‘Gilbert Grape’ Star Dead At 69 — How Leonardo & Johnny Broke Her Heart
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Darlene Cates — who made an unforgettable film debut starring with Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio in 1993's "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" — has passed away at the age of 69. Her daughter announced that Darlene had passed away on March 26, 2017, at the age of 69. The actress helped Leonardo land his first Oscar nomination while playing his obese and housebound mother. Sadly, however, insiders later told The National ENQUIRER that both Johnny and Leonardo turned their backs on Darlene as she struggled to turn her life around!
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Darlene Cates — who made an unforgettable film debut starring with Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio in 1993's "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" — has passed away at the age of 69. Her daughter announced that Darlene had passed away on March 26, 2017, at the age of 69. The actress helped Leonardo land his first Oscar nomination while playing his obese and housebound mother. Sadly, however, insiders later told The National ENQUIRER that both Johnny and Leonardo turned their backs on Darlene as she struggled to turn her life around!
Darlene once managed to lose 250 pounds on a diet, but was back to 500 pounds by 2014. She had to ride an electric scooter while doing her monthly shopping at the Walmart near her Texas home, and slept while hooked up to a breathing machine. Desperate pals tried to reach out to Darlene's famous costars, but were cruelly snubbed — despite Leo once writing to her: “You are the most special person I have ever [met]. I’ll always remember you as the best acting mamma I ever had.”
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Photo credit: AKM-GSI
“When Darlene’s caretaker reached out to Johnny and Leo,” a source told The ENQUIRER, “he asked, as a favor to her, to help pay for a $16,000 pre-owned van with a loading ramp to make her accessibility easier. After all, Leo raises money for wildlife, so why not help out a woman he once considered like a mom?” Instead, Darlene got no response — just as with Johnny Depp when she starred in the 2014 short film "Mother," and hoped that he or Leonardo would attend the premiere.
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Photo credit: AKM-GSI
“When Darlene’s caretaker reached out to Johnny and Leo,” a source told The ENQUIRER, “he asked, as a favor to her, to help pay for a $16,000 pre-owned van with a loading ramp to make her accessibility easier. After all, Leo raises money for wildlife, so why not help out a woman he once considered like a mom?” Instead, Darlene got no response — just as with Johnny Depp when she starred in the 2014 short film "Mother," and hoped that he or Leonardo would attend the premiere.
In 2004, Johnny had fondly recalled Darlene in an interview, saying: “Yeah, I love her very much.” But both actors ignored her requests to reunite for the opening of "Mother." Said the source: “To not have Leo and Johnny answer her calls was devastating. Privately, she took it hard. She felt like they’d snubbed her.”
Darlene Cates — who made an unforgettable film debut starring with Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio in 1993's "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" — has passed away at the age of 69. Her daughter announced that Darlene had passed away on March 26, 2017, at the age of 69. The actress helped Leonardo land his first Oscar nomination while playing his obese and housebound mother. Sadly, however, insiders later told The National ENQUIRER that both Johnny and Leonardo turned their backs on Darlene as she struggled to turn her life around!
Darlene once managed to lose 250 pounds on a diet, but was back to 500 pounds by 2014. She had to ride an electric scooter while doing her monthly shopping at the Walmart near her Texas home, and slept while hooked up to a breathing machine. Desperate pals tried to reach out to Darlene's famous costars, but were cruelly snubbed — despite Leo once writing to her: “You are the most special person I have ever [met]. I’ll always remember you as the best acting mamma I ever had.”
“When Darlene’s caretaker reached out to Johnny and Leo,” a source told The ENQUIRER, “he asked, as a favor to her, to help pay for a $16,000 pre-owned van with a loading ramp to make her accessibility easier. After all, Leo raises money for wildlife, so why not help out a woman he once considered like a mom?” Instead, Darlene got no response — just as with Johnny Depp when she starred in the 2014 short film "Mother," and hoped that he or Leonardo would attend the premiere.
Photo credit: AKM-GSI
In 2004, Johnny had fondly recalled Darlene in an interview, saying: “Yeah, I love her very much.” But both actors ignored her requests to reunite for the opening of "Mother." Said the source: “To not have Leo and Johnny answer her calls was devastating. Privately, she took it hard. She felt like they’d snubbed her.”
