Luise Rainer, born on January 12, 1910, was a German-American actress who achieved historic acclaim, winning back-to-back Academy Awards for Best Actress in 1936 and 1937—the first to do so. Renowned for her roles in “The Great Ziegfeld” and “The Good Earth,” Rainer’s performances exhibited emotional depth and authenticity. Despite her early success, she faced challenges in Hollywood and chose to step away from the spotlight.
For my second and third pictures I won Academy Awards. Nothing worse could have happened to me. When I got two Oscars, they thought ‘Oh, they can throw me into anything’. I was a machine, practically a tool in a big, big factory, and I could not do anything. And so I left. I just went away. I fled. Yes, I fled.
Luise Rainer
At the time of her death, thirteen days shy of her 105th birthday, she was the longest-lived Oscar recipient (and the longest-lived female star from Classic Hollywood) Rainer’s impact endures as a trailblazing talent, remembered not only for her achievements but also for her resilience and contributions to the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema.
I was never proud of anything. I just did it like everything else. To do a film – let me explain to you – it’s like having a baby. You labor, you labor, you labor, and then you have it. And then it grows up and it grows away from you. But to be proud of giving birth to a baby? Proud? No, every cow can do that.
Luise Rainer
