Heather Thomas | Source: Getty Images
Once a shining star in Hollywood, Heather Thomas took many by surprise when she made a rare red carpet appearance at 66. Thomas’ journey reveals the challenges she faced during her time in Hollywood and the choices that ultimately led her to leave the industry behind.
Heather Thomas rose to fame as Jody Banks on “The Fall Guy,” an action-packed TV series that ran from 1981 to 1986. Thomas’ on-screen allure made her a household name during the 1980s, but as the show ended, her life changed. After struggling with personal demons, she decided to step away from Hollywood’s glare.
Heather Thomas, circa 1980s | Source: Getty Images
The Rise of a Star — and the Dark Side of Fame
Thomas became a breakout star in 1981 when she
landed the role
of Jody Banks on “The Fall Guy,” alongside
Lee Majors
. Her portrayal of a daring stuntwoman captivated audiences, making her one of the decade’s most popular faces. Thomas’ rise to fame was swift, but the pressures of life in the spotlight took a toll.
Lee Majors and Heather Thomas in the ABC tv show “The Fall Guy,” in 1981 | Source: Getty Images
Even before her acting career took off, Thomas had struggled with substance use, experimenting with drugs as early as middle school. “I was taking acid and making straight A’s,” she once
admitted
.
Heather Thomas poses for a portrait in the 1980s | Source: Getty Images
Her drug use escalated after she began working in Hollywood. Playing Jody Banks added new pressures to maintain a picture-perfect image, fueling an obsession with thinness.
She turned to the diuretic Lasix to stay slim, but its draining effects only pushed her deeper into cocaine use to keep up with the demands of long filming days. “It enabled me to stay up all night and then work all the next day,” Thomas
recalled
.
Heather Thomas poses for a photograph in 1981 | Source: Getty Images
Thomas insisted she never used cocaine on set, so her addiction remained a secret battle. “Cocaine is not approved of on sets,” she
explained
. The pressures eventually became too much, forcing her family to intervene in a way Thomas never saw coming.
Heather Thomas appears in “The Fall Guy,” in 1981 | Source: Getty Images
A Drastic Intervention and Finding Love in Rehab
By 1985, Thomas’ drug use had reached a critical point, prompting her family to step in with a dramatic intervention. After wrapping the season finale of “The Fall Guy,” her mother arrived on set with troubling news: her father, Leon Thomas, a dean in the California State University system, was in the hospital.
Panicked, Thomas rushed to St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, only to discover that the emergency had been a ruse. Instead, she was met by a group of family and friends, urging her to seek help. Caught off guard, Thomas immediately checked into the hospital’s detox program.
Heather Thomas, circa 1980s | Source: Getty Images
It marked a turning point in her life. At a dinner party soon after entering treatment, she met Allan Rosenthal, a psychotherapist specializing in addiction and co-founder of Cocaine Anonymous.
The two fell in love and married just four months later in Las Vegas. “I’m infinitely happier,” Thomas
shared
at the time. “I have someone who totally supports me and loves me unconditionally.”
Heather Thomas and Lee Majors in “The Fall Guy,” in 1983 | Source: Getty Images
Rosenthal’s support didn’t end with her sobriety. Under his influence, Thomas quit caffeine and cigarettes, habits she described as harder to break than drugs. He also introduced her to spirituality and encouraged her to take charge of her personal finances for the first time.
“I would let the business manager do it,” Thomas
admitted
. “I’d just go out and buy furs and Jaguars and things.” With Rosenthal by her side, Thomas found a sense of stability—at least for a time. But life had more twists in store, and her next chapter would see even greater changes.
Heather Thomas in 1983 | Source: Getty Images
Marriage, Setbacks, and New Beginnings
Despite the initial happiness in her marriage to Rosenthal, their relationship eventually ended. Following their divorce, Thomas found love again with
entertainment lawyer
Harry M. Brittenham.
