Susan Sarandon: Young 'Rocky Horror' Heroine, Then And Now

By | May 16, 2018

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CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 12: (EDITOR'S NOTE: This image has been converted to black and white) Susan Sarandon departs the Martinez Hotel during the 69th annual Cannes Film Festival on May 12, 2016. (Getty Images)

From her early films Joe and The Rocky Horror Picture Show Susan Sarandon quickly became one of those beautiful actresses moviegoers couldn’t get enough of. She's been a regular, smoldering presence on the big screen with her beauty, brains and award-winning acting chops. It didn’t take long for America to discover that wrapped up in that beautiful package was an explosive movie star personality.

Susan Sarandon's First Movie Role Was In 'Joe'

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Susan Sarandon in 'Joe' (1970). Source: IMDB

Sarandon’s epic acting career began with the 1970 film Joe. She played the role of Melissa Compton, alongside fellow actors Peter Boyle, Dennis Patrick and Audrey Clair. It was her big debut into the world of Hollywood. Joe was a very poignant film. It was released on the heels of the Democratic National Convention uproar in 1968. The storyline lent itself to several roles for young people, the likes of which who had disrupted the Democratic National Convention at the time.

Susan Sarandon and her (then) husband, Chris, had recently graduated from Catholic University. Chris had been studying to be an actor and was hopeful to land a role. In 1969, Chris and Susan went to a casting call for roles in Joe. His hopes of being offered a role in the film were dashed when he wasn’t chosen. But Susan was just what producers were looking for, and landed a major role.