Actor Ali MacGraw Chose To Put Her Own Career On Hold For Steve McQueen
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.
While her relationship with McQueen was passionate, it was also tumultuous. McQueen, who had his own troubled past, was often controlling and possessive. He didn’t like that Ali had her own career and insisted that she give up work to stay home. Their marriage was marked by McQueen’s demands and jealousy, and it eventually ended in divorce in 1978.
Following her split from McQueen, Ali’s life took a downward spiral. She struggled with substance abuse, arriving on set for the film Convoy both drunk and high. Her addiction led her to quit drugs, but her career was also suffering. Several of her films during this time flopped, and the once-promising Hollywood star found herself at a crossroads.
Ali eventually decided to leave Hollywood behind and pursue a different path. She moved into interior design and took on only occasional acting roles, including appearances in the television miniseries The Winds of War (1983) and China Rose (1985). However, by the mid-1980s, Ali’s life had hit a low point. She felt lost and struggled with feelings of inadequacy, compounded by her addiction to alcohol.
In 1986, Ali made the courageous decision to check herself into the Betty Ford Clinic, where she spent 30 days undergoing therapy. Her son, Josh, who was 15 at the time, witnessed his mother’s struggles and supported her throughout her recovery. Ali emerged from the clinic stronger and more determined to live a healthier life.
Tragedy struck again in 1993 when a wildfire destroyed Ali’s home in California. This loss prompted her to relocate to Tesuque, a small village near Santa Fe, New Mexico. In her new home, Ali found peace and a sense of community. Her neighbors didn’t see her as a former Hollywood star but rather as a valuable member of the town who contributed through volunteer work, such as her involvement with the annual International Folk Art Market.
Although Ali left acting behind, she made a brief return to the stage in 2006, reuniting with her Love Story co-star Ryan O’Neal in the Broadway adaptation of the Danish film Festen. Outside of this brief foray, Ali has stayed out of the spotlight, focusing her energy on causes close to her heart, including animal rights and producing yoga videos.
Even as she enjoys her quiet life in New Mexico, Ali remains open to new experiences. In an interview in 2019, she expressed her ongoing curiosity and desire to stay creative. “I’m not happy when I’m not doing something creative,” she said, reflecting on the fulfillment she finds in her various endeavors.
Her son, Josh Evans, has followed in her footsteps, building a successful career as both an actor and director. Ali is proud of her son and cherishes the close bond they share. She often speaks fondly of her family and the joy they bring her, particularly her grandson, Jackson, who was born in 2010.
Ali MacGraw’s journey from Hollywood star to a quiet life in New Mexico is a testament to her resilience and strength. She has faced personal and professional challenges but has emerged as a woman who values creativity, community, and family above all else. Her story serves as an inspiration, showing that life can take unexpected turns, but with grace and determination, one can find peace and fulfillment.
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The ‘World’s Dirtiest Man’ did not shower for 67 years
There are billions of people in this world and most of them live lives that are so vastly different than ours that it can be hard to imagine. This is one such story, the story of a man who lived life very differently.
Keep reading to learn more.
Taking a shower or bathing is something that carries across cultures for most people. While people disagree with how many times a week one should shower, the idea that it is something that should happen regularly remains the same.
But Amou Haji had a different idea. He decided to forgo a shower for 67 years. And according to the late Persian man, he had his serious reasons for doing so.
Amou Haji lived in Iran and was a hermit who did not bathe for over 60 years. He was known to have feasted on roadkill and was also said to have smoked animal dung from a pipe.
He hailed from the village of Dez Gah in Iran and was thought to have been born in 1928. While his real name was not known, people referred to him as ‘Amou Haji’ which means ‘old man.’
There is a rumor about him that explains why he became a hermit; he experienced a heartbreak in his life. He was said to have lived in a cinderblock home on the outskirts of the village, and people did not mind his presence.
The only ‘hygiene’ he paid attention to was to burn off the hair on his head and beard with fire once he felt like they were growing too long. His skin and hair were a uniform grey color.
He lived to be a whopping 94 years old, and people agreed that despite his questionable hygiene, he seemed pretty healthy throughout his years.
While it was speculated that the old timer had a fear of water, it was not the case when it came to drinking it. He was said to have drank up to 5 liters a day from a dirty tin can.
Before dying at the age of 94 in 2022, Amou Haji was known as the ‘World’s Dirtiest Man.’ He lived in a cinder block shack and had not bathed with water or soap for over 60 years.
Haji’s other peculiar habits were well documented, which included consuming roadkill, smoking a… pic.twitter.com/7yDmRdP5OC
As for his diet, he preferred to scavenge for his own food. While people offered him fresh food, he would routinely choose to go and find his own. He even said he preferred roadkill, his favorite being porcupine. He was rumored to eat the roadkill he found completely raw, no matter how rotten, dirty, or old the meat seemed.
