Sissy Spacek

Lore & Background

Sissy Spacek was persuaded by her husband, Jack Fisk, to audition for the title role of Carrie White in Brian De Palma's *Carrie* (1976). Fisk then convinced De Palma to let her audition, and she read for all of the parts. De Palma's first choice for the role was Betsy Slade. Determined to land the leading role, Spacek backed out of a television commercial she was scheduled to film, rubbed Vaseline into her hair, left her face unwashed, and arrived for her screen test clad in a sailor dress which her mother had made her in the seventh grade, with the hem cut off, and was given the part. For the final scene of the film, in which Sue Snell reaches toward Carrie's grave, Spacek insisted on using her own hand rather than a stunt double, so she was positioned under the rocks and gravel. De Palma explained that crew members 'had to bury her.' Spacek received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in *Carrie* at the 49th Academy Awards.

Reader's Guide

Sissy Spacek's role as Carrie White in Brian De Palma's 1976 film *Carrie* is a defining performance in horror cinema. The film was based on Stephen King's first published novel, and Spacek's portrayal of the shy, bullied teenage girl who develops telekinesis and wreaks vengeance on her tormentors earned her critical acclaim. Her audition story—backing out of a commercial, applying Vaseline to her hair, and wearing a cut-off sailor dress from seventh grade—demonstrates her commitment to the character. During filming, Spacek insisted on performing the final scene's hand-grabbing moment herself, allowing herself to be buried under rocks and gravel. The film was theatrically released on November 3, 1976, by United Artists, and became critically and commercially successful, grossing over $33.8 million against its $1.8 million budget. Spacek's performance earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the 49th Academy Awards, and the film is widely cited as one of the best adaptations of King's novel.

Did You Know?

• Sissy Spacek was encouraged by her husband, Jack Fisk, to audition for the role of Carrie White.
• To land the role, Spacek rubbed Vaseline into her hair, left her face unwashed, and wore a sailor dress her mother made her in seventh grade with the hem cut off.
• Spacek insisted on using her own hand for the final scene, allowing herself to be buried under rocks and gravel.
• Her performance in *Carrie* earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress at the 49th Academy Awards.
• The film *Carrie* was the first Stephen King novel to be published and the first to be adapted into a feature film.