The Broadway and West End productions of Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire guaranteed a Hollywood film version and Vivien Leigh joined original Broadway cast members Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter and Karl Malden. While preparing for the film version, Leigh enjoyed a long correspondence with director Elia Kazan, who had directed the Broadway play.

Leigh frequently used wigs to enhance her portrayal of different characters. She was eager to make herself appear less glamorous for the role of Blanche DuBois and entrusted Stanley Hall, her wig maker, to aid her transformation. Hall wrote, 'The texture of hair in a wig can be important and tells an immediate story about the character. In A Streetcar Named Desire I feel it was essential for Blanche to have impoverished, rather thin hair of no particular colour to point out her highly nervous worn out character'.

Opening in 1951, the film was a critical and commercial success and garnered a record 12 Academy Award nominations. including Costume Design, and was the first film to be recognised in all four acting categories. As well as winning the Academy Award, Leigh won the New York Critics Circle Award and was the first recipient of the BAFTA for Best Actress.