Ann Darrow is the deuteragonist of the King Kong franchise, with whom the giant ape King Kong becomes close with.
In the original film, she is portrayed by the late Fay Wray. In the 2005 remake, she is played by Naomi Watts, who also portrayed Rachel Keller in The Ring. In the 1998 animated musical film The Mighty Kong, she is voiced by Jodi Benson, who also voiced Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina in the film of the same name, Barbie in Toy Story, PJ Sparkles in the film of the same name, and Helen of Troy in Hercules.
The 1976 remake features an analogous character named "Dwan", played by Jessica Lange, who also portrayed Sister Jude in American Horror Story: Asylum, and Elsa Mars in American Horror Story: Freak Show.
In the Melbourne stage production in Australia, she is played by Esther Hannaford.
She's the love interest of Jack Driscoll and close friend of King Kong.
1933 film[]
In the 1933 film, Ann Darrow is portrayed by Fay Wray. Ann is an unemployed actress reduced to homelessness by the Great Depression.
Rescued from the streets by filmmaker Carl Denham, she travels with him to Skull Island aboard the tramp steamer S.S. Venture and meets a love interest in the ship's first mate, Jack Driscoll.
First mate Jack Driscoll, who has developed feelings for Ann, leads the ship's crew on an expedition through the island's interior, where Kong has taken her. Along the way, nearly the entire crew is killed by the prehistoric creatures and other dangers. Meanwhile, Kong defends Ann from attack from a T. rex and shakes the remainder of the crew off a log into a deep crevasse. Jack evades death and continues after Kong, finally reaching the beast's lair in the island's mountain peak. There, while Kong battles a huge pteranodon, Jack and Ann escape and return to the native village. Kong pursues them, intent on retrieving Ann. He crashes through the hundred-foot gate that protects the village, but Denham subdues the monster with gas bombs.
2005 film[]
Ann Darrow is played by Naomi Watts in the 2005 film and has more detail. She has a job of an actress, but lost it due to the Great Depression.
A struggling vaudeville actress who is desperate for work. Carl first meets her when she tries to steal an apple from a fruit stand. Further into the voyage, she falls in love with Jack and forms a special relationship with Kong.
Personality[]
In the original film, Ann is portrayed as a beautiful young woman who keeps an optimistic point of view. She is also quite charming, as Jack Driscoll, the tough first mate, even falls in love with her.
However, because she is portrayed as a woman in the 30's, she was shown to be the damsel in distress at times and is helpless against Kong. Though Kong does fall in love with her, she is terrified of him and only screams when he is near. Ann was too ignorant, frighten and yet too stupid to realize Kong saved her life from the Tyrannosaur's Rex and those other creatures in skull island. Ann was blind to view Kong as a threat rather than a savior.
In the 2005 remake, her character is given more detail: She is a struggling vaudeville performer become who agrees to become Carl Denham's new lead actress when she hears that her favorite playwright, Jack Driscoll is with them.
In addition, she eventually comes to sympathize with Kong, gaining the great ape's trust and understanding.
This being said, he falls in love with her not only because of her beauty, but because of her care and strength.
In this portrayal, she is described as having a bit more edge, as she works for her survival, takes more chances and even forms a special relationship with Kong.
Despite the differences, all three versions on Ann are beautiful women who are desperate for work and thus accept the part in Carl's film. They both have charismatic personalities, are Kong's love and are both described in each film by Carl Denham as being "The bravest girl [he's] ever known/met."
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- In the Edgar Wallace draft, Ann Darrow was named Shirley Redman and was the daughter of a Governor who was kidnapped by escape Prisoners.
- In the 1996 draft, Ann Darrow was changed to an archeologist and the daughter of a Lord.
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