A new book, 'Where Madness Lies' by Lyndsy Spence, explores the life of Vivien Leigh, including her struggles with mental illness, her turbulent marriage to Laurence Olivier, and the events that led to her institutionalization.
Vivien Leigh skyrocketed to fame as Scarlett O’Hara in 'Gone with the Wind' – but just a few years later, she found herself in a mental institution. The two-time Oscar winner’s tumultuous life is the subject of a new book by Lyndsy Spence, 'Where Madness Lies.' It details Leigh’s struggles with mental illness, which resulted in a breakdown, as well as her turbulent marriage to actor Laurence Olivier. Leigh passed away in 1967 at age 53 from tuberculosis.
Spence told Fox News Digital that the late star’s extensive archives, as well as letters and audio recordings from those who knew Leigh, detailed how she 'fell into darkness.' 'There are other books where they simply say she did movies, and then she went crazy, or she was very promiscuous, or she was beating people up behind the scenes,' Spence explained. 'I wanted to tap into her story as somebody who was mentally ill and the Draconian treatments she endured.
She tried to escape,' Spence shared. 'She tried to rip her clothes off. She thought the plane was on fire. She had to be sedated. And when she got to Hollywood, she just couldn’t perform the way they wanted her to in front of the camera. She thought she was in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire,’ and she was saying all kinds of mad things.' Leigh was replaced by Elizabeth Taylor. But her troubles didn’t end there.
think he tried to get to know this new person,' Spence continued. 'But obviously, if somebody’s so unpredictable, most of the time they’re medicated and they’re volatile. . . . She would beat him up at the drop of a hat and scream at him in public. 'I think it’s hard for the person who’s suffering, but I think it’s equally difficult for the onlooker who’s trying to navigate this storm. And because so much was unknown back then, he didn’t even have support. . . .
They had a passionate, complex relationship,' said Spence. 'She left her mark on him. He had remarried and had children. . . . But he mourned her. He carried Vivien with him until his death. He would often reminisce about Vivien and say, ‘That was love. That was the real thing.’' Today, Spence hopes her book will encourage others to speak candidly about mental health. 'Times have changed, and you can get support for yourself and other people,' she said.
Entertainment VIVIEN LEIGH MENTAL HEALTH LAURENCE OLIVIER GONE WITH THE WIND FILM INDUSTRY
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