Marilyn Chambers

Cronenberg stated that he wanted to cast Sissy Spacek in the film lead, but the studio vetoed his choice because of her accent. Spacek's film Carrie was released during this film's production and proved to be a massive hit (and a movie poster for the film appears when the main character walks by a movie theater). The director says that the idea of casting Chambers came from producer Ivan Reitman, who had heard that Chambers was looking for a mainstream role. Reitman felt that it would be easier to market the film in different territories if the well-known porn star portrayed the main character. Cronenberg stated that Chambers put in a lot of hard work on the film and that he was impressed with her. Cronenberg further states he had not seen Behind the Green Door, prior to casting her.

"It was great working with David," Chambers said in a 1997 interview. "He taught me a lot of things that were very valuable as an actress, especially in horror films. I found it useful in sex films, too!"

In 1974 she starred in the dinner theater production of "Mind With the Dirty Man" in Las Vegas. The play ran for 52 weeks which, at the time, was the longest-running play in Vegas history. Chambers was given the key to the city by the mayor. She later starred in Neil Simon's "Last of the Red Hot Lovers" in Vegas. Read Less