Just days after celebrating her 104th birthday on July 1, classic film star, Olivia de Havilland, has died. In a statement shared by her publicist, Lisa Goldberg to the Hollywood Reporter Sunday afternoon, the Academy-Award winning actress reportedly died peacefully in her sleep of natural causes on Saturday. Goldberg further stated how de Havilland was at her home in Paris, where she has reportedly lived for over six decades, despite her deep roots in the American entertainment industry.
With a career spanning changes to the medium of filmmaking itself and tectonic shifts in the industry, de Havilland remained a pillar of the industry, beaming with integrity and fearlessly speaking truth to power. Known for several classic movie roles in her time that earned her two Oscars, including 1949’s The Heiress and 1947’s To Each His Own, de Havilland sprung to silver screen fame in the 1930s as Errol Flynn’s love interest in the swashbuckling adventure films, Captain Blood and The Adventures of Robin Hood.
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In the late ’70s and early ’80s, she transitioned to television, winning a Golden Globe Award for her starring role in the TV movie Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna. However, even by then, she spent most of her time in Paris, France, leading a relatively private life. Her last on-screen role was 1988 in The Woman He Loved with Jane Seymour.
Since hearing of her death, fans of the Hollywood star and silver screen legend took to social media with a plethora of heartfelt tributes, detailing stories of meeting her, working with her, and others who were just as affected by her performances in an illustrious filmography. Scroll through to see how de Havilland is being remembered today and always.
#oliviadehavilland , star of a bygone Hollywood age has died aged 104. She had a storied career ,winning best actress @TheAcademy awards for To Each His Own & The Heiress. To many though , she’ll be remembered as kind-hearted Melanie in Gone With the Wind.#RIP pic.twitter.com/W20CPhiIMR
— Baz Bamigboye (@BazBam) July 26, 2020
Among Hollywood’s golden-era stars who were still with us, Olivia de Havilland shined above all. Beyond the glamour of her work there also was grit: In 1943 she fought Warner Bros. and won, preventing studios from tying actors to endless contracts; the law is named for her. pic.twitter.com/Nnfx9JthUO
— Laurie Brookins (@StyleWriterNYC) July 26, 2020
She’s gone. Olivia de Havilland has gone. Showing, to the very end, the grit with which she took on the Hollywood studio system and won. I had one of the most perfect days of my life in her company. Sitting on that chaise, eating macaroons and gossiping about Errol Flynn. pic.twitter.com/W4btrdROpQ
— Matthew Sweet (@DrMatthewSweet) July 26, 2020
Goodbye to Olivia de Havilland. pic.twitter.com/jDx7nzDiSN
— Benjamin Dreyer (@BCDreyer) July 26, 2020
Olivia de Haviland worked closely with costume designer Walter Plunkett during the filming of GWTW. She wanted her costumes and hairstyles to be authentic to the 1860s & insisted that Melanie, her character, should have handmade and knitted all her clothing during the Civil War pic.twitter.com/D4HDV2MwpM
— Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones (@LloydLlewJ) July 26, 2020
I am gutted, acting legend and Hollywood starlet, Olivia de Haviland has died today. She outlived everyone on the cast and crew of Gone With the Wind at 104 years old! We shall miss you, RIP! pic.twitter.com/YKrfFLNGR0
— BelleCliffe (@BellePCliffe) July 26, 2020
Vale Olivia de Haviland. What a lot of fascinating life she led! pic.twitter.com/G0DAfHqJiE
— Ms D 🌈 (@msdwrites) July 26, 2020
Olivia de Haviland RIP. Not familiar & wondering which of her great movies to watch? Watch THE HEIRESS!! And do not allow yourself to be spoiled first. You’ll see. pic.twitter.com/4LfwiyMXE8
— Peaches 🦨💨 (@MrsAlSwearengen) July 26, 2020
R.I.P. Olivia de Haviland. 104 a wonderful life. The Snake Pit was my introduction to her. pic.twitter.com/louHWWEAg5
— 😷Kristi with an 👁 😷mask up (@xenateach) July 26, 2020
I’ve seen many of her movies, The Snake Pit and The Heiress are some of my favorite from her, but I was first introduced to her as Melanie Hamilton. Gone with the Wind is one of my favorite movies, Olivia de Haviland is a fucking legend. She will be missed. 😭💕 pic.twitter.com/1UqSPEQu5t
— marc hamasaki 🔮🌸 (@marchamasaki) July 26, 2020
Olivia De Haviland, age 104 cycles every day. pic.twitter.com/y1BBy7qmxS
— Tom Cooper (@NashvilleSpokes) July 26, 2020
Olivia de Haviland was a great screen presence who left a wonderful body of work–The Heiress, Snake Pit, Captain Blood, Robin Hood–so, so much more than GWTW Rest in peace, lady.
— Jacqueline Pollard (@JAPollard1) July 26, 2020
We at A Fistful of Film are saddened to hear of the passing of Olivia de Havilland at age 104. One of Golden Age Hollywood’s most radiant stars whose performances are at heart of some of the finest films in cinema history. May she rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/da05EPlka0
— A Fistful of Film (@afistfuloffilm) July 26, 2020
We at TCM are saddened to hear that beloved film icon and one of the last remaining stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Olivia de Havilland has passed away. Our friends at @THR remember her here: https://t.co/tpoyYAT9Ya pic.twitter.com/xqCLV8WxeD
— TCM (@tcm) July 26, 2020
