The death of Kris Kristofferson has left a deep impact on countless fans around the globe. Among those deeply affected by his passing is his ex-wife, Rita Coolidge.
To learn more about what Rita has been up to lately, keep reading.
Rita Coolidge was a major figure in the music scene during the 1970s. Though she gained initial fame for her talent, her personal life soon became a focal point of media attention. Now in her late 70s, fans are amazed by how gracefully she has aged.
Coolidge began her rise to stardom in the 1960s after moving to Memphis, where she worked as a backup singer for Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett. Her incredible voice soon led her to collaborate with some of the most famous musicians of the time, including Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, and Stephen Stills.
When she later moved to Los Angeles, her career took off. She signed with A&M Records and released her debut album in 1971.
Though the album didn’t achieve commercial success, it established her as a respected artist. Her career took a significant leap when she married country music star Kris Kristofferson in 1973.
The duo became a well-known power couple in the music industry, collaborating on projects that led to two Grammy wins—one for “From the Bottle to the Bottom” in 1974 and another for “Lover Please” in 1976.
While their professional life flourished, their marriage faced numerous struggles. Coolidge has since spoken about the challenges they faced together, noting that while she didn’t want to portray Kristofferson negatively, their relationship had its difficult moments.
The couple’s story began when they met on a flight from Los Angeles to Memphis in 1971, with Kristofferson jokingly calling it “love at first flight.”
Kristofferson was originally headed to Nashville for a business meeting, but changed his plans to be with Coolidge. “By the end of that night, we’d already picked a name for our first child. I was sure we were meant to be together,” she recalled.
The couple’s personal connection was undeniable, and their professional collaborations were equally electric, mesmerizing audiences with their music.
As Kristofferson’s acting career took off, rumors swirled that Coolidge was using him for professional gain. She quickly dismissed these claims, pointing out, “When Kris and I were touring, he wasn’t the one with the hit records—I was. We were equals in both our work and our relationship.”
Coolidge openly shared how Kristofferson’s acting career impacted their partnership. With film offers rolling in, he spent less time in the recording studio, creating distance between them.
She also spoke about the emotional abuse she endured, saying he often belittled her talent. “Maybe he feels I mistreated him too, but I don’t think I did. It wasn’t constant, but it was enough to make me cry every day, and that’s no way to live.”
During their marriage, the couple welcomed a daughter named Casey. Tragically, they lost their second child, a heartache that added strain to their relationship.
By 1980, their marriage had unraveled, leading to their divorce. Coolidge chose to focus on her own career without seeking a financial settlement, wanting a clean break. “I didn’t think staying together was doing her any favors when it was clear her parents were not in sync,” she said. Despite the difficulties, they maintained a special bond even after the split.
In a 2016 interview, she reflected on their relationship, saying, “Kris and I share a connection. We laugh at things no one else understands. It’s a bond that goes beyond explanation.” When asked if they might perform together again, she replied with a smile, “Never say never.”
Kristofferson passed away on September 28, 2024, at age 88, surrounded by loved ones at his Maui home. His family issued a statement after his passing, saying he died peacefully.
“We’re grateful for the time we had with him. Thank you for loving him over the years, and whenever you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down on us,” the statement read.
As for Rita Coolidge, she has been doing well in recent years. Fans have marveled at how youthful and vibrant she looks. Her social media is filled with comments from admirers praising her appearance.
“You look amazing!” one fan wrote on a recent photo. Coolidge was still touring into her 60s, and another fan remarked, “You’re a true talent and such a beautiful woman.” A third person simply added, “Rita looks fantastic!”
Gracefully aging, Helen Hunt is as beautiful today as she was five decades ago
In the 1990’s, Hunt was a household name with her breakout TV performance in the hit comedy series Mad About You, where she starred opposite Paul Reiser, who later starred in the Netflix series, Stranger Things.
She won four back-to-back Emmy Awards and three Golden Globes for her comedic portrayal of one half of a newlywed couple. She also directed some episodes, including the series finale in 1999.
