Biografía

Learned sign language at a very young age, as both of her parents were deaf. When Fletcher neared the end of her (spoken) Best Actress Oscar acceptance speech for Atrapado sin salida (1975), she finished with a unique (unspoken) touch in American Sign Language: "For my mother and my father, I want to say thank you for teaching me to have a dream. You are seeing my dream come true. Thank you." (29 March 1976).

After her divorce from producer Jerry Bick in the late 1970s she caused a stir when she, then in her 40s, began dating 21-year-old Morgan Mason, the son of actor James Mason.

Her Oscar-winning role as Nurse Ratched in Atrapado sin salida (1975) was ranked #5 in the American Film Institute's Villains list in their 100 years of The Greatest Screen Heroes and Villains.

Her role in Atrapado sin salida (1975) had been turned down by Anne Bancroft, Ellen Burstyn, Colleen Dewhurst and Jane Fonda. Bancroft and Dewhurst turned down the role because they found it anti-feminist and downright misogynistic.

Was a leading choice to play the mother in La fuerza del cariño (1983).

Milos Forman doesn't want to discuss anything with his actors.

[In sign language to her deaf parents, upon winning the Oscar for Best Actress] I want to thank you for teaching me to have a dream. You are seeing my dream come true.

The Communist Party was my Nurse Ratched! [Milos Forman, in Milos Forman: Co te nezabije... (2009)].

That's the main reason I gave up my career after John was born and I was pregnant with Andrew. I could not handle going away day after day. The thought of going away before they got up and coming back after they were in bed was intolerable.

Live television drama was like live theater, because you moved without thinking about the camera. It followed you around. In film you have to be more aware of what the camera is doing.