Ali MacGraw’s Amazing Life & Loves

Ali MacGraw is the quintessential America’s Sweetheart – a title that she will forever hold.  New actresses deemed the same will come and go, but Ali will keep that title for life.  She became iconic because of several things, one of which is her naturally beautiful face that no cosmetic surgeon could copy.  She starred in one of the most iconic film in Hollywood, Love Story. And she romanced one of the most famous actors in Hollywood, Steve McQueen.  Sadly their their love story ended in a nasty divorce.  Here is the amazing live and love story of the breathtakingly beautiful Ali MacGraw.

Know more about the life and loves of the incredible Ali MacGraw by clicking on the next pages…

Ali Went Ahead & Finished College

Ali MacGraw was the daughter of artists and money did not come easy for the family.  Nonetheless her parents were able to support her education with the limited finances they had, and Ali was able to attend the all girls prep school, Rosemary Hall, as a scholarship day student.  Because of her high grades, she received a college scholarship to Wellesley College, the same school that senator Hillary Clinton and journalist Diane Sawyer attended.

She Married Her College Sweetheart

When people who knew Ali speak of her, it is often accompanied by them recalling how gorgeous she was.  Friends from Wellesley College call her the perfect ‘Harvard Catch’.  She was indeed ‘caught’ by a Harvard fresh grad, Robin Hoen, the son of a prominent neurosurgeon. Sadly, the marriage did not last long, and the two got a divorce a year after getting married.  Ali only has kind words for her ex-husband, whom she refers to as someone terrific.  The actress blames herself for her failed marriage, saying she was ‘too young, horrible, and unprepared’.

Her Career Started in Fashion

Perhaps Ali was born to really be linked to fashion because the fashion icon started her career with the magazine, Harper’s Bazaar.  She became the secretary of the magazine’s bravura fashion editor, Diana Vreeland.  Later on, photographer Melvin Sokolsky took her from the magazine to become his stylist, a job that Ali admittedly truly enjoyed.  It was an upgrade, especially salary wise; Ali was able to deposit more money to her bank account monthly.

A Face the Camera Loves

With a face that radiates natural beauty, it was Ali MacGraw who started the ‘less is more’ look when it comes to makeup trends.  Her campaign shoot with Chanel bath products was a successful one, proving how the camera loves Ali’s face.  She was soon became a sought after model by photographers and she graced several ads and fashion magazines with her presence.

Her First Acting Break

Technically speaking, Ali MacGraw’s first acting break was not through a television show or film.  Rather, the iconic actress’ acting break came through the form of a TV commercial for Polaroid’s Swinger camera.  The first paycheck from acting she deposited to her bank account came from that commercial gig.  Surely people who watched her were captivated by her beauty.

Ali’s First Film

Ali’s first film role was not that big and relevant to the film itself, but it was at least a start.  Besides, it starred a major film star, Kirk Douglas.  The actress played the small part of Melody in A Lovely Way to Die.  The work may not have paid a lot of money but Ali was now exposed to the world of film.

Contemplating Her Film Career

Unlike other prominent actresses who started their careers early on, Ali was quite older when she began her film career,  29 years old to be precise. The lack of experience might have made Ali think twice about pursuing acting; she remembers always being nervous during filming.  The actress recalls that it took 30 takes for her to deliver an 8 word line in a movie.  She gained the confidence she needed when critics applauded her performance in her second film, Goodbye, Columbus.

Critics Finally Take Notice

Ali was relatively an unknown actress when she made Goodbye, Columbus.  But critics took notice of her performance, and the movie won her her first acting award.  Richard Benjamin, her co-star from the movie, remembers the time they were searching for the actress to play Ali’s part.  They went for a lunch break during audition day, and Benjamin saw a gorgeous woman get off the 79th Street crosstown bus and began walking towards Fifth Avenue.  He pointed the girl out to the film director – that girl, of course, being Ali.  Unlike some other stars who needed plastic surgery to improve their looks, Ali has always been a natural beauty.

The Movie that Made Her a Star

Ali MacGraw may have started her career late in Hollywood, but as it turns out her third film would catapult her to full stardom.  Ali played the character of music student Jenny Cavilleri, who falls in love with Oliver Barrett IV, a law student played by actor Ryan O’ Neal, in the film Love Story.  The movie was set in Harvard University, with the two main characters playing college students who fall in love with snow as their backdrop.  It is considered a classic today with an ending that’s tragic and heartbreaking.

