Darlene Cates
Born
Rita Darlene Guthrie

(1947-12-13)December 13, 1947
Borger, Texas, U.S.
DiedMarch 26, 2017(2017-03-26) (aged 69)
Forney, Texas, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1993–2017
Spouse
Robert Cates
​
(m. 1963)​
Children3

Rita Darlene Cates (née Guthrie; December 13, 1947[1] – March 26, 2017) was an American actress. She became known for her role in the 1993 film What's Eating Gilbert Grape, in which she played the title character's housebound mother.

Career

Author and screenwriter Peter Hedges saw a tape of Cates on a 1992 episode of Sally entitled "Too Heavy to Leave Their House". On the show, she discussed her battle with obesity and how it had affected her life. In 1986, pelvic infections caused by her excess weight kept her bedridden for two years, during which she gained an additional 149 pounds (68 kg). Hedges offered her the role of a morbidly obese mother in the 1993 film What's Eating Gilbert Grape, which she accepted.[2] Television roles followed on the shows Picket Fences in 1994 and Touched by an Angel in 1996. She had a small role in the 2001 film Wolf Girl.

Her performance in What's Eating Gilbert Grape, her first attempt at acting in any form, received critical acclaim and was lauded by her costars Leonardo DiCaprio[3] and Johnny Depp.[4]

Personal life

Cates married Robert Cates, a U.S. Marine, on January 11, 1963. She had one daughter, Sheri Ann, and two sons, Mark and Chris. She had four grandchildren and lived in Forney, Texas. In 1992, she received her high school diploma via correspondence courses. In 2012, Cates had lost 240 pounds after a series of health issues in 2010 kept her hospitalized for nearly a year, and she expressed a desire to resume her acting career.[5]

Death

Cates died in her sleep at age 69 on March 26, 2017. Her daughter, Sheri Cates Morgan, announced her death in a Facebook post.[6][7]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1993 What's Eating Gilbert Grape Bonnie Grape
2014 Mother Mother Short
2019 Billboard Penny (final film role), posthumous release

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1994 Picket Fences Sophie Wallace "Squatter's Rights"
1996 Touched by an Angel Claudia Bell "Statute of Limitations"
2001 Wolf Girl Athena the Fat Lady TV film

References

  1. ↑ "Portrayed housebound mom in 'Gilbert Grape'". The Washington Post. March 31, 2017. p. B6. ProQuest 1882371328. Rita Darlene Guthrie was born in Borger, Tex., on Dec. 13, 1947. At 15, she wed Robert Cates, and they had three children. A list of survivors was not available.
  2. ↑ Leonardi, Marisa (December 12, 1993). "Darlene Cates Knows a Weighty Role When It's Offered". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  3. ↑ Nudd, Tim (August 9, 2012). "Darlene Cates Loses 250 Lbs., Sets Sights on Acting Again". People Magazine. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  4. ↑ Vincent, Alice (February 15, 2016). "Oscars flashback: whatever happened to Gilbert Grape's mama?". The Telegraph. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  5. ↑ Kaul, Greta (August 10, 2012). "Forney actress in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' sheds 240 pounds, looks to act again". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  6. ↑ Kelley, Seth (March 28, 2017). "'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' Star Darlene Cates Dies at 69". Variety. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  7. ↑ Cummings, Tommy (March 28, 2017). "Forney resident Darlene Cates, the overweight mom in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape,' dies". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
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