The Troubled Kid: James Dean
“If a man can bridge the gap between life and death, if he can live on after he’s dead, then maybe he was a great man.”
James Dean was only 24 years old when he died behind the wheel of his Porsche 955 Sypder, which he nicknamed “The Little Bastard.” Considering the impact he had in his brief time as a leading man in Hollywood, it’s difficult to imagine what his stature would have become had he lived a long, fruitful life. Dean defined the character of the disillusioned teenager with his stunning portrayal of Jim Stark in Rebel Without a Cause. He went on to define the loner in East of Eden, and the surly ranch in Giant. He became the first actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, and remains the only actor to have had two posthumous acting nominations.
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