Which actress played Phyllis Dietrichson in 'Double Indemnity'?

Barbara Stanwyck played Phyllis Dietrichson in Billy Wilder’s film noir Double Indemnity.

Released in 1944, Double Indemnity adapts James M. Cain’s novella and follows insurance salesman Walter Neff, played by Fred MacMurray. Phyllis persuades Neff to help murder her husband and stage the death as an accident so they can claim a life-insurance policy’s double-indemnity payout. Edward G. Robinson plays claims investigator Barton Keyes, whose suspicions drive the film’s tension.

Stanwyck’s performance helped define the cinematic femme fatale: intelligent, controlled, seductive, and murderous. She was initially hesitant about playing such a villainous character, but Wilder famously challenged her to prove she was an actress rather than a “mouse.” The role earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

A common mix-up is confusing Phyllis with other iconic noir characters or with Stanwyck’s later television roles. Double Indemnity is also distinct from the 1973 television remake, which featured a different cast.