She nearly died at 8 — then became one of Hollywood’s most powerful women

She lit up the 1980s with her groundbreaking talent, skyrocketing from model to Oscar-winning actress almost overnight.

But behind the glitz and fame lay a hidden struggle — and a childhood brush with death at just 8 years old.

Amish-like upbringing

Few actors of the ’90s captured hearts and critical acclaim quite like this star. With her signature dimples and magnetic presence, she was Hollywood magic, turning every role into a showcase of raw talent from the very start of her acting journey.

Born on January 21, 1958, in Wareham, Massachusetts, she discovered early on that performing was her true calling.

“I was three years old, and how I even knew it was a job, I have no idea, because we were only allowed to watch Disney movies, which were animated.”

Her parents, Bill and Lucille, were practical, old-fashioned people — so much so that she has joked they “would have been Amish had they heard of being Amish.”

She and her older brother, Dan, were raised with a strong emphasis on politeness and proper behavior.

Looking back on her New England upbringing, she reflected, “My parents are both from Vermont, very old-fashioned New England. We heated our house with wood my father chopped. My mom grew all of our food. We were very underexposed to everything.”

When she almost died

But even though this actress grew up in a sheltered world, far from Hollywood’s glitz and scandals, she sadly faced some truly tragic and frightening experiences during her childhood.

For example, the star has revealed that she came frighteningly close to death at age 8 during a terrifying drive with her 99-year-old great-uncle Jack. As he weaved in and out of oncoming traffic, neither she nor her parents spoke up about his reckless driving, even as a car barreled toward them. At the very last moment, Jack corrected his path, narrowly avoiding a head-on crash. The ordeal left a lasting impression: always remain polite, no matter the situation.

This struggle – of being too polite to stand up for oneself – also serves as the through line of her’ 2022 memoir, ”Dying of Politeness”.