Mask

SOOKIE: I know. I’m just – Oh, I’m so nervous.
LORELAI: You’re nervous? You don’t have some guy staring at you like he’s Cher and you’re the kid from Mask.

Mask is a 1985 biographical film directed by Peter Bogdanovich. It is based on the life of Roy “Rocky” Dennis (1961-1978), a boy who suffered from craniodiaphyseal dysplasia, an extremely rare disorder commonly known as lionitis. It causes calcium to build up in the skull, disfiguring the facial features and shortening the life expectancy.

Rocky is played by Eric Stoltz, and Cher plays the role of Rocky’s mother, Rusty. Unlike Lorelai’s description of Cher as “staring” at “the kid”, Rusty was a supportive mother who encouraged Rocky to live the life he wanted, and fought for him to receive equal treatment – the exact opposite from what’s she’s getting from Rune. Perhaps she just means that Rune sees himself as physically normal, and Lorelai as abnormal.

Mask was a commercial success and received excellent reviews from critics. It won the Academy Award for Best Makeup.