Candice Bergen Braves Broadway, Talks Stroke
Accomplished actress Candice Bergen has opened up about her 2006 medical scare as she takes on a new project on Broadway.
In "Gore Vidal's The Best Man," Bergen will play the unhappy wife of a politician. Speaking about the role, the 65-year-old actress admitted that she had kept her stroke quiet because she did not want her health to become a "liability," according to New York Magazine.
Bergen suffered a stroke six years ago as a result of high blood pressure. At the time, her representative denied the media's claims that Bergen was hiding the stroke in order to save her career.
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"I just don't want it to be a liability," said Bergen of her condition, confirming that the media's speculation of her stroke had been correct.
Although she returned to filming "Boston Legal" just two weeks after the health scare, Bergen said her body never returned to normal. "My memory is just… not quite the same," divulged the actress.
Bergen was hospitalized again after falling off of a bicycle last winter and breaking her pelvis. The accident caused a revelation for the actress.
"[I thought] 'Wow, now I can fall and I'll break," said the California native.
Of growing old as an actress, Bergen noted that she appreciates the aging process. "People complain about parts for women, people complain about getting old," said the actress. "It's a privilege to get old."
She continued, "The reality is that I don't look like I used to look. I just don't care enough, and in a way it's saved me."
While her career spans over five decades, "Gore Vidal's Best Man" will be Bergen's first appearance on Broadway.
Bergen was born into show business, as her father, Edgar Bergen, was a ventriloquist, comedian, and actor. The actress is perhaps best known for portraying the title character in the television series "Murphy Brown." She was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2010.
The award-winning actress was first a model before taking up acting, and Bergen has also studied photography and worked as a photojournalist.
