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Kelly McGillis: From Hollywood Star to Rehab Advocate
14 Mar
Summary
- McGillis overcame significant trauma including assaults and addiction.
- She embraced her identity and publicly came out as a lesbian in 2009.
- Now, she works full-time at a rehabilitation center in South Jersey.
Kelly McGillis, celebrated in the late 1980s for her roles in "Top Gun" and "Witness," stepped away from Hollywood to focus on family and personal healing. Her retreat followed harrowing experiences, including assaults she endured before and during her rise to fame, which led to struggles with addiction.
McGillis found recovery through therapy and rehab, and later embraced her sexual identity, publicly coming out as a lesbian in 2009. She was married and had two daughters before her marriage dissolved amidst her personal battles. She later married her partner, Melanie Leis, in 2010, though they separated in 2013.
Disillusioned by ageism and sexism in Hollywood, McGillis expressed disappointment about not being included in "Top Gun: Maverick." She has found a new calling, now working full-time at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in South Jersey, supporting women. She also teaches acting and enjoys a quieter life in Collingwood, New Jersey.
