Ann-Margret Says Playing Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire Took an Emotional Toll

Ann-Margret has opened up about the emotional strain she experienced while playing Blanche DuBois in the 1984 television adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire, a role long championed for her by playwright Tennessee Williams.

In a recent conversation with Interview Magazine, the actress, now 84, described the experience as deeply challenging. “It was a rough one,” she said of portraying Blanche, the fragile and tragic heroine of Williams’ 1947 play. Ann-Margret explained that she felt a strong responsibility to approach the role with honesty, even though it came at a personal cost.

Williams had reportedly wanted Ann-Margret to play Blanche years before the film was finally made. Looking back, she said she was honored by his admiration. “I was thrilled that he liked my work and he wanted me to do it,” she said. “My goodness, Tennessee Williams. I admired him so much.”

The actress also confirmed long-standing reports that she struggled to separate herself from the character once filming ended. She recalled that director John Erman had to remind her on the final day of shooting that the project was “just a movie.”

“I had gotten to such a point that I was always sad,” Ann-Margret said, explaining that crew members noticed her crying alone. She admitted it took her “a while” to move on emotionally from Blanche’s mindset.

Blanche DuBois is one of Williams’ most complex creations — an aging Southern belle haunted by trauma and gradually losing her grip on reality. Although Williams strongly supported Ann-Margret’s casting, he died in February 1983, a year before the movie aired.

In a 1984 interview with The Washington Post, Ann-Margret revealed that she sought professional help during production. She said she consulted a psychiatrist after becoming overwhelmed by the role.

“I’m an emotional actress, not a technical one,” she said at the time. She recalled calling her psychiatrist in the early hours of the morning, fearing she was losing control. According to Ann-Margret, the doctor told her she was in a temporary psychotic state brought on by the intensity of the performance, but reassured her that she was still herself.

After filming wrapped, Erman comforted her and repeated the reminder: “You’re still Ann-Margret.”

Despite that reassurance, the impact lingered. Ann-Margret said the role stayed with her for weeks, causing flashbacks and emotional aftershocks. “I was Blanche,” she said. “It still comes back.”

Her reflections offer a rare glimpse into the psychological demands of one of American theater’s most demanding roles — and the lasting effect it had on an actress determined to do it justice.