This Forgotten ’70s Star Feels "Very Blessed" After Leaving Hollywood at the "Height" of Her Career

Oct 15, 2025 by apost team

When you think of the unforgettable stars who defined 1970s cinema, one particular actress stands out for her grace, talent, and impact both on and off the screen. She first caught the world’s attention in a coming-of-age film that earned her widespread acclaim, then solidified her place in Hollywood history with a heartbreaking romantic drama that became a cultural touchstone.

Before her rise to stardom, she worked behind the camera as a photographic assistant and later transitioned into modeling, where her natural elegance made her a sought-after face. Her talent and charisma led her to win two Golden Globe Awards and earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. She was even celebrated in Hollywood’s iconic Grauman’s Chinese Theater, her hands and feet forever set in cement—a true mark of stardom. In 1972, she was recognized as the top female box-office star in the world.

Her life, however, wasn’t without hardship. Growing up in a challenging environment, she later battled addiction to alcohol and other substances. Through perseverance, rehabilitation, and the unwavering support of loved ones, she achieved lasting sobriety and became an outspoken advocate for mental health and recovery.

She’s also dedicated much of her life to animal welfare, serving as an ambassador for organizations that protect and care for animals across Asia. Now in her 80s, she remains a symbol of timeless beauty and resilience, a woman whose journey from vulnerability to strength continues to inspire.

The icon is none other than Ali MacGraw. In detail, she was born on Apr. 1, 1939 – on April Fool's Day. Her parents were artists, and she was en route to an art career of her own at Wellesley College. MacGraw's mother was Jewish. Her mother had kept her ancestry hidden from MacGraw's father, who was suspected of being anti-semitic. MacGraw's father had a tough childhood. He grew up in an orphanage and ran away when he was just 16 years old. He studied art in Munich, Germany, and later moved to the United States. MacGraw claims he never really got over his parents abandoning him as a child. 

MacGraw recounted her childhood in an interview with Vanity Fair in 2010 and described her old family life as "horrible." Together with her brother and her parents, MacGraw lived in a doorless house on a Pound Ridge wilderness preserve with an elderly couple with whom they had to share the kitchen and bathroom. Her mother, Frances, supported them with commercial art assignments, which made her father — "the real artist," according to her mother — feel emasculated as he never sold any of his paintings. MacGraw recalled her father:

"On good days he was great, but on bad days he was horrendous."

MacGraw would consciously try to be the mediator and peacemaker in her family, saying she "put all (her) energy into trying to correct the chaos in their life." She landed the coveted role of assistant editor at Harper's Bazaar after graduation, where she earned $54 a week, and later worked as a photographer's assistant. During her stint as a photographer's assistant, she was headhunted to be a model herself after somebody at her work decided she was far too beautiful to be kept hidden behind the lens.

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Despite her humble beginnings, MacGraw was a hard worker and made a name for herself in the fashion and film industries. MacGraw started fronting magazines and TV commercials worldwide, one of her more notable works being the beach girl in the Polaroid Swinger camera ads during the 1960s. One other popular commercial from that time was for International Paper. 

MacGraw burst into the film industry shortly after, starring in the 1969 movie "Goodbye, Columbus," her debut. Her work in the film earned her the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer. She went on to star in numerous other movies that became classics, such as "Love Story," "The Getaway," where she starred opposite Steve McQueen, and the 1974 production of "The Great Gatsby."

In 1969, MacGraw married film producer Robert Evans, best known for his work on “Rosemary’s Baby" and "The Godfather." The two went on to have a son, Josh Evans. Josh also works as an actor, director, producer, and screenwriter in the entertainment industry. The couple divorced in 1972 after it came to light that MacGraw had an affair with McQueen while filming "The Getaway." McQueen and MacGraw married in 1973 and had a tumultuous relationship. 

However, MacGraw did not stop searching for love. The actress described her “chemical” chemistry with the actor to PEOPLE in 2018:

"This was a man who could walk into any room and (any) man, woman and child would go, 'Whoa, what's that?' And I was no exception. He was incredibly attractive most of the time but there was also danger, there was a bad boy there." 

