Actress Kathleen Turner, known for her iconic roles in films like Body Heat and Romancing the Stone, has recently sparked concern over her health following a public appearance in New York City.
The 70-year-old actress was spotted using a wheelchair and walking with the aid of a cane during her outing.
Turner, who has had a long and distinguished career, was seen in Manhattan on Tuesday in a rare public sighting.
Dressed casually in a black shirt, black pants, a gray sweater, and black sneakers, she initially used a cane as she exited a vehicle and made her way into an office building. However, upon leaving the building, she was seen in a wheelchair, prompting concern for her well-being.
This sighting follows a recent incident where Turner was forced to abruptly leave the stage during a performance of A Little Night Music after reportedly falling ill. The incident raised questions about her health, especially given her history of battling severe health issues.
Turner has been open about her struggles with rheumatoid arthritis, a debilitating autoimmune disease that affects the joints and organs. She was diagnosed with the condition during the peak of her career in the early 1990s, an illness that drastically altered her life.
While filming the 1994 dark comedy Serial Mom, Turner recalled how her symptoms became impossible to ignore when her feet swelled to the point where she could no longer fit into her shoes.
“I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t hold a glass,” Turner shared in an earlier interview, per The Guardian. “The only way I could go up and down stairs was on my butt, pushing myself. The pain is very bad because there’s no way to sit, lie, or stand that allows you to escape it.”
She added: “People don’t understand because it’s not life-threatening. It will not kill me, but it kills your life.”
Turner eventually turned to alcohol to ease the pain of her illness, saying: “It was incredibly stupid. I had this thing in my head where I thought: ‘I’m not taking pain pills – they are addictive and dangerous.’ But it was OK to have that second or third vodka.”
It wasn’t long before she had a moment of clarity, recalling: “I thought: ‘I am wasting my entire day with my daughter, with my husband, because I’d close myself down and drink.’” Turner eventually checked into rehab in 2002 and, these days, only has a cocktail now and then.
Despite the chronic pain and the immense challenges posed by her condition, Turner has continued to work in Hollywood, though she scaled back her roles significantly. Over the years, she shifted from leading roles to more supporting parts, a change she acknowledges was necessary to manage her health.
Turner reflected on the difficulties of adjusting to life with rheumatoid arthritis but emphasized her determination to persevere. “Yeah, but I wouldn’t accept it. I am a very stubborn woman,” she said.
“I got back to full strength, as full as I would ever be again. They told me I would be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. Now, that was almost 30 years ago. And I look at what I’ve done in 30 years and I think: ‘Well, go to hell!'”
Despite her long-standing health battles, Turner’s fighting spirit has kept her active in both film and theater. Though, her recent appearances and the visible need for mobility aids have led to renewed public concern for her condition.