Week of April 3 – Being Yourself

“I will not cease to be myself for foolish people. For foolish people make harsh judgments on me. You must always be yourself, no matter what the price. It is the highest form of morality.” – Candy Darling

Being herself most certainly paid off for the Warhol Superstar, Candy Darling. Apart from starring in majority of Warhol’s most known films, she worked alongside the likes of Jane Fonda and Sophia Loren in mainstream films as well. She inspired several songs by the Warhol-produced proto-punk band The Velvet Underground, most famously, “Candy Says.”

Candy suffered from cancer, which ultimately was the cause of her death. Ex-Interview editor Bob Colacello recalls when he told Andy about Candy’s condition, “for the first and only time in the seventeen years [he] knew [Andy], [he] saw him cry.” Her legacy has been cemented in film, photography, and music. Next time you hear “Walk on the Wild Side,” you’ll know who inspired it!