Skip Brittenham and his daughter India Rose in Brentwood, California on April 28, 2005 | Source: Getty Images
They married in 1992 and Thomas
raised two stepdaughters
along with a daughter they welcomed together. By then, Thomas had already begun shifting her focus away from Hollywood, spurred by frightening incidents during the height of her fame.
Heather Thomas with Skip Brittenham and daughter India in Beverly Hills on May 6, 2008 | Source: Getty Images
The 1980s had been turbulent. Following the cancellation of “The Fall Guy,” Thomas was hit by a car while jaywalking across San Vicente Boulevard in Los Angeles.
The accident
broke both her legs, requiring six hours of plastic and orthopedic surgery. Recovery from the injury was a slow, painful process, and though she eventually regained her mobility, the experience was a turning point.
Heather Thomas and Harry M. Brittenham in los Angeles, California on May 12, 1988 | Source: Getty Images
By the time she entered her second marriage, Thomas’ priorities had shifted. Fears for her safety—particularly after a stalker scaled her fence with a knife—played a significant role in her decision to step away from acting.
“I was getting so stalked,” she later
explained
. “I had these two little girls, and they desperately needed raising, so that was that.” Thomas gradually withdrew from the public eye, focusing instead on writing.
Heather Thomas with her stepdaughters on March 22, 2009 | Source: Getty Images
With acting no longer a priority, Thomas redirected her creative energies toward writing. “I yearn for acting,” she
admitted
, “but I wanted to write something without anyone sticking their fingers in it for a while.”
She penned screenplays and even published the novel “Trophies,” though she acknowledged the uncertainty of whether her scripts would ever make it to production.
Heather Thomas and husband Harry M. Brittenham in Beverly Hills, California on April 9, 1997 | Source: Getty Images
Thomas found contentment in this quieter life, building a family and nurturing her creativity away from the public eye. But after decades of absence, she would eventually return to the spotlight—and fans weren’t prepared for what they saw.
Heather Thomas and date Harry M. Brittenham in West Hollywood, California on November 10, 1990 | Source: Getty Images
Heather Thomas in Beverly Hills, California on October 14, 2012 | Source: Getty Images
Returning to the Spotlight After Decades
After decades away from acting, Thomas made a
surprising return
in 2024 with a cameo in the film adaptation of “The Fall Guy,” starring
Ryan Gosling
. Although her role was small, it marked an unexpected reentry into the industry she had stepped away from years earlier.
Heather Thomas at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on April 30, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
Thomas also
graced the red carpet
at the movie’s premiere, where she reflected on her experiences working on the original series. For fans who remembered her as the bold and beautiful stuntwoman, seeing her after all these years was a shock—and not everyone welcomed the change.
Heather Thomas attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Universal Pictures in Hollywood, California on April 30, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
Many took to social media to express their disappointment with her new appearance.
“Sad… she destroyed her face,”
one commenter
wrote
, while another
lamented
,
“In season 1, she was the prettiest woman in the world. Now you don’t recognize her. How sad.”
The harsh
comments
continued,
“It looks like some mad scientist worked on her face. What a shame.”
One
begged
,
“OH MY GOD STOP SURGERY THAT’S HORRIBLE… She was so beautiful when she was young.”
Heather Thomas in Hollywood California on April 30, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
The intense public reaction highlighted how much Thomas’ image had become a part of her legacy, leaving many fans struggling to reconcile their memories of her past with her present appearance. But Thomas’ focus today is far from Hollywood—her personal life and outspoken political activism have taken center stage.
Heather Thomas poses for a portrait in Hollywood, California on April 30, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
Thomas’ life today looks very different from her days in Hollywood. Though she rarely steps into the spotlight, she stays active on social media,
particularly on X
(formerly Twitter), where she frequently shares her thoughts on politics.
Engaging in public discourse seems to be a passion for Thomas, and her posts reflect her outspoken nature.
Heather Thomas at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, California on April 30, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
Her journey from Hollywood stardom to a quieter, more private life shows that not all stars crave the limelight forever. And while her fans may hold on to memories of the past, Thomas has moved forward—choosing a path that reflects who she is today.