Margot Kidder Farewell
Margott rose to fame as dogged reporter Lois Lane – and she was just as fierce in real life
Margot Kidder, who shot to fame as plucky news reporter Lois Lane opposite Christopher Reeve in Superman, is being hailed as a super woman after her death last week at the age of 69.
Known for her smoky voice, expressive eyes and assertive appeal, the actress was a staunch advocate for peace and the environment and a passionate activist for mental illness, having struggled with bipolar disorder most of her adult life.
Born Margaret Ruth Kidder in Canada in 1948, she got her start in acting at the age of 21 starring in several TV shows before being
cast as the lead in the 1973 cult horror film Sisters. From there, Margot’s career took off.
“She carved out a niche playing Lois Lane in Superman [1978], and she played her as a slightly flaky feminist who tweaked Clark Kent’s nose for news – but needed Superman’s saving in the end,” says a friend.
The actress remained close to co-star Christopher until his death in 2004.
“When you’re strapped to someone hanging from the ceiling for months and months, you get pretty darned close,” Margot once said. “He was such a huge part of my life.”
Margot starred in four Superman movies alongside Christopher. Then, in 1990, a serious car accident left her wheelchair-bound for nearly two years.
Six years later, Margot suffered a mental breakdown and disappeared for several days, before police found her hiding in the bushes behind a suburban house.
“She refused to hide and be ashamed, but instead
used this terrifying experience to create awareness for mental illness,” adds the insider.
“I’m not saying it’s all over,” Margot said after the incident in 1996. “I’m saying this is the pattern of my life. In three years I might be having another wig-out. I have no idea.”
Margot, who had a string of high-profile romances with the likes of director Steven Spielberg and former Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau, married and divorced three times.
In 1976, while married to her first husband, novelist Thomas Mcguane, Margot gave birth to her daughter Maggie. She later wed actor John Heard in 1979, but their marriage ended just six days later. Her third marriage, to French director Philippe de Broca in 1983, lasted a year, after which she said she preferred the company of her dogs.