Hollywood actress Eva Marie Saint, celebrated for her performances in On the Waterfront and North by Northwest, has died at the age of 102.
Saint died on October 6, 2026, at her home in Los Angeles from natural causes, according to reports citing her representative. She was surrounded by family and loved ones.
Born on July 4, 1924, in Newark, New Jersey, Saint studied at Bowling Green State University in Ohio before beginning her career in radio and television. She later appeared on Broadway, establishing herself as a versatile performer across stage and screen.
Oscar-Winning Film Debut
Saint made her film debut in Elia Kazan’s 1954 drama On the Waterfront, starring opposite Marlon Brando. Her portrayal of Edie Doyle earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making her one of the rare performers to win an Oscar for her first film role
Her career continued with appearances in films including A Hatful of Rain, Raintree County, Exodus, 36 Hours, Grand Prix and The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming.
Remembered for Hitchcock’s North by Northwest
One of Saint’s most iconic roles came in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 thriller North by Northwest, in which she played Eve Kendall opposite Cary Grant. The film became one of the defining works of her career and remains a classic of Hollywood cinema.
Saint also enjoyed a long television career, earning an Emmy Award for her performance in the 1990 miniseries People Like Us. Her later screen appearances included Superman Returns and Winter’s Tale.
A Life Spanning More Than Seven Decades in Entertainment
Saint married television director Jeffrey Hayden in 1951. Their marriage lasted 65 years, until Hayden’s death in 2016. She is survived by their two children, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Her career spanned film, television, radio and theatre, leaving behind a body of work that connected Hollywood’s golden age with later generations of audiences.