Rebecca De Mornay became one of Hollywood's most recognisable blonde bombshells when she starred opposite Tom Cruise in Risky Business – but more than four decades later, the actress still looks amazingly youthful. Rebecca, who celebrates her 67th birthday on August 29, 2026, was just 23 when she took on the role of Lana in the 1983 coming-of-age movie that would transform both her and Tom into major Hollywood names.
© Getty ImagesWith her blonde hair and fresh-faced looks, Rebecca's portrayal of the mysterious young woman who turns teenager Joel Goodsen's life upside down became one of the defining performances of her career. But while Risky Business remains the movie many fans associate her with, Rebecca went on to build an impressively varied career that has now spanned more than four decades.
© Jim SmealRebecca quickly followed her breakout role with a string of movies throughout the 1980s, including The Slugger's Wife, The Trip to Bountiful and the Oscar-nominated action thriller Runaway Train. She appeared alongside Kurt Russell in Ron Howard's 1991 firefighter drama Backdraft, before landing the role that would arguably become as synonymous with her career as Lana.
© Getty ImagesIn 1992, Rebecca terrified audiences as Peyton Flanders in psychological thriller The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, playing a vengeful nanny who infiltrates a family home. The performance became another defining moment in her career – so much so that Rebecca joked in a recent interview that people are still intimidated by her because of it.
© CBS via Getty ImagesRebecca continued to work steadily throughout the '90s, appearing as Milady de Winter in The Three Musketeers alongside Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland and Chris O'Donnell, and opposite Antonio Banderas in Never Talk to Strangers, which she also executive produced. Her later movie credits included Identity, Lords of Dogtown and the hit 2005 comedy Wedding Crashers, in which she played Mrs Kroeger.
© Getty ImagesRebecca's latest movie, The Gentleman Thief, was released in 2026 and sees her star alongside fellow '80s Hollywood icon John Travolta in the art-heist thriller. She plays Odessa, a mysterious woman with a past connection to John's master thief Mason, and recently revealed how much she enjoyed finding the layers in a character who was far more than simply a love interest.
© Getty ImagesRebecca was married to writer and screenwriter Bruce Wagner, although the marriage ended in divorce, and was also romantically involved with legendary singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. Rebecca even co-produced songs on his 1992 album The Future, which he dedicated to her. Rebecca went on to have two daughters, Sophia and Veronica, with actor and sportscaster Patrick O'Neal.
