Raquel Welch, the bombshell actress who was one of Hollywood’s most iconic sex symbols and movie stars of the 1960s, has died aged 82.
The actress, known for her stunning looks, embraced stardom as a sex symbol with roles in films like One Million Years B.C. and Fantastic Voyage, redefining the role and becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest lead actresses.
According to TMZ, the news was confirmed by her family members, who on Wednesday confirmed that she died at home after a brief illness.
Now, the final known photos of the actress have surfaced, showing the on-screen legend getting a painful-looking manicure.
According to the Daily Mirror, the pictures are actually from July 2022, but they are the last to be taken of Welch out in public.
While in the process of receiving her manicure, Welch looked to be some discomfort, but we can only assume she was left happy with the result.
What makes the shots so special – obviously aside from them being the last ones taken of Welch alive – is the fact that the Hollywood star often shunned cameras and the limelight in the years following the height of her career.
Welch was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 5, 1940 and grew up in San Diego, California. Her father was from Bolivia, and her cousin Lidia Gueiler Tejada was the Bolivia’s first female head of state.
The young Welch appeared in beauty pageants as a teen, and later became interested in acting. Moving to Los Angeles in the 1960s to pursue her acting dreams, she found management who worked to turn her into a sex symbol.
After appearing in minor film roles and TV guest appearances, she had her first major breakout role with the hit film Fantastic Voyage.
Her next film made her even more iconic: the prehistoric fantasy film One Million Years B.C. Though Welch only had three lines in the film, she proved to be the most famous part of the film, as she was dressed in a now-iconic deerskin bikini.
Over the course of her glittering career, Welch refused to undress on camera, stating that was the way she had been raised – she even posed for Playboy without ever going nude.
Needless to say, the internet was flooded with messages paying tribute to Welch after news of her passing became public knowledge.
Rest in peace, Raquel, and thanks for the great memories. I’ll simply never forget your appearance in Fantastic Voyage!