He also had a pipe in which he smoked animal dung. He was also rumored to be a fan of cigarettes and was once pictured smoking multiple of them at a time.
While he had questionable hygiene and a concerning diet, he was reportedly healthy despite all of that. In fact, he died at the age of 94 years old, a few months after villagers had managed to convince him to take a bath.
Dr. Gholamreza Molavi at Tehran University of Medical Sciences School of Public Health had conducted tests on the old man before he passed away. Surprisingly, they found that he had good health despite his dirty lifestyle.
He had, however, contracted trichinosis, a parasitic food-borne disease. Considering he was fond of eating roadkill, this was not surprising. However, it did not affect his health in any substantial way.
The life of Amou Haji is undoubtedly fascinating. What did you think while reading about his life? Let us know in the comments! Share this fascinating story with others as well.
Terri Irwin confirms Steve didn’t think he’d have long life
It’s incredible to think it’s now been 16 years since we lost Steve Irwin.
The zookeeper changed the game with respects to the way the world saw dangerous animals. He was a pioneer of his field, and the earth was robbed of a truly decent human being when he passed away, doing what he loved, at the young age of 44.
Now, more than a decade on, his wife Terri Irwin has opened up with a confession Steve once made to her that could prove a shock to some …
Terri Irwin recently sat down for an interview with Australian television series “Anh’s Brush With Fame”, only for the conversation to take a surprising turn.
When the interviewer touched upon Steve’s untimely death, Terri replied: “He never thought he’d have a long life. He always kind of had this sense his life would be cut short.”
Sadly, Steve was accurate in his prediction. The much-loved TV host was filming for “Ocean’s Deadliest” in Queensland, Australia, when he was killed by the barb of a sting ray.
Following the incident, Terri was told to call her zoo manager. She recalls the moment she found out her husband had passed away.
“I just remember this incredible sense of responsibility, this feeling of overwhelming grief but ‘what do I do next? I kind of collected my thoughts and then had to go out to the car and tell Bindi and Robert … which was really hard.”
Once the news of Steve’s passing got out, Terri Irwin admits she was left stunned by the overwhelming levels of support.
“No one would’ve been more surprised than Steve at the outpouring of grief and love,” she said.
“Famous wasn’t a word that occurred to Steve. I loved that about him, he was never pretentious, never big-noted himself, and we did put everything we made for wildlife and still do back into conservation, I’m really proud of that.”
Once word spread of Steve’s passing, media sources were quick to distribute it around the globe. Millions of people were left to mourn the national treasure, who was known for his extreme commitment to improving education and awareness concerning animals of all kinds.
The world may move on, but we’ll never forget Steve Irwin.
Were you a fan of the ‘Crocodile Hunter’? If so, share this article on Facebook and help us honor his memory.
Michael J. Fox ate food from dumpsters before becoming iconic actor
Michael J Fox. Credit / Getty Images
Life hasn’t been easy for Michael J. Fox of late.
The much-loved actor has been locked in a battle with Parkinson’s disease for many decades now, and as one can imagine, that’s not a fight that gets easier with time.
But did you know that Michael’s childhood was quite tough – and he faced significant challenges when trying to break through in Hollywood.
Overall, Michael J. Fox’s life has been a great success – even though his Parkinson’s Disease has taken its toll on him.
First of all, Michael’s upbringing was pretty unusual.
Born on June 9, 1961, in Edmonton, Canada, he grew up with a father who worked in the Canadian Armed Forces, and therefore, the family moved around a lot.
Michael’s mom was a payroll clerk, so she had a steady job – but Michael grew upp in a typical blue-collar home. Finally, the family settled in Burnaby, British Columbia, and Michael J. Fox found his passion for acting in junior high.
He joined the Drama division at school, and it was evident he was a talented actor. Per his website, his theater teacher encouraged him to audition for a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation series, Leo & Me, and Fox got the part.
He got several roles on television and, at the same time, worked at the local theater in Vancouver. Michael J. Fox had decided that acting was his call in life at that point. At the age of 17, he packed his bags to pursue an acting career in Los Angeles.
“I knew that if I wanted to be someone, I couldn’t just sit on my parents’ porch and think, ‘Boy, if I was only born in the States and my parents had money and weren’t living paycheck to paycheck, I could do something with my life,’” he said.
Fox dropped out of high school, and his parents always supported his big dreams. His father even drove him all the way to Los Angeles. Speaking on LIVE with Kelly and Mark recently, Fox said he still doesn’t know how he convinced his father to do it.
