
De Mornay and Cruise seemed to continue to date after the film wrapped. In 1985, they were spotted together at a screening for the movie The Breakfast Club (Above, in Hollywood in 1983)
In 1992 she was in The Hand That Rocks The Cradle portraying psychotic nanny Mrs. Mott
Then in 1992 came the release of one of her biggest hit movies, and one of those that remains best-remembered by her fans to this day.
The Hand That Rocks The Cradle saw her portray Mrs. Mott, the widow of an OBGYN who commits suicide amid a flood of sexual abuse allegations from patients.
Shattered by her husband’s loss, Mrs. Mott miscarries the child she was pregnant with at the time that he fell under scandal and killed himself.
She becomes bent on revenge and assumes a new identity as a nanny called Peyton Flanders – in the home of Annabella Sciorra’s character Claire, one of the women whose claims brought down Dr. Mott.
Her unfolding vengeance plot is the main storyline of The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, a smash hit that drew praise for Rebecca’s scenery-chewing work.
Rebecca’s more recent work includes the 2005 comedy classic Wedding Crashers and a role on the Marvel series Jessica Jones.