Speaking with People, Hunt shared about her daughter and Reiser, “… My daughter loves Stranger Things so now when he calls she’s excited. She’s never seen an episode of Mad About You but she’s super psyched about Stranger Things!” Hunt has one daughter, born in 2004, with Matthew Carnahan, her partner of 16 years.
Hunt is also known for playing a storm chaser in the adrenaline-fueled movie Twister (1996), her Academy Award-winning role in 1997’s As Good as it Gets, starring next to Hollywood royalty, Jack Nicholson, and 2000’s Cast Away and What Women Want.
More recently, she plays a journalist in BBC’s World on Fire and has a recurring character on Blindspotting. She’s also loaned her skills as a director to shows like Californication, House of Lies and This is Us.
In 2021, she revealed she was working on a Twister reboot with a diverse cast of storm chasers “from HBCU [historically Black college and university],” but the story was rejected.
“I tried to get it made,” Hunt said in 2021. “I was going to direct it… We could barely get a meeting, and this is in June of 2020 when it was all about diversity. It would have been so cool.”
Universal Pictures is releasing Twisters, without Hunt, in July 2024.
Over the years, Hunt, who’s collected numerous awards and nominations, has been a staple in Hollywood culture with her timeless performances and beauty.
As one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood–a face that through the years has matured, she’s recently been the topic of many conversations.
With a career spanning more than four decades, it’s common, and expected, that there would be natural physical changes but, as a celebrity, Hunt is not immune from unfiltered opinions coming from the public.
Speculation that she had plastic surgery started after an accident in 2019, where the SUV she was a passenger, was t-boned by another car, causing it to rollover. She was briefly hospitalized but fully recovered, and within one week, she was back to work filming the limited series reboot of Mad About You.
Speaking with People about reprising her role, Hunt said, “It was a very loving piece of work. We loved it. It would be fun to work on something that’s really about love. We’ll be older though — I hope people are prepared for that. I’m not prepared for it!”
Shortly after, Radar Online, posted an article suggesting the star too much plastic surgery. In the story, she’s referred to as “ageless,” followed by “mannequin-like” and “…her expression more static than usual.”
Fans however were quick to defend her. One wrote, “I’m not an expert on spotting facelifts and that but to me Helen Hunt today still looks like Helen Hunt from Mad About You, just older. Which is what happens when 3 decades pass, people get older.” Another wrote, “I think we are so used to seeing women who have puffed up their lips and lifted both eyes and forehead, that a woman who is aging normally looks odd to us.”
Tight-lipped about the rumours that she’s had a nip and tuck to smooth the wrinkles on her face, it’s possible that Hunt benefits from a makeup artist, who can achieve the same results with some magical strokes of their brush.
In fact, there are many Hollywood beauty secrets that keep celebrities looking ageless. Pairing a healthy diet and exercise with pricey non-surgical spa treatments have proven results!
Hunt is very active and isn’t shy about showing off her fit physique. In an interview, she explained “As a general rule, I tend to move. I don’t go to a gym ever. I don’t diet ever. I used to diet, but sometime after the eighties, it made me miserable, but I do like to walk, run, and I do like to surf when I can just to warm it up, and I do enjoy doing yoga when I can get there.”
As we all know, being a woman in Hollywood can be quite a challenge.
In a 2019 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Hunt discussed how she has experienced being objectified throughout her career and how she hopes to help create a more inclusive.
“What are the great movies for younger women where they’re the protagonist [being] made now? You know what I mean? The whole thing — there’s no equal rights amendment. We’re fucked,” Hunt told Huffington Post in 2015.
Over the years, Hunt has been involved in various advocacy and philanthropic efforts to support women’s rights and empowerment – speaking up against objectification of women.
”I certainly drive around and I’m tired of the billboard where she’s barely in her underwear and they’re selling, you know, a watch or something,” Hunt said.
”I’m over it, to be honest.”
Facing judgements from the public can’t be easy, especially for celebrities who are out there doing their jobs, which is entertaining us.
Leave a Reply