'The Monroes' Barbara Hershey, 75, Beams in Rare Outing after Breastfeeding Son on Live TV Ruined Her Career

• Barbara Hershey does not shy away from showing off her gray hair at 75.
• Breastfeeding her son on air ruined her career, but she rebuilt it after several years.
• The actress now leads a private personal life and has accepted her age and new look.

Barbara Hershey is a multi-award-winning actress who has won an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Lifetime Achievement Award. She had dreams of being an actress as per her earliest memories.

"The Monroes" actress has starred in several memorable movies, including "Shy People," "A World Apart," "The Portrait of a Lady," and "A Killing in a Small Town."

Hershey was born Barbara Lynn Herzstein in Hollywood, California, and grew up in a small bungalow. Her parents are Melrose and Arnold Nathan Herzstein.

The actress's father, a horse racing columnist, was born in Manhattan and was from a Jewish family in Hungary and Russia. Her mother was a native of Arkansas and had English and Scots-Irish ancestry.

Hershey changed her name a couple of times, as in the 70s, her surname was Seagull. However, her Jewish agent felt her name sounded too Jewish, and he changed it to Hershey. She recalled:

"I hated the name because it made me think of chocolate, and I thought, oh my God, so sweet! I accepted it, but it wasn't my choice."

Hershey is a mother of one; her son Free Carradine was born on October 6, 1972, in Los Angeles, California. He has been featured in several movies such as "Perfect Murder, Perfect Town: JonBenét and the City of Boulder" and "A Dangerous Woman."

Hershey recalled that her son changed his name from Free to Tom and then back to Free. When he was six, he asked her what his name Free meant. "It means you are free to change your name when you want," she answered.

The actress added that she was also embarrassed on behalf of his son anytime he introduced himself as Free. So, mother and son got a book of names, and Free chose to change his name to Tom. But when he was an adult, he reverted to Free.

In 1973, when Hershey still went by Seagull, she found herself at the center of controversy when she was hosted on the US talk show "The Dick Cavett Show," where her choices and actions ruined her career.

Barbara Hershey's Career Was Ruined Because of Breastfeeding— What Happened?

Hershey's career was ruined because she breastfed her baby live on air. The actress went on "The Dick Cavett Show" with her then-partner, actor David Carradine. When Hershey walked out on stage, she heard her eight-month-old son, Free, crying off camera.

The actress went to get Free and returned with him on stage, but the baby continued fussing. That's when Hershey decided to breastfeed Free live on air, which shocked Cavett and the producers, who made a quick decision to cut to commercials.

Apart from her previous relationship with the father of her son, Hershey also publicly dated Naveen Andrews.

When they returned on air, Cavett asked Hershey if she really breastfed her baby on air or if he just imagined it. A brazen Hershey, who was 25 then, replied, "I did it." Cavett then noted that the censor would have a unique problem to deal with due to the actress's actions.

Carradine also asked Hershey if breastfeeding did not bother her. The actor added that he had seen her breastfeed a couple of times and was cool with it, but it still bothered him to some extent.

Aside from Cavett and Carradine's comments, Hershey received backlash from the censor and the public for breastfeeding on TV. Her actions were seen as part of her undependable wild behavior, especially since she had changed her name to Seagull simply because a seagull had been killed during the shooting of a film.

This incident derailed her career as the public and media held a negative opinion of her, and some just felt the actress was merely Carradine's silly girlfriend.

Regardless of the backlash, Hershey stood by her actions and said in an interview that her decision to breastfeed back then was driven by motherly instincts:

"I wish that I could say I breastfed on TV for some political or badass reason, but I was an innocent. I knew what my son needed, so I just gave it to him."

The actress added that she wasn't resentful of the negative feedback she got back then as she felt their reactions and hers were honest. She defended herself by saying that what she went through most young people underwent too, but the only difference was her actions happened in public:

"When you've been acting for 50 years, you do a lot of growing up publicly, and a lot of that is misinterpreted, so that's difficult."

After the breastfeeding incident in the 70s, Hershey's career took a hit, but she rebuilt it in the 80s. She broke up with Carradine, and the sexism that took place in the 70s dipped in the 80s, allowing her to thrive again.

Barbara Hershey Has a New Life with Another Look At 75

Apart from her previous relationship with the father of her son, Hershey also publicly dated Naveen Andrews. The duo had a 21-year age difference, but that did not hinder their love for each other. They dated from 1998-2009.

The pair first broke up in 2005, and during this split, Andrews fathered a child with another woman. Still, he and Hershey reconciled and dated until 2009, when they split up permanently. At the time of the breakup, Hershey was 62, and Andrews was 41.

The "Beaches" star is now 75 but still possesses the same grace and self-possession she had during the 70s. In her latest movie, "The Manor," the actress stars as a former dance teacher, a role that puts her perfect posture to good use.

Her appearance at the 2023 KODAK Films Awards also revealed her ageless glow. Even in her older years, the actress looked stunning, wore a bright smile, and was unafraid of letting her gray hair flow freely to her lower neck.

The actress, who was in a black dress, had an aura of elegance and beauty and kept it classy on the red carpet with black boots and drooping earrings.

The "Heaven with a Gun" actress has also opened up about aging. She revealed that she is proud of her new look even as aging has caught up. She added that she doesn't take sugar or eat grains at her new age.

Aside from revealing her beauty tricks, Hershey said she was embracing aging and was proud of every wrinkle she had on her face:

"I'm not afraid of aging. I've earned every wrinkle. I think of wrinkles like that. It's a map of your life. It's nothing to be afraid of. Those road maps in people's faces are things you hang on to and adore. I really do embrace all that."

Now at 75, Hershey has created a new life that involves sunbathing in Hawaii and painting. She is relaxed, positive, and doesn't concern herself with the ageist problem in Hollywood.

Subscribe to AmoMama on Google News!