Hollywood
Raquel Welch’s most iconic movie roles
Raquel Welch played several significant parts throughout her career, which spanned over 50 years.
With a career spanning over 50 years, Raquel Welch had numerous iconic roles in Hollywood. Considered an international sex symbol and icon of the 1960s and 1970s woman, let’s take a look at the superstar’s most iconic roles throughout her career.
Break out role
Welch is best known for her breakout role in ‘Fantastic Voyage’, released in 1966. Welch was cast in the film after being spotted in a beauty contest by producer Saul David’s wife.
The movie portrayed a medical team miniaturized and injected into the body of an injured diplomat with the mission to save him. Welch played the role of one of the doctors on the team.
Pin-up girl status
Her next movie, ‘One Million Years B.C.’, established the young star as an international sex symbol. Welch only had three lines throughout the whole movie but was remembered for her iconic two-piece deer skin bikini.
Described at the time as “mankind’s first bikini” and a “definitive look of the 1960s”, the promotional still of Welch in the deerskin bikini immediately turned into a best-selling poster and helped earn pin-up girl status.
Golden Globe winner
Fast forward to 1973 and Welch starred in the live-action film ‘The Three Musketeers’. Initially, Welch withdrew from the film due to creative and artistic differences but later ended up rejoining the cast.
Her role as Constance Bonacieux ended up winning her the Best Actress for a Comedy or Musical Motion Picture Award at The Golden Globe Awards. She also went on to act in the sequel film, ‘The Four Musketeers,’ which was considered significantly less successful than the first.
Pop Singer
Later in 1987, Welch broke into television roles, with her role in T.V. film Drama ‘Right to Die.’ She played the role of a woman stricken with Lou Gehrig’s disease. She was nominated for another Golden Globe Award for the role but didn’t win.
In the same year, she also released a pop single, ‘This Girl’s Back in Town.’ The music video later aired on MTV.
The music video was also included at the end of ‘A Week with Raquel’, her workout video available on VHS at the time. This song peaked at number 29 on the Billboard dance club songs weekly chart.