▁fashion ▁illustr ator ▁Antonio ▁L ope z ▁and ▁subsequently ▁became ▁a ▁model ▁for ▁the ▁Wilhelm ina ▁mod elling ▁ag ency . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁she ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁States ▁and ▁began ▁work ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁as ▁a ▁wait ress ▁at ▁the ▁Lion ' s ▁Head ▁Ta vern ▁in ▁Green wich ▁Village . ▁While ▁mod elling , ▁L ange ▁was ▁discovered ▁by ▁Hollywood ▁producer ▁D ino ▁De ▁Laur enti is , ▁who ▁was ▁looking ▁to ▁cast ▁his ▁next ▁leading ▁lady , ▁an ▁ingen ue ▁for ▁his ▁re make ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁King ▁Kong . ▁L ange ▁made ▁her ▁film ▁debut ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁King ▁Kong , ▁be ating ▁actress es ▁M ery l ▁St ree p ▁and ▁Gold ie ▁Ha wn ▁for ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁d ams el - in - dist ress . ▁Despite ▁being ▁a ▁box - office ▁success ▁– ▁it ▁became ▁the ▁fifth - high est - g ross ing ▁film ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁– ▁and ▁receiving ▁an ▁Academy ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁Visual ▁Effect s , ▁the ▁film ▁and ▁her ▁performance ▁were ▁widely ▁p anned . ▁However , ▁ren owned ▁film ▁critic ▁Paul ine ▁K ael ▁pra ised ▁her , ▁not ing , ▁" The ▁movie ▁is ▁spark ed ▁by ▁Jess ica ▁L ange ' s ▁fast ▁yet ▁dream y ▁com ic ▁style . ▁[ She ] ▁has ▁the ▁high , ▁wide ▁fore head ▁and ▁clear - ey ed ▁trans par ency ▁of ▁Car ole