Love Story was a Phenomenon

Love Story was a phenomenal success, breaking box office records and gaining multiple award nominations.  It’s the film that Ali is most known for until today, which also made her win a second Globe Globe award for best actress, and an academy award nomination.  More than anything, it broke the prevailing carnal revolution trend in movies that time, starting a new era of romance films in Hollywood.  It is said to be the movie that helped Paramount Pictures recover from the big financial slump it suffered, gaining so much money especially compared to its small production budget. Who would ever forget the famous line, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry”?

Extraordinary Chemistry

Producers of the film Love Story said some notable actors turned down the part of Oliver Barrett IV, while other known actors auditioned but they felt they were not right for the part.  When they saw Ryan O’ Neal’s works, they knew they found the right man for the job.  Ryan O’ Neal and Ali MacGraw’s chemistry was extraordinary, and it probably is one of the main reasons people fell in-love with the film.  The two remain to be friends even now, with Ali being vocal on how she enjoyed working with Ryan, even calling the experience an amazing one.

Becoming a Mother

In 1970, Ali MacGraw achieved what she calls her ‘greatest accomplishment’.  She became a mother to her son, Joshua, with second husband Robert Evans and focused her energy on becoming a dedicated mother to Joshua.   She may not have had a lot of money in her bank account at that time, but her time and devotion was enough to make her son grow feeling well-loved, helping him be the accomplished man he is today.

Her Own Childhood Was Not Happy

Ali came from humble beginnings, with parents being both struggling artists.  She recalls of a time where they lived in a home they shared with another family, with no doors for privacy, even sharing one bathroom.  She also sadly recalls how her father’s frustration led him to often beat her brother. This made Ali exert extra effort to be the ‘perfect girl’, reducing some of her father’s dissatisfactions in life.

Meeting Steve

When the role of Carol McCoy in the film The Getaway was offered to Ali, she declined the part.  She had just given birth to her son and she did not want to part with him yet.  The actor she would star opposite was Steve McQueen, who was probably the biggest movie star in America that time.  He was very particular in his request, he wanted the ‘actress who was in Love Story’ to play his love interest.  Ali’s husband was no help either, instead of supporting Ali’s rejection of the movie; he insisted she do it because it would be good for her career.  Robert Evans had no idea he was egging on his wife towards a direction that would end in their divorce.

Reel and Real Life Chemistry

When Steve McQueen specifically requested for Ali McGraw to star opposite him even without meeting her first, it’s an indication there was already some fascination on his part.  When Ali saw him for the first time in her house when Steve visited them to speak about the movie, she clearly remembers his clear blue eyes and feeling ‘electrified’ just by looking at them.  It’s no surprise that as soon as they started filming The Getaway they immediately began an affair.  People from the sets recall how the two appeared to be falling for each other.

The End of Her Second Marriage

Falling for Steve did not let Ali immediately decide to call divorce lawyers to hasten the dissolution of her marriage to Robert Evans.  After filming for The Getaway wrapped up, the actress went home to Evans to try to save her marriage.  But Steve followed her, taking up residence near her, and even exchanging cars with a friend so the media will not detect him lingering around the area.  When it was very clear she could not live without Steve, Ali finally left her husband for the famous actor.

Getting Married for the Third Time

Steve and Ali along with their children – Ali has Joshua and Steve has a son and a daughter with his first wife – all lived in a beachfront home in Malibu.  Steve and Ali one day decided to bring their kids in Cheyenne, Wyoming, staying in a hotel room in Holiday Inn.  On July 11, 1973, the two famous movie stars said their ‘I dos’ in a public park there, with their children as witnesses.   With her hope of being married forever to Steve, Ali made the mistake of signing a prenuptial agreement that says she will not get any money in case their marriage will end up in a divorce.

Her Life with Steve

All marriages start blissful and that’s what happened to Steve and Ali.  During their marriage, Ali allegedly witnessed Steve’s struggle with substance abuse and regular cheating with other women.  The actress recalls that the actor had a suite room in the Beverly Wilshire Hotel where stayed in whenever they would have a fight.  One of the many regrets the actress had later on was not going to that hotel room and fighting for her husband.

The Sacrifices She Made for Steve

Why Ali MacGraw decided to put her career on hold while being married to Steve, no one will ever understand.  She was the biggest female box office star at that time.  She stopped working so naturally she stopped earning money.  Some people who were witness to the relationship said that the Ali they saw was not the Ali they were familiar with.  She was often asked to bring Steve his dinner and beer, and when film people went to visit the actress with a probable movie offer, her husband would usually embarrass her in-front of everyone.  Ali was described by friends as being too kind and too giving to a fault.

