A movie like Rosemary's Baby often comes just once in a lifetime, especially for its lead star Mia Farrow.
When she was cast in the 1968 Roman Polanski film, based on Ira Levin's novel of the same name, she was an unknown variable when it came to box office draw.
However, her work in the film not only led the film to becoming a box office success, but also a critical darling. And Mia's work as Rosemary Woodhouse is arguably the reason why.
© Getty ImagesMia Farrow's career before Rosemary's Baby
In the lead-up to production on the film, director Polanski had his eye on other actresses to play Rosemary, who in his mind was more of a busty, girl-next-door type. Reportedly, casting choices included the likes of Tuesday Weld, Jane Fonda, Goldie Hawn, and even his then-fiancée Sharon Tate.
A 22-year-old Mia had only one film credit to her name at the time, a supporting role in 1964's Guns at Batasi. However, she'd gained notable recognition for her work in the soap opera Peyton Place (and for her personal life, which we'll get to). By 1967, she was cast as Rosemary, bringing her new pixie cut to the role as well.
Mia Farrow and Frank Sinatra
Another reason that Mia was top of mind in Hollywood at the time was her marriage to Frank Sinatra. The crooner was experiencing a career resurgence of sorts at the time, thanks to the success of his song "Strangers in the Night."
© Getty ImagesHe met Mia on the set of 1965's Von Ryan's Express, and they tied the knot in 1966, when Mia was 21 and Sinatra was 50. One of the singer's stipulations for the marriage was that his new wife would give up her career, although they did agree that she would appear in his 1968 film The Detective.
Frank Sinatra's disapproval
Per reports at the time, Mia's decision to accept Rosemary's Baby didn't please Sinatra, who was also the one to persuade her to leave Peyton Place in 1966. Mia left for production on Rosemary's Baby in the summer of 1967.
However, the shoot suffered multiple delays, largely due to Polanski's meticulous and often inconvenient attention to detail. Filming ran several weeks over schedule, and was delayed when Sinatra and Mia's relationship troubles came to a head.
© Getty ImagesWhen production overran, the story goes that a corporate lawyer served Mia with divorce papers from her husband on set, in front of the cast and crew. Mia reportedly pleaded to be released from her contract to salvage her marriage, but eventually decided to stay on the project.
Sinatra, meanwhile, decided to go ahead and recast Mia's role in The Detective, which went to Jacqueline Bisset instead. The couple's divorce was finalized in August 1968, two months after Rosemary's Baby hit theaters, and just over two years after their marriage.
Mia on her ex-husband
The film's immense success helped lessen the sting of the divorce. And decades later, in a 2013 conversation with Vanity Fair, Mia called Sinatra the great love of her life, saying: "We never really split up."
© Getty ImagesShe even fuelled reports that her son Ronan Farrow was actually Sinatra's biological son instead of her longtime partner Woody Allen's, although Ronan has since denied those claims, as have members of the Sinatra family.
