How a strategic photo shoot secured Norma Shearer her most iconic, award-winning role

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1930, the pre-Code drama The Divorcee defined a career and won an Oscar. Yet, the lead role almost went to Joan Crawford. It took a calculated gamble by Norma Shearer—and a private portrait session—to convince her husband, studio head Irving Thalberg, that she possessed the necessary allure.

The 1930 film The Divorcee, directed by Robert Z. Leonard, stands as a quintessential example of pre-Code Hollywood cinema. Based on Ursula Parrott’s 1929 novel Ex-Wife, the narrative follows Jerry Martin, a woman navigating the complexities of infidelity and divorce within a sophisticated New York social circle. The production was a significant success, earning nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Writing at the 3rd Academy Awards, while Norma Shearer secured the Best Actress trophy for her portrayal of the titular character.

The casting process, however, was far from straightforward. Irving Thalberg, the head of MGM, initially purchased the rights to the novel in the summer of 1929 with Joan Crawford in mind for the lead. Shearer, who was married to Thalberg, was excluded from consideration because studio executives doubted she had the requisite sex appeal for the role. Determined to prove them wrong, Shearer commissioned independent photographer George Hurrell for a specialized portrait session. When Thalberg reviewed the resulting images, he was sufficiently impressed to reverse his decision and cast his wife.

The film’s plot explores the fallout of a marriage shattered by a brief affair. After Jerry discovers her husband Ted’s infidelity, she engages in a retaliatory tryst with his best friend, Don. This act of balancing the accounts leads to their divorce and a spiral into alcoholism for Ted. The story eventually reunites the pair in Paris, where they reconcile on New Year's Eve. Beyond its dramatic arc, the film remains a notable artifact of the era, having entered the public domain on January 1, 2026, and serving as a centerpiece in the Forbidden Hollywood Collection released by Warner Home Video in 2008.

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