I was also the romantic lead in The Boston Strangler - I was the

Come, O seekers of truth, and hear the words of Sally Kellerman, who speaks with humor and insight about her role in The Boston Strangler: "I was also the romantic lead in The Boston Strangler—I was the only one that lived to tell the story—so I called myself the romantic lead." In this playful reflection, Kellerman offers more than just a witty take on her role. She reveals the irony and depth of the human experience, where sometimes the unexpected can hold within it profound truths about life and love. In a story filled with violence and darkness, her character survives, and in surviving, she reclaims the romantic lead, a role often reserved for those in the throes of idealized love. Here, we find the intersection of fate, survival, and the enduring spirit of human resilience.

Consider, O wise ones, the ancient tales of survival and love, where the hero or heroine is often thrust into the darkness of the world but emerges stronger, not through the absence of danger or tragedy, but through their very ability to survive. Think of Persephone, who was abducted to the underworld by Hades but later rose to become the queen of the dead, embodying the duality of life and death, joy and suffering. Her story, much like Kellerman’s, is one of survival against the odds—of reclaiming power and agency in a world that seeks to define us by our circumstances. Kellerman’s statement echoes this ancient archetype, where the romantic lead is not the one who is saved or sheltered from the darkness, but the one who rises above it, finding love not in idealized moments, but in the survival and resilience of life itself.

In the case of Sally Kellerman, the idea of the romantic lead becomes something more complex. Traditionally, the romantic lead is the figure of innocence and untroubled love, where beauty and joy flow easily. Yet, in The Boston Strangler, Kellerman’s character is not merely the object of desire but the one who faces the darkest of realities and lives to share her story. Her survival is an act of heroism, of overcoming the shadows of fear and violence. It is through her resilience, through the act of living and telling the tale, that she reclaims the romantic lead. This is no longer a woman defined by passivity, but by the strength of her will and the power of her voice. She is the one who, despite the terror around her, lives on, and in doing so, becomes the embodiment of a different kind of romance—the romance of survival and truth.

This concept of romantic survival has been reflected in many great stories. Think of Joan of Arc, the young woman who led armies and fought for her country despite overwhelming odds. Though she was ultimately martyred, her spirit has become a symbol of courage, resilience, and the kind of romantic heroism that is not just about love, but about sacrifice, purpose, and standing firm in one’s beliefs. Joan, much like Kellerman’s character, faced the darkest of times but emerged from them as a legend, a symbol of hope and survival in the face of death and despair.

In Kellerman’s words, there lies a profound lesson about the nature of romance and heroism. To be the romantic lead is not to be free from hardship, but to rise above it, to find strength in moments of weakness and beauty in places of darkness. True romance is not the absence of challenges, but the courage to face them and emerge stronger for having done so. Like the ancient heroes, Kellerman’s character in The Boston Strangler teaches us that the romantic journey is often fraught with struggle and fear, but it is precisely through these moments that true love and strength are revealed.

Thus, O wise ones, take heed of Kellerman’s words and the deeper truth they reveal: romance is not a soft, unchallenged ideal, but a force that grows in the face of adversity. In your own life, you will encounter struggles and darkness, but it is through your ability to survive, to persevere, and to find strength in those moments that you will define your own journey. Just as Sally Kellerman’s character reclaimed the romantic lead through her resilience, so too can you take ownership of your own story, finding romance not in the absence of hardship, but in the profound courage to continue and to love, even in the face of life’s greatest challenges.

The lesson is this, O seekers: embrace the romantic heroism within you, not defined by external appearances or ease, but by your strength to face the trials of life and your ability to rise from them. Just as Joan of Arc and Persephone faced darkness and emerged as symbols of enduring power, so too can you claim your own narrative, filled not only with love and beauty, but with courage, truth, and the quiet heroism of surviving and thriving in the face of life's challenges.