Eva Marie Saint, Oscar-winning ‘On the Waterfront’ star and ‘North by Northwest’ icon, dies at 102
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Eva Marie Saint, the classic actress known for films like 'On the Waterfront' and Alfred Hitchcock’s 'North by Northwest', died on Tuesday, October 6. She was 102.
Her representative, Jeff Sanderson, confirmed the news to USA Today in a statement. 'On the Waterfront' was Saint’s first movie role. She won an Oscar for her debut, starring alongside Marlon Brando in the 1954 drama directed by Elia Kazan.
Eva Marie Saint’s Oscar-winning Hollywood career
Saint died of natural causes at her home in Los Angeles. She was surrounded by her family and loved ones at the time of her death.
One of her most memorable roles came five years later when she played Eve Kendall, a mysterious double agent who was tasked with winning over Grant, in Hitchcock’s 'North by Northwest'. The film became one of Hitchcock’s most famous thrillers.
Saint also remembered advice she received from acting teacher Lee Strasberg.
In a 2001 interview, she recalled, “Think of your body as an instrument, a musical instrument,” Saint recalled Strasberg telling her. “So take care of your body. You have to be disciplined and you should be able to play what that director wants.”
We say goodbye to our dear friend, Oscar-winning actress Eva Marie Saint. One of the last surviving stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, we are grateful for her contributions to cinema and the time she spent with us over the years. Our thoughts are with her loved ones. https://t.co/eZVtXo5IwB
— TCM (@tcm) October 6, 2026
Talking about how she built her career, Saint told the Ventura County Star, part of the USA TODAY Network, in a 2018 interview, “I had such a desire to make it and make it on my own and make my own money".
“It was a time when you could get on a sheet of paper all the different people who were casting, all the agents and so forth. I just walked the streets. I’d get up early, I’d be out by 9, and I’d rat-tat-tat on the doors because I had all the addresses, and I would go see people, I would make appointments.”
Eva Marie Saint’s memorable film and TV roles
Saint started her career in TV before making her big movie debut in 1954 with 'On the Waterfront'. She starred opposite Marlon Brando, and the film helped make her a Hollywood star. She later appeared in movies like 'Because of Winn-Dixie' (2005) and 'Superman Returns' (2006).
She also had roles in TV shows such as 'How the West Was Won', 'People Like Us' and 'Moonlighting.'
Saint worked with many famous actors, including Cary Grant, Henry Fonda, Paul Newman and Warren Beatty. As her career grew, she chose to spend more time with her family and took on fewer movie roles, usually making only one film a year.
