If James Dean had lived, what do you think would have become of him? What would he have done from there?

Question

I personally believe that James Dean would've gone to earn at least several Oscar nominations and win couple of them before turning to directing. He reportedly said that's what he was interested and going into. I wonder if he'd have gone married and to whom. Would he have been a mentor to Brad Pitt and Edward Norton? I wonder how huge would his stature within Hollywood be. Sigh.. we'll never know. :(

Answer 1

He would have gotten that Oscar, he would have come out of the "closet" and he would have struggled with his inner demons perhaps becoming an alcoholic but in the end (if he could have avoided the AIDS epidemic in the early 80's) he would have overcame and came back in his old age to make one of those great films that would have given him renewed respect.

Answer 2

My money is he would have pulled a Brando. He would have had his cult following but forced into oblivion and cheap roles for a few decades after which he would be hailed a genius and inspiration by a new crop of actors. OR he could have gone by way of Rock Hudson, died of some mysterious disease amid rumors of an alternative lifestyle. EITHER way he was too young to die (aren't we all). All that said, is it just me or does James Franco look like he could be James Deans' kid?

Answer 3

James Dean was an incredibly talented actor. I think he lived a bit of a tortured life. When his mother died at 9 he didn't understand why his father didn't want him. It wasn't until he was an adult when he figured out his mother was pregnant with him when she married a man who was not his father. He named his car "Little Bastard". I loved him in East of Eden. His performance was captivating. Find James Franco's movie. It's the best I've seen and I've seen them all!

Answer 4

He reportedly dated, and was in love with, the lady that played Seinfeld's mother (who was also the lady on Alf I think). I'm not sure if he would ever had been as huge as his legacy is now if it were not for his untimely death. He did have a way about him though. He could have been even more of an american icon had been able to fulfill his life.

Answer 5

He would probably go ahead and made more movies, be married to some lady, and continue to be facinated with cars. If he lived today, he would probably liked to watch NASCAR or racing sports. He would probably continue to be well known, and be in the wrong crowd, with drinking, etc.....since he wasn't completely happy with life. Like the other poster said, he was a tortured soul.
But unfortunately, it never happened for him because he was speeding, and it was his time to go, and died young.

Answer 6

Although I James Dean was dead before I was born, I love him. I have a t-shirt that says "Mrs. Dean" on it. LOL

Anyway, I think he would have become just as great as Dennis Quaid or John Travolta in acting. He will always go down in history as a wonderful actor in his day.

Answer 7

They would have found a way to put him in jail in the 60's or 70's. They would have labeled him a trouble maker and tried to kill him like Martin Luther king or someone like that. Or they would have driven him crazy like Woodie Guthrie.

It would not have been good

Answer 8

I think he would have acted until his fifties, then either turn to directing or disappear like Howard Hughes.

Answer 9

I wish we could know. i bet he would have gone on to star in famous movies and would have been buds with sean connery, paul newman. i also bet that he could have stole audrey hepburn's heart! i would have been awesome if he was still alive.

Answer 10

I think he would have died of drug use, sadly I do, he was a torchered soul. I agree, he could have done so much. But it was his time to go.