Why She Decided to End Her Third Marriage

Eventually Ali decided to go back to acting, accepting a role opposite actor Kris Kristofferson in the film, Convoy.  Steve did not like Ali’s choice, and their marriage suffered.  The two eventually tried to save the relationship by taking off to Montana, just the two of them.  However  it was reported that Steve set a dinner date with a friend of his, who had an Italian companion, who Ali conversed with through the night because she knew Italian.  Steve accused her of flirting with the Italian guy – this incident plus many others that showed her husband’s distrust and possessiveness towards her made Ali decide to end the marriage.

A Nasty Divorce

Because it was a decision that Steve McQueen did not agree to, it’s no surprise that his divorce from Ali would turn into a spiteful one.  Reports claim Ali was kicked out of the home they shared, while one of Steve’s girlfriends, Barbara Minty, moved in.  Steve eventually married Minty, and she became his last wife, before the actor succumbed to lung cancer in 1980.  Ali might not have had much money when she left Steve, but at least she gained a lot of her freedom back.

Back to Acting

Ali’s return to the movie screen was through the 1978 film Convoy.  Although fans missed seeing her in movie screens, it seemed they had moved on.  Her other films like Players and Just Tell Me What You Want were not met with much enthusiasm.  It may have been different if she was able to ride the momentum of Love Story’s success.

Ali’s Personal Struggles

What Ali MacGraw went through was not easy – after all, she did not have a happy childhood to begin with.  She suffered emotionally with her marriage to Steve McQueen, with his constant cheating and distrust towards her.  To add to that, she was unable to revive her career that used to be thriving well.  To cope with her depression, Ali turned to substance abuse and dependency on men.  With the help of friends, Ali checked in to a treatment center, the Betty Ford Clinic.  She described in detail her many struggles in her autobiography book, ‘Moving Pictures’.

Still one of the Most Beautiful Faces in the Industry

Ali MacGraw may be a great actress, but she is most prominent for having one of the most beautiful faces that graced movie screens.  No, she did not have a perfect face, in fact many says it’s her imperfections that made her more gorgeous.  Most people she met recall her ‘taking their breath away’ and we are not referring to just men.  Friends describe her as having a beautiful and kind soul, something that the camera was not able to capture perfectly   It’s the reason why photographers loved taking her pictures.  She was even name one of People magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People in the World in 1991, when she was already 52 years old.

Leaving California for New Mexico

Moving to a new place was a decision that Ali said was made because of two signs – a wildfire destroyed her California home and a friend she visited in Santa Fe convinced her to look at a house for sale in the area.  The move was one of the best decisions Ali has ever made in her life.  She loved that nobody recognized her, and in case someone did, that person was just sweet and gracious, nothing like the paparazzi she was used to in California.

The Fashion Icon Now Has Her Own Clothing Line

It does not come as a surprise that fashion keeps Ali MacGraw busy nowadays.  She did start her career in fashion and enjoyed every minute of it, plus she is one of the fashion icons that women globally look up to even today.  Ali now has her own clothing line, ali4ibu.  Besides making her bank account grow larger, the brand helps women around the world become independent and self-reliant. The materials used for ali4ibu’s products are said to come from 71 artisan groups that represent 34 nations all over the globe.

A Fashion Icon

When Ali MacGraw rose to fame in the 70s, all American women wanted to be her.  Aside from her natural, cosmetic surgery free beauty, she’s also admired for her great style.  She was, after all, worked in fashion right after graduating from college.  Ali MacGraw is a fashion icon that transcends many generations.  In fact, one of her biggest fans is fashion designer Michael Kors.  He gushed about her in one of his interviews, admitting that most of her designs are inspired by Ali’s character in the film Love Story, Jenny Cavilleri.

Uncanny Resemblance

Ali MacGraw has been always been vocal with her dislike for current celebrities who got famous for no reason (or talent) at all – which roughly translates to reality stars.  We wonder if she feels comfortable being compared to Keeping Up with the Kardashian’s star Kendall Jenner.  Their resemblance is uncanny; Kendall can pass as Ali’s granddaughter.  According to the reality star turned fashion model, her mom’s friends often tells her she looks a lot like Ali, which made her try to watch Love Story.  Unfortunately, she always falls asleep and never was able to finish the film.  We can imagine Ali reacting with a roll of her eyes as if saying “kids nowadays…”