Faye Dunaway Explains the Nickname ‘The Dreaded Dunaway’ Given by Jack Nicholson: ‘It Was Quite the Situation’
Renowned for her powerful performances on stage and screen, Faye Dunaway has always been a force to be reckoned with. She is known to be talented yet difficult, often clashing with her directors and co-stars. However, she shared a great rapport with Jack Nicholson, her co-star in the iconic 1974 film Chinatown. Their journey together was not without its challenges.
In a recent documentary titled Faye, which premiered on Max on July 13, Dunaway reflected on the making of the film Chinatown, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in June 2024. She recounted various incidents from the set, including a memorable encounter with director Roman Polanski.
During one intense moment on set, Polanski was frustrated by a piece of hair that kept falling on Dunaway’s face, disrupting the scene they were shooting. After several failed attempts to fix it, Polanski took matters into his own hands and removed the hair from Dunaway’s head. This incident left Dunaway feeling unsettled, and she retreated to her trailer.
Faye Dunaway opens up about why Jack Nicholson nicknamed her Dreaded Dunaway
Following the hair incident with director Roman Polanski, which led to Dunaway leaving the set, Jack Nicholson jokingly nicknamed her Dread, or The Dreaded Dunaway. Even to this day, Nicholson fondly refers to her as Dread, a nickname Dunaway embraces. Both actors received Oscar nominations for their performances in Chinatown, which garnered a total of 11 nominations.
In addition to her role in Chinatown, Dunaway is also remembered for her portrayal of Bonnie Parker in Bonnie and Clyde and her award-winning performance as Diana Christensen in Network.
Faye Dunaway reflects on a pivotal scene with Jack Nicholson
Dunaway recalled shooting a scene where her character makes a shocking confession and Nicholson’s character slaps her multiple times. Initially, they used fake slaps, but Dunaway insisted that Nicholson slap her for real to enhance the authenticity of the scene.
She recounted, “I told Jack, ‘You need to slap me. Just go ahead and do it.’ He questioned, ‘Are you sure, Dread?’ And I replied, ‘Yes.’ So we did it again, and it worked.”
According to the Daily Beast, the documentary Faye offers a glimpse into the life of the actress, revealing her bipolar diagnosis, among other aspects of her life and career.
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