“I told him that I wanted to go to Los Angeles, I knew I wanted to go to the United States, I knew I wanted to be an actor. My father, I know, thought I was a hippie. He looked me in the eyes and said, ‘If you want to be a lumberjack, you might as well go to the forest.’ So he got me in the car and drove me to California,” Michael J. Fox recalled.
Making it big in Tinseltown, though, was easier said than done. Michael didn’t have the best starting point; he came from a working-class family and didn’t have much wealth to his name.
“I was living on the margins. I was 18 years old, with no money, no connections, literally dumpster diving for food,” he told Variety in 2023.
Fox fulfilled his dream of becoming an actor, and after only a few years, he got one of his most memorable roles. He was cast as Alex P. Keaton on the comedy series Family Ties, which became one of the biggest comedy series on television.
Not long afterward, he landed other parts, including his legendary role as Marty McFly in Back to the Future.
In 2022, he revealed his mother never supported him taking on the role in Back to the Future. And it seems like she had good reason not to support it either.
When he got the role, he was already working during the day on Family Ties. He revealed when he told his mother about the role in the movie, she advised against it. The actor recalled their exchange, “I was 23 years old, and I called her, she was in Canada, and I said, ‘They want me to do this Steven Spielberg movie, but I have to do it at night and I have to do Family Ties in the daytime.’ And she said, ‘You’ll be too tired.’”
Michael J Fox, circa 1980. (Photo by Getty Images)
But he went on to admit that his mother might have been right, he said, “I live for this kind of tired. It’ll be okay,” he had said to his mom, “To this day — well, till two weeks ago — my mother thought it was a really bad idea for me to do Back to the Future. She loved the movie, [but she was right], I got tired.”
On the set of Family Ties, he met Tracy Pollan. They were cast as each other’s love interests on the show. Sparks were only on-screen at the time, but a few years later, they’d reunite and fall in love.
Even so, Michael J. Fox already had a crush on Tracy while working on Family Ties.
“I developed a crush on her right away. When she left the show – the day she left the show, we were in the parking lot getting into our respective cars. She was getting into a rented Volkswagen, and I was getting into my Ferrari. And she called me over and said she wanted to play me a song.
Actor Michael J. Fox poses for a portrait circa 1982 in Los Angeles City. (Photo by Dianna Whitley/Getty Images)
“She played me a James Taylor song called That’s Why I’m Here, which was ostensibly about John Belushi. And one of the lines was, ‘John’s gone, found dead, died high. He’s brown bread, later said to have drowned in his bed. After the laughter, the wave of dread, it hits us like a ton of lead. That’s why we’re here,’” Fox recalled in an interview with NPR.
Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan tied the knot in 1988. They welcomed four children: Sam Michael Fox (born in 1989), twins Schuyler Frances and Aquinnah Kathleen (1995), and Esmé Annabelle (2001).
By the way, did you know that Michael Fox didn’t initially have the “J” in his name? Once in Hollywood, he attempted to join the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), the labor union for film and television workers worldwide. However, when applying, he saw that there was another member named “Michael Fox.”
Therefore, Fox added a middle initial to his name, choosing “J” as an homage to his favorite actor, Michael J. Pollard.
Michael J. Fox, holding hands with his wife, Tracy Pollan, and his son, Sam, at the Kids for Kids benefit. (Photo by Mitchell Gerber/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)
Michael J. Fox officially retired from acting in 2020 at 60 years old and having just starred as Louis Canning in CBS’s legal drama “The Good Fight”, a spin-off to “The Good Wife” where his character first appeared.
“I reached the point where I couldn’t rely on my ability to speak on any given day, which meant I couldn’t act comfortably at all anymore. So, last year I gave it up,” he said of his decision to retire, as per Good Morning America.
When Fox was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease he reportedly started drinking heavily. Thankfully, he stopped, sought help and was brave enough to disclose his condition in 1998. Since then he has been a strong advocate and inspiration to those battling with the disease.
Since 2000, the Michael J. Fox Foundation has raised more than $750 million to help find a cure for Parkinson’s.
Michael J. Fox attends red carpet for the Tribeca Talks – Storytellers – 2019 Tribeca Film Festival at BMCC Tribeca PAC on April 30, 2019 in New York City.
Michael J. Fox’s life is a testament to the power of perseverance and resilience.
Despite hailing from a humble working-class background and facing numerous obstacles along the way, Fox rose to become an iconic figure in the entertainment industry. His story reminds us that with determination, hard work, and unwavering passion for our dreams, we can overcome any challenge.
So let’s celebrate Michael J. Fox not only for his remarkable talents but also for his inspiring journey that continues to inspire countless individuals worldwide.