The star of On the Waterfront and North by Northwest died of natural causes at her Los Angeles home after a career that spanned more than seven decades.
Eva Marie Saint, the acclaimed actress known for her roles in iconic films such as On the Waterfront and North by Northwest, has died at age 102. She passed away from natural causes on October 6 at her Los Angeles home surrounded by family members. Saint was born in Newark in New Jersey on July 4 1924 and began her acting career after graduating from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
She was married to director Jeffrey Hayden for 65 years until his death on December 24 2016. The couple had two children together: son Darrell born in 1955 and daughter Laurette born in 1958. Saint’s early career included working steadily on television during the late 1940s and early 1950s according to USA Today.
She made her film debut in 1954 as Edie Doyle in On the Waterfront; a role that earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Saint also starred in Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest as Eve Kendall; a role that contributed significantly to the film’s legacy. She was known for her ability to work with legendary actors like Marlon Brando; Cary Grant; Henry Fonda; Paul Newman; and Warren Beatty.
Saint’s approach to acting emphasized simplicity and emotional restraint as she once recalled being told not to use her hands or raise her voice during a scene. Despite her success and recognition Saint chose to step back from acting to focus on raising her children as Yahoo News reported. She said that her agent wanted her to take on more work but she prioritized family over career ambitions.
Saint also appeared in films such as Exodus; A Hatful of Rain; and Superman Returns as well as the television miniseries People Like Us throughout her long career. In a 2018 interview she expressed pride in her husband’s work and reflected on how family had always come first for her.
She was determined to accept her Oscar in person in 1955 and famously quipped that she might have her baby at the ceremony. Saint’s legacy includes not only her film performances but also her role as a devoted mother and wife. She was one of the last figures from Hollywood’s golden age with a career spanning more than seven decades.
Saint’s final film appearance was in Winter’s Tale in 2014 starring Colin Farrell.
Her death marks the end of an era for classic Hollywood cinema and a loss for fans around the world.
IMAGE: Promotional photograph of actor Eva Marie Saint (1950s). Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author / Wikimedia, Public domain