James Dean’s Short Career Was Thrilling But His Secret Love Life Was Tormented

Sep 29, 2023

James Dean was an actor in the movie industry for a short time. Although his career lasted five years, Dean remains an iconic figure in pop culture. Even many decades after his death, Dean's performance in "Rebel Without a Cause" continues to move audiences. Dean's following continues to grow thanks to cable television and other viewing formats. Few people realize that he only appeared in three movies, yet his impact was enormous and generation-spanning.

Dean's foray into acting started in his teen years when he showed an aptitude for acting in high school drama productions. His passion for the arts led him to pursue a degree in theater arts at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he played the role of Malcolm in the student production of "Macbeth." After one semester, Dean eventually dropped out of the program and moved to New York City in search of theatrical success.

After stints in several uncredited roles, Dean got his first prominent role in the play "See the Jaguar." This was followed by another main part in "The Immoralist," where his performance caught the attention of film director Elia Kazan, who was in the process of casting for "East of Eden." Dean's role as Cal Trask in "East of Eden" marked the actor's breakout role. His interpretation of his role instantly shot him to stardom and earned him major roles in “Rebel Without a Cause" and "Giant,” both of which were released after his passing.

Dean's promising career came to an end on Sept. 30, 1955, after he was involved in an auto crash. Although Dean had a thrilling short career, his life as a whole was filled with several tragedies, from his mother’s demise to his tormented and secret love life.

Dean's upbringing was one of the sad truths unknown to a great many. Dean's early home life was not pleasant. According to a publication by History, Dean's mother was diagnosed with cancer when he was 9. The condition eventually overwhelmed her, leading to her death. Unfortunately for Dean, his father showed no interest in raising him after his mother's death. Instead, Dean's father sent him to live with his aunt and uncle on their farm in Fairmount, Indiana. 

The pain of abandonment hurt young Dean tremendously, causing him to be overshadowed by loneliness. Dean's troubled childhood expressed itself in his acting style. Rather than playing Cary Grant-esque sophisticated characters on the screen, he played a "young everyman" character who appealed to youthful audiences in the 1950s. His rebellious image struck a chord with millions.

Much of Dean's rebellious nature, however, was no act. His psyche contained many personal demons that derived from his father's abandonment and disinterest. Dean's disaffected nature carried over into his film roles. While significant differences existed between Dean and the characters he played, there was enough realism to make the performances compelling.

In his vulnerable state, the adolescent Dean found friendship and mentorship in a local church minister, Reverend James DeWeerd. The minister was influential in Dean's life, influencing most of what turned out to be his future interests. However, according to his friend Elizabeth Taylor, the minister took advantage of the then-young Dean and molested him for years.

"I loved Jimmy. I'm going to tell you something, but it's off the record until I die. OK? When Jimmy was 11 and his mother passed away, he began to be molested by his minister. I think that haunted him the rest of his life,” Taylor said.

Much of Dean's love life was unknown until after his passing. A 2016 biography by Darwin Porter titled “James Dean: Tomorrow Never Comes,” detailed Dean’s romantic life beyond his meteoric rise to stardom. It detailed his search for love and affection and his rampant intimate affairs with men and women in Hollywood.

One of Dean’s famous Hollywood affairs was his whirlwind romance with Marilyn Monroe. The pair met in 1955 and went on a romantic weekend at a beachfront cottage. While Porter regards their romance as one of Dean’s conquests, the pair might have had something more intimate. According to a publication by Express, Monroe described Dean as romantic and loving, noting that they had considered the possibility of marriage and only decided against it because it would have been disastrous.

“It wouldn’t work. We’d end up destroying each other,” Monroe said.

Dean notably met some of his romantic interests during the filming of movies he starred in. He had an affair with Natalie Wood, who was his costar on “Rebel Without a Cause.” After their stint, Wood revealed the reason it ended.

“Sometimes Jimmy liked to hurt his partner and be hurt. I don’t go in for that,” she said.

Of his many lovers, Dean was most endeared to Italian actress Pier Angeli. The two met in 1955 when James was filming “East of Eden.” Although Dean was smitten by Angeli, her mother disapproved of the relationship as he wasn’t Catholic. On his part, Dean was not in the right state of mind to marry her.

“I wouldn’t marry her unless I could take care of her properly. And I don’t think I’m emotionally stable enough to do so right now,” he said.

Before his passing, Dean was linked to Elizabeth Taylor, whom he met while filming “Giant.”

What do you think about James Dean’s secret love life? Do you think his troubled childhood played a role in his romantic life? Let us know, and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family members and fellow James Dean fans.