Person · Actor

Eva Marie Saint

A legendary actress navigates the highs and lows of a seven-decade career in Hollywood, all while confronting the challenges of aging and legacy in an ever-changing industry.

Born

July 4, 1924

From

Newark, New Jersey, USA

Height

1.63 m (5'4")

Also:
Actress
Producer

Credits on file

Decades active

Awards

In short · Acting since 1946, 9 decades active, 82 credits, 4 Chevalier Des Arts Et Des Lettre wins.

Known for

Ranked by community engagement + sustained interest across this person's credits in our database.

Now & next

2001
Award win
Chevalier Des Arts Et Des Lettres — Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres
1990
Award win
Primetime Emmy Award — Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
1954
Award win
Theatre World Award — Theatre World Award
1954
Award win
Academy Awards — Oscar — Actress in a Supporting Role

Biography

Eva Marie Saint, an actress and producer, was born on July 4, 1924, in Newark, New Jersey. She is known for her role in Elia Kazan's *On the Waterfront* (1954), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and for her performance in Alfred Hitchcock's *North by Northwest* (1959). Her filmography also includes *Raintree County* (1957), *Exodus* (1960), *The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming* (1966), *Grand Prix* (1966), *Nothing in Common* (1986), *Because of Winn-Dixie* (2005), *Superman Returns* (2006), and *Winter's Tale* (2014). Saint made her feature film debut in *On the Waterfront* (1954), starring Marlon Brando and directed by Elia Kazan, a performance that earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The film was a major success and launched her movie career. She starred in the pioneering drug-addiction drama *A Hatful of Rain* (1957) with Don Murray and Anthony Franciosa. She also starred in the lavish Civil War epic *Raintree County* (1957) with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. Director Alfred Hitchcock surprised many by choosing Saint over dozens of other candidates for the femme fatale role in what became the suspense classic *North by Northwest* (1959) with Cary Grant and James Mason. Written by Ernest Lehman, the film updated and expanded upon the director's early "wrong man" spy adventures of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, including *The 39 Steps* (1935), *Young and Innocent* (1937), and *Saboteur* (1942). *North by Northwest* (1959) became a box-office success and an influence on spy films for decades.