The sci-fi classic Debbie Harry calls “one of my favourite pictures”
Emerging from New York’s vibrant underground scene, Blondie became one of the biggest new wave acts, with their danceable blend of pop, disco, funk, and rock underlined by a punk ethos. They earned acclaim with unforgettable hits like ‘One Way Or Another’, ‘Atomic’ and ‘Heart of Glass’, gaining the band worldwide popularity.
Leading Blondie to greatness was Debbie Harry, who commanded every stage she graced with power and confidence, unafraid to assert her femininity. Reflecting on her pioneering efforts to diversify the rock landscape, she wrote in her memoir, Face It, “I was playing up the idea of being a very feminine woman while fronting a male rock band in a highly macho game. I was saying things in the songs that female singers really didn’t say back then. I wasn’t submissive or begging him to come back, I was kicking his ass, kicking him out, kicking my own ass, too.”
The singer enjoyed plenty of success as the frontwoman of Blondie, as well as releasing solo music from the beginning of the ‘80s. However, she didn’t limit herself to music – Harry also showed an interest in acting, leading her to star in several arthouse films in the ‘70s. Yet, the following decade saw her appear in more popular films, albeit those on the stranger side.
She teamed up with David Cronenberg in 1983 for Videodrome, a body horror about one man’s flailing grasp on reality after discovering a snuff film broadcast that he must stop. Harry played a radio host with sadomasochistic interests, and her performance was praised by critics. A few years later, she starred in John Waters’ camp classic Hairspray as Velma Von Tussle, a rude and racist woman with a massive blonde hairdo. She imbued her performance with plenty of humour, making her one of the standout characters despite her hideous traits.
Harry proved herself to be a great actor as well as a musician, but she simply didn’t have the time to fully pursue more cinematic roles. Thus, she missed out on starring in a film she would later call one of her favourites: Blade Runner. The film, directed by Ridley Scott, was released in 1982 and could’ve been a huge acting opportunity for Harry.
She told Vulture, “I’d been waving my name around occasionally for Blade Runner and a couple of things like that, which was very wonderful, one of my favourite pictures.”
Harry also explained how “I was touring so much with Blondie that it was virtually impossible for me to step out of that. It really was a circus.” Thus, Harry was unable to star in Scott’s film, which would soon become one of the most influential sci-fi movies of all time. It seems as though she would’ve been hoping to play the main female role, Rachael, who was played by Sean Young. The film follows Harrison Ford’s Deckard as he reluctantly agrees to go and hunt Replicants, a form of android. During his endeavour, he ends up falling in love with Rachael, who happens to be a Replicant.
While it would’ve been great to see Harry in the role – something she would’ve likely excelled at – it would’ve meant sacrificing her successful music career.
