Eva Marie Saint, who won an Oscar for her first film and starred in 'North by Northwest,' has died at 102

What happened

Actor Eva Marie Saint has died at 102, according to reports from CBS News, ABC News and NPR. ABC News and NPR reported that she died Tuesday. Her publicist, Jeff Sanderson, said she died of natural causes at her home in Los Angeles, surrounded by family and loved ones, CBS News reported.

Saint was best known for "On the Waterfront" and Alfred Hitchcock's "North by Northwest." ABC News reported that her acting work continued well into her 90s. More obituaries and national stories are collected in our national news section.

An Oscar for her first movie

An improvised audition

Director Elia Kazan had Saint audition opposite Marlon Brando in an improvised scene. In that scene she was supposed to keep him out of her home. Brando turned on music and the two began dancing. She told the Los Angeles Times in 2001, "Kazan saw the sparks fly, and that's how I got the part," ABC News reported.

A memorable Oscar night

In the 1954 film, Saint played Edie Doyle, whose longshoreman brother is murdered. NPR described the character as a Catholic schoolgirl caught in union corruption in Hoboken, New Jersey. CBS News reported that her role won one of the film's eight Academy Awards. She was only the fourth person to win best supporting actress for a film debut.

Saint was pregnant when she accepted the award from Frank Sinatra. According to ABC News, she told the audience, "I think I may have the baby right here." Her son, Darrell, was born two days later.

A selective career

Working with Hitchcock

In 1959's "North by Northwest," Saint played Eve Kendall, a secret agent who crosses paths with Cary Grant's character. CBS News reported that Hitchcock gave her three directions: "Lower your voice. Don't use your hands. And look directly into Cary Grant's eyes at all times." ABC News reported that she credited her husband, director Jeffrey Hayden, with persuading her to take the role.

Family first

Saint married Hayden in 1951, and they stayed together until his death in 2016. According to ABC News, she turned down studio contracts and appeared in only seven films in her first decade in Hollywood. She also passed on "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit" and "The Rainmaker." She told CBS' "Sunday Morning" in 2014 that an agent once warned her, "Well, I guess you won't be a superstar."

Later work on television and film

ABC News reported that Saint turned more to television in the 1970s. In the 1980s she played Cybill Shepherd's mother on "Moonlighting" and Tom Hanks' mother in "Nothing in Common." She won an Emmy for "People Like Us" in 1990. CBS News reported she received five Emmy nominations in all.

Her later films included "Because of Winn-Dixie," "Superman Returns," in which she played Martha Kent, and "Winter's Tale." In 2021, she played Marisa Tomei's aunt in the audio play "The Bus Ride" on "The Pack Podcast," ABC News reported.

Early life and survivors

Saint was born July 4, 1924, in Newark, New Jersey. According to ABC News, she grew up in Delmar, a small town near Albany, New York, and planned to become a teacher like her mother. At Bowling Green State University in Ohio, she tried out for a play and won the lead. She later trained at the Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg and worked in live television.

Sanderson's statement said Saint is survived by her two children, Darrell and Laurette, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, CBS News reported.

What to watch next

• None of the initial reports from CBS News, ABC News or NPR included details of a funeral or memorial service.
• Reports differ on one detail: CBS News said her marriage to Jeffrey Hayden lasted 65 years, while ABC News said 55 years.