Oscar-winner Eva Marie Saint dies after seven decades on stage and screen

Remembering Eva Marie Saint: Oscar winner for 'On the Waterfront,' dead at 102

|
Published October 07, 2026
Oscar-winner Eva Marie Saint dies after seven decades on stage and screen

Eva Marie Saint, one of the last actresses of Hollywood's golden era, passed away on Tuesday at age 102.

A family spokesperson told the Hollywood Reporter that she died of natural causes at her home in Los Angeles.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, she was one of the last actresses from Hollywood's golden era. Her career lasted more than seven decades.

Saint began on live television in New York in the 1940s and also worked in theater. In the 1950s, she earned Emmy nominations for Middle of the Nightand a TV musical version of Our Town.

She made her film debut in Elia Kazan's On the Waterfront in 1954, opposite Marlon Brando and Karl Malden. The role won her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

She was heavily pregnant with her son, Darrell, when she accepted it. In a 2010 interview, she said her husband, Jeffrey Hayden, had his thumb on her thigh and she couldn't get up at first. She gave birth two days later. She called Brando "probably the finest actor I've ever worked with."

Alfred Hitchcock later cast her in North by Northwest, widely seen as one of his masterpieces, with other films being Exodus,The Sandpiperand A Hatful of Rain.

She returned to TV in the 1970s and 1980s along with a movie titled Fatal Vision and a recurring role on Moonlighting. Newer audiences knew her from Because of Winn-Dixie in 2005 and Superman Returns in 2006. In 2018, she presented the Best Costume Design award at the Oscars.

Saint and Hayden were married 65 years, until he died in 2016. She is survived by her two children, Darrell and Laurette, and four grandchildren.

Nimrah Saleem
Nimrah Saleem is an entertainment reporter with one year of experience, focusing on celebrity news, fashion, and lifestyle trends. She brings a fresh perspective to her work, exploring how public figures shape style, culture, and digital conversations while delivering content that resonates with modern audiences.
Share this story: