Oscar-Winning ‘On the Waterfront’ Actress Eva Marie Saint Dies at 102

Oscar-winning actress Eva Marie Saint, best known for her performances in On the Waterfront and Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, has died at the age of 102. Saint died of natural causes at her home in Los Angeles on October 6, with her family and loved ones by her side, according to reports.

Born on July 4, 1924, in Newark, New Jersey, Saint studied at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, graduating in 1946. She began her acting career in radio and live television before making her Broadway debut in The Trip to Bountiful in 1953. She also trained at New York’s Actors Studio, where she developed her craft alongside several leading performers of the era.

Saint made her film debut in Elia Kazan’s 1954 drama On the Waterfront opposite Marlon Brando. Her portrayal of Edie Doyle earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making it one of the most remarkable film debuts in Hollywood history. She was heavily pregnant when she attended the Oscars and famously joked that she might give birth while accepting the award. Her son Darrell was born two days later. The film itself won several Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor for Brando.

Her second major screen milestone came in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 thriller North by Northwest, where she played the mysterious Eve Kendall opposite Cary Grant. The role established Saint as one of the memorable leading actresses of Hollywood’s Golden Age.

Saint subsequently appeared in films including Raintree County, A Hatful of Rain, Exodus, All Fall Down, 36 Hours, Grand Prix, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming and The Stalking Moon. Unlike many stars of her generation, she remained selective about her film roles and increasingly focused on television and her family.

Her television career was equally distinguished. She had a recurring role as Cybill Shepherd’s mother in Moonlighting and won a Primetime Emmy Award for the 1990 NBC miniseries People Like Us. She continued acting into her later years, appearing in films including Because of Winn-Dixie, Superman Returns and Winter’s Tale.

Saint married television director Jeffrey Hayden in 1951, and the couple remained together until his death in 2016. They had two children, Darrell and Laurette. Saint is survived by her children, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Remembered for her performances in two enduring Hollywood classics and a career spanning film, television and theatre, Saint leaves behind a lasting legacy as one of the acclaimed actresses of American cinema.