Eva Marie Saint, the Oscar-winning actress celebrated for her performances in iconic films such as "On the Waterfront" and Alfred Hitchcock's "North by Northwest," has died at the age of 102. Her representative confirmed that she died of natural causes on Tuesday at her home in Los Angeles, surrounded by loved ones.
Saint earned the Academy Award for best supporting actress for her film debut in Elia Kazan's 1954 crime drama "On the Waterfront," portraying Edie Doyle, the love interest of Marlon Brando's character. Five years later, she took on the role of Eve Kendall, a seductive spy in Hitchcock's 1959 thriller "North by Northwest," starring opposite Cary Grant.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Saint initially aspired to be a teacher but developed a passion for acting. She trained in New York at the Herbert Berghof Studio and the Actors Studio, which was co-founded by Kazan. Her powerful portrayal in "On the Waterfront" launched her into Hollywood stardom. Recalling her experience working with method actor Marlon Brando, Saint told Turner Classic Movies in 2013 that she found him "adorable" but also "a little frightening," feeling he could "see right through me."
She received an Emmy Award in 1990 for her performance as a wealthy widow in the television miniseries "People Like Us."
Saint also appeared in "Exodus" (1960) alongside Paul Newman and played Warren Beatty's love interest in "All Fall Down." Following these roles, she stepped back from acting to focus on raising her family with director Jeffrey Hayden. The couple remained married for 65 years until Hayden's death in 2016.
In a notable return to the big screen decades later, Saint played Superman's adoptive mother in the 2006 blockbuster "Superman Returns." Her later film credits include "Winter's Tale" and "Mariette in Ecstasy." Saint, who has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, believed that her extensive life experience contributed to the depth of her acting.
"The longer you live, the smarter you get, because you've been around, you've seen things," she told TCM. "You've gone through different emotional experiences in your own life, and hopefully, you understand things better. And that makes you a better actress."
Saint is survived by her two children.