Ali MacGraw, a name that once dominated the Hollywood scene, became a superstar almost overnight. Her rise to fame was meteoric, but her withdrawal from the limelight was equally swift. Today, at the age of 84, she has left the world of show business behind and found peace in a small, remote town. Her graceful aging, complete with her silver hair, reflects a woman who has embraced her journey and found contentment outside the fame and fortune that once defined her.
Born Elizabeth Alice MacGraw on April 1, 1939, in Pound Ridge, New York, Ali came from a family of artists. Her mother, Frances, was a creative spirit, working both as an artist and a teacher. Her father, Richard, also pursued art but carried with him the emotional scars of a traumatic childhood spent in an orphanage. Richard’s difficult past often manifested in anger, which impacted his family life. Ali recounted how her father never forgave his biological parents for abandoning him, and much of his adult life was marked by the suppression of his rage. Despite the emotional turmoil within their family, Ali and her brother, Richard Jr., grew up in a somewhat unconventional household. Money was scarce, and they lived on a wilderness preserve in Pound Ridge, sharing a house with an elderly couple. This living arrangement lacked privacy, which Ali later described as unbearable. Her mother took on various commercial art assignments to keep the family afloat, while her father struggled to sell his paintings. His frustration often boiled over, and her brother became the target of his anger. Ali remembers the pain of witnessing her father’s violent outbursts, which left deep emotional scars. Despite these challenges, Ali was determined to carve out a creative career for herself. She earned a scholarship to the prestigious Rosemary Hall, a prep school, and later attended Wellesley College in Massachusetts. By the age of 22, Ali moved to New York City, where she landed her first job as an assistant editor at Harper’s Bazaar. It was a time of excitement and discovery for the young Ali, who was immersed in the fast-paced world of fashion. Her work in the fashion industry started modestly, but soon her beauty caught the eye of photographer Melvin Sokolsky. He encouraged her to transition from behind the camera to in front of it, and Ali’s modeling career took off. She appeared on magazine covers and in television commercials, and her natural beauty and elegance quickly made her a sought-after model. This exposure led to her inevitable entry into the world of acting. Ali’s acting debut came in the film A Lovely Way to Die in 1968, but it was her next role in Goodbye, Columbus (1969) that catapulted her to stardom. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer. However, it was her role in the 1970 film Love Story that solidified her status as a Hollywood icon. Playing Jenny, a working-class college student, Ali delivered a performance that resonated with audiences around the world. The film became a massive success, and Ali received both an Academy Award nomination and a second Golden Globe for her work. Despite her newfound fame, Ali’s personal life was equally dramatic. She married film producer Robert Evans in 1969, and the couple welcomed their son, Josh, two years later. However, their marriage was short-lived. During the filming of The Getaway in 1972, Ali met actor Steve McQueen, and the two began an affair. Ali eventually left Evans to be with McQueen, moving to Malibu with her young son.