Which film is the story of a substance-addicted Hollywood actress?

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Which film is the story of a substance-addicted Hollywood actress? Postcards from the Edge is the story of Suzanne Vale, a Hollywood actress struggling with drug addiction and recovery.

Released in 1990, the comedy-drama was directed by Mike Nichols and stars Meryl Streep as Suzanne, Shirley MacLaine as her famous actress mother Doris Mann, and Dennis Quaid as film producer Jack Faulkner. The plot begins after Suzanne overdoses and enters rehabilitation, then follows her attempt to rebuild her career and personal life.

The film was adapted by Carrie Fisher from her 1987 semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. Fisher drew on her experiences as the daughter of entertainer Debbie Reynolds and her own struggles with substance abuse, although the characters and events are fictionalized. A common mix-up is to identify the film solely as a mother-daughter story; that relationship is central, but Suzanne's addiction and return to Hollywood drive the narrative.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026

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