1970’s Superman Actress Dead at 82

Hollywood is mourning the loss of a true icon.

Valerie Perrine, the unforgettable actress who lit up the screen in Superman and a string of 1970s classics, has died at the age of 82 after a long and grueling battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Her longtime partner, Stacey Souther, confirmed the heartbreaking news Monday, revealing Perrine passed away at her Beverly Hills home following complications tied to the illness she had fought since 2015.

“She faced Parkinson’s disease with incredible courage and compassion, never once complaining,” Souther said in a statement. “She was a true inspiration who lived life to the fullest. The world feels less beautiful without her.”

The devastating disease gradually stripped Perrine of her mobility—and eventually her ability to speak and eat—turning her final years into a quiet but courageous fight behind the scenes.

A fundraiser originally set up to help cover her medical care is now being redirected to funeral expenses, with loved ones asking fans to help fulfill her final wish: to be laid to rest at Forest Lawn Cemetery after years of exhausting her finances battling the disease.

Perrine was no ordinary Hollywood star.

She burst onto the scene in the 1970s with a bold, fearless persona that made her both a critical darling and a cultural lightning rod. She earned an Academy Award nomination for her role in Lenny (1974), along with a BAFTA for most promising newcomer and top honors at Cannes.

Her breakout roles included starring opposite Jeff Bridges in The Last American Hero and alongside Robert Redford in The Electric Horseman.

But for many fans, she’ll forever be remembered as the mischievous Eve Teschmacher in the original Superman films, where she famously teamed up with Gene Hackman’s Lex Luthor—before ultimately helping Christopher Reeve’s Man of Steel escape certain doom.

Off-screen, Perrine was just as groundbreaking.

She became the first actress to intentionally appear topless on television in the 1973 film Steambath—a move that cemented her status as a Hollywood rebel and feminist trailblazer. At the height of her fame, she was widely regarded as one of the industry’s ultimate sex symbols, even gracing the pages of Playboy multiple times.

The New York Times once described her as “a sensual Betty Boop,” capturing the unique blend of innocence and allure that made her unforgettable.

Still, her career wasn’t without turbulence.

Her role in the 1980 musical Can’t Stop the Music—later dubbed one of the worst films ever made—became a turning point. The film’s failure was so infamous it helped inspire the creation of the Golden Raspberry Awards.

“It ruined my career,” Perrine later admitted, revealing she left the U.S. for Europe in the aftermath.

Yet even with setbacks, her legacy never faded.

From Oscar-nominated performances to blockbuster fame and boundary-breaking moments on screen, Valerie Perrine carved out a place in Hollywood history that few could match.

Now, as tributes pour in, one thing is clear: her impact—both on and off the screen—won’t be forgotten anytime soon.