This ‘Golden Girls’ Accessory Has a Much Deeper Meaning

The big picture

• Estelle Getty was successful as Sophia
  The golden girls
  catapulting her to international fame.
• Getty used Sophia's iconic accessory purse to add depth and meaning to the character.
• Getty's thoughtful approach to her audition and prop selection enhanced Sophia's beloved character.

Despite being on the air for over 30 years, The golden girls remains one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time. From its setting, to its dynamic and breaking humor, the show has yet to fade from the public consciousness, although perhaps its biggest success factor lies within the women themselves. Three of its four main cast members were already well-established stars: Betty White had become one of television's biggest stars during its origins, while Beatrice Arthur he had lived an illustrious career on stage, in film and, of course, in film Maud. McClanahan Street had built his career in sitcoms over the years, previously working with White and Arthur, but the show's fourth member, Estelle Gettywould find her big break on the show, and with it came a major part of the beloved character she brought to life: Sophia Petrillo.

Getty had found success on Broadway, starring alongside him Harvey Fierstein in Torch Song Trilogy, But The golden girls it would be the show that launched her to international fame. A viewer favorite, Sophia is one of the elements that makes the series as rewatchable as it is. Originally written as a recurring role, Getty essentially molded the character into the person audiences love today, a practice that began before she even auditioned. To prepare for his reading, Getty went shopping in Los Angeles and found an accessory that would not only become one of the character's most iconic accessories, but was the key to unlocking Sophia's personality and story..

In accordance with Bridge to live betterThe actress' profile, Getty's management team urged her to try Hollywood after Broadway, and when she booked the audition for the golden girls pilot, the actress decided to go accessory shopping in Los Angeles' Fairfax district, according to the New York Post. In a thrift store, Getty discovered what would become one of the most iconic pieces of clothing of all time: Sophia's bag. According to the Post, she bought the bag for the audition.

When she finally got the part, the bag came with her to the set. Getty, who was much younger than her character, wore heavy makeup to age her, and in the pilot episode, the look was not what it would become as the series progressed. The makeup is more intense and both the style and color of her wig are drastically different, but the one thing that didn't change throughout the series was her purse.

The first episode is not an origin story for most of the girls, as it opens after Rose, Dorothy, and Blanche have been living together for a while, but it is an origin story for Sophia . The character unexpectedly appears to reveal that the retirement home he reluctantly lived in has burned down. While playing for laughs, the character has the purse as his only possession; he wears her around the entire episode, even when she's seen lounging in the robe. The trope would last throughout the series and even played as an occasional plot point in both The golden girls and its follow-up series, The Golden Palace—but Sophia's seminal accessory was more than just a quirky joke.

Estelle Getty used Sophia's purse to tell the character's story

Each of the women had their own sense of style that reflected their character; Whether it was Blanche's sensuality or Dorothy's unusual look that could easily translate into cosplay, each outfit was carefully chosen to represent each of the women. No piece did it better than Sophia's bag, and that's exactly what Estelle Getty wanted.

An article from the Los Angeles Times explains Getty's thoughts: “Nobody gives up their life very easily.” For Estelle, the bag represented something, and she furthered this thought in an interview with Rosie O'Donnellsaying, “When people grow old and move out of their homes and have to go live somewhere else[…] what's in their bag is the most important thing in their lives. And leaving your bag is like leaving your life.”

In the grand tradition of “show, don't tell”, Getty told viewers everything they needed to know about Sophia, simply by holding that bag. The prop makes episodes where he's lost or replaced all the more meaningful, and Getty's foresight and thoughtfulness in approaching his audition played a big part in creating his iconic character Buying the accessory bag at a thrift store in Fairfax may seem like a small act, but it helped personify who Sophia was and told a much more detailed story for the audience, even if they didn't realize it.

The golden girls is available to stream on Hulu in the US

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