However, the couple’s dynamics regarding family life were different back then, and it became a conflict for MacGraw. MacGraw recalled to AARP Magazine:

"At the time, he was the biggest movie star in the world, and he didn't want me to work, so I essentially quit making movies and took care of my child (Josh).”

Ultimately, the couple divorced in 1978 after five years. According to Vanity Fair, MacGraw did not receive "a dime's worth of settlement" from the divorce. she told Town and Country Magazine, as quoted by The Daily Mail:

“I had a romantic, ‘Aren’t I a good girl?’ take on divorce, but the truth is that was stupid.”

She continued: “When one stops working at the height of one’s career, it’s just stupid not to say, ‘I want to make sure I have a house.’’ Her autobiography "Moving Pictures" detailed more of MacGraw's personal life, including her tumultuous relationship with McQueen. According to PEOPLE, it was a very labor-intensive project that took the actress nearly two years to write the book. She said: "I've worked harder on this than on anything."

MacGraw continued: "So much that I've done has been perceived as facile. This I want to be real." One of the difficult parts of their relationship was McQueen's expectations for his wife, which did not involve a successful film career. MacGraw confessed:

"I couldn't even go to art class because Steve expected his 'old lady' to be there every night with dinner on the table."

As she reflected later on, MacGraw reminisced about the times she had spent with her ex-husband: "I wish we had both grown old sober. There were wonderful days and dreadful days. I'm not a victim in any way." MacGraw explained: 

"There were many times that were just wonderful and there were many times that were just ghastly."

According to AARP, MacGraw's days are a routine of tranquil activities that begin before sunrise. She is surrounded by her animals, often does pilates and yoga, and goes on a walk every day, which she says is her "meditation." She also dedicates "45 minutes of gratitude for all (she has) been given." The icon has lived in New Mexico since 1994, when her home in Malibu, California, burned down in a wildfire.

After that tragedy, MacGraw went to stay with some friends outside of Santa Fe and became totally enamored with the state. She told the Herald-Tribune: "I love as you go further up in New Mexico where there is no one, the landscape is completely jaw-dropping — the sky, the clean air, endless miles of vista." In the same interview, MacGraw added:

"One of the lucky things for someone my age is that I'm open and curious. There's not just one thing I love to do and feel bereft if I can't. But I know that I'm not happy when I'm not doing something creative."

In an interview with The Daily Mail in 2012, MacGraw revealed that she hadn’t made a living at all ever since she stepped away from the limelight. She shared:

“I’m much more famous than I am rich, but I’m able to scale back my lifestyle. I know a lot of people who were where I was who can’t imagine living any simpler, but I haven’t got a lot of expensive wants.”

Despite being in her 80s, MacGraw stays busy with her activism. According to the Herald Tribune, MacGraw has also served as an ambassador for the women's world fashion line Ibu Movement. She also received the Humane Education Award from Animal Protection of New Mexico for her extensive work as an animal rights advocate. MacGraw may be most famous for her acting, but her lifelong dedication to helping animals deserves just as much recognition. As MacGraw grows older, she thinks differently about life. She told The Sydney Morning Herald: 

"In November, I started to wake up in the middle of the night thinking, 'Oh my god, I'm going to be 80. The rest of the trip is so short compared to the one behind me.' I'd never felt like that before.”

MacGraw came to terms with getting older and embraced the subject thanks to her friend and journalist, Gloria Steinem. MacGraw said emphatically in her interview with the Sydney Morning Herald: "I love Gloria Steinem's remark – she's my age, and a friend – when somebody said to her, 'Wow, Gloria, you look great for 40.' She said, 'This is what 40 looks like.' And I thought, 'This is what 80 looks like.'" MacGraw is living life away from the glitz of Hollywood. She settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for a quieter life. Reflecting on her big move, she told PEOPLE:

“I used to re-write the past, fantasize about the future. But now, I believe in living fully to the very best of my ability. I feel very blessed.”

Are you a fan of Ali MacGraw? What can you say about her decision to step away from her career and become an activist? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other loved ones out there!