Ali MacGraw: When Love for Steve McQueen Meant Giving Up Her Career

Ali MacGraw quickly became a Hollywood superstar but soon vanished from the spotlight. Now 84 years old, she lives in a small, remote town and is aging gracefully with her gray hair.

Ali MacGraw, born Elizabeth Alice MacGraw on April 1, 1939, in Pound Ridge, New York, is the daughter of Frances, an artist who worked at a school in Paris before settling in Greenwich Village, and Richard MacGraw, also an artist. Richard reportedly had childhood issues that made him somewhat different from others.

Richard MacGraw, Ali’s father, had a difficult childhood in an orphanage and ran away to sea at 16 before studying at an art school in Munich, Germany. Ali described her father as frightened and angry, never forgiving his real parents for abandoning him, which led him to spend his adult life suppressing his rage.

Ali’s family also faced financial struggles. They lived in a house on a wilderness preserve in Pound Ridge, sharing it with an elderly couple, which left them with little privacy. Ali recalled, “There were no doors; we shared the kitchen and bathroom with them. It was utter lack of privacy. It was horrible.”

Richard struggled to sell his paintings, leading to his frustration. This created a tense home environment, and Ali’s brother, Richard, often bore the brunt of their father’s anger. Ali recalled, “On good days he was great, but on bad days he was horrendous. Daddy would beat my brother up, badly. I was witness to it, and it was terrible.”

Growing up in an artistic family, Ali felt a strong desire to pursue a creative career herself. She earned a scholarship to the prep school Rosemary Hall and moved on to study at Wellesley College in Massachusetts in 1956.

At 22, Ali MacGraw moved to New York and landed her first job as an assistant editor at Harper’s Bazaar, where she worked closely with photographers. Fashion editor Diana Vreeland hired her as a “flunkie,” a role reminiscent of the dynamics portrayed in The Devil Wears Prada, with Ali recalling the demands of the job, saying, “It was ‘Girl! Get me a pencil!’”

After several months in her assistant role, fashion photographer Melvin Sokolsky recognized Ali’s striking looks and hired her as a stylist, offering her a better salary. She remained in that position for six years, solidifying her presence in the fashion industry.

Ruth Ansel, a former art director of Vanity Fair and Harper’s Bazaar, praised Ali’s impressive work ethic, recalling that she would arrive at the office by 8 a.m. and often stayed until 1 a.m. preparing for the next day.

While Ali excelled as a stylist, she was soon encouraged to step in front of the camera as a model. It didn’t take long for her to appear on magazine covers worldwide and in television commercials. This transition naturally led her to pursue a career in acting, marking the beginning of her journey in the film industry.

A few years earlier, Ali MacGraw had posed nude for the surrealist artist Salvador Dali. However, when Dali began to suck on her toes, she decided she would prefer to pursue a career as an actress rather than continue modeling.


Ali MacGraw transitioned from being an unknown stylist to a prominent figure in cinema, making a significant impact with her entrance. Although she had no formal training in acting, her natural beauty and authenticity captivated audiences.

After a small role in A Lovely Way to Die (1968), she starred in Goodbye, Columbus (1969), earning a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer – Female. The following year marked her big international breakthrough with Love Story.

Upon receiving the script, Ali was so moved that she wept twice, knowing she wanted a role in the film. She secured a meeting with producer Robert Evans, then head of production at Paramount Pictures, at the Beverly Hills Hotel’s Polo Lounge. Evans not only found her perfect for the role of Jenny, but he also fell in love with her. In Love Story, she acted alongside Ryan O’Neal, portraying a working-class college student in a film that became a massive hit.

Love Story was released in 1970 and quickly captured the hearts of audiences. It became the number one film in the United States and, at the time, ranked as the sixth highest-grossing movie in history in both the U.S. and Canada.

Ali MacGraw received an Academy Award nomination for her performance in Love Story, which also garnered five Academy Award nominations overall and earned her a second Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama.

During this time, film producer Robert Evans not only admired her talent on screen but also fell in love with her, and the couple married in 1969. They welcomed their son, Josh Evans, two years later.

Although Ali was the rising star of the 1970s, her marriage to Evans eventually came to an end. When Steve McQueen visited their home to invite her to co-star in The Getaway, the chemistry between them was immediate. Ali recalled, “I looked in those blue eyes, and my knees started knocking. I became obsessed.”

Ali MacGraw and Steve McQueen began an affair, leading her to leave Robert Evans and move in with McQueen in Malibu, taking her son Josh with her. Reflecting on their relationship, Ali described Steve as “this very original, principled guy who didn’t seem to be part of the system, and I loved that.”

Over time, Ali MacGraw came to understand that Steve McQueen had his own struggles. After being abandoned by his father, a 14-year-old Steve was sent to a school for delinquent children, which impacted his ability to trust women. Ali noted that this past significantly influenced his relationships.

Steve McQueen was not supportive of Ali MacGraw’s career, and he preferred that she stay home to raise their son. While Ali initially complied with his wishes, she eventually found his demands to be unacceptable in the long run.

Steve McQueen’s jealousy and possessiveness put a strain on Ali MacGraw’s independence. He would become explosive if she so much as looked at another man and insisted that she sign a prenuptial agreement, which stipulated that she would not seek anything in the event of a divorce. Ali complied with this agreement when they divorced in 1978.

She reflected on the limitations he imposed, saying, “I couldn’t even go to art class because Steve expected his ‘old lady’ to be there every night with dinner on the table.” Ali also noted that Steve’s preferences differed from her own, stating, “Steve’s idea of hot was not me. He liked blond bimbos, and they were always around.”

This period marked the beginning of a challenging time for Ali MacGraw. While filming Convoy in 1978, she arrived on set both drunk and high, which served as a wake-up call for her. Following this experience, she decided to quit drugs.

During this tumultuous period, many of Ali MacGraw’s films, including Players (1970) and Just Tell Me What You Want (1980), were unsuccessful. Reflecting on her struggles, Ali remarked to The Guardian, “It’s brutal for women,” expressing the challenges she faced when attempting to return to show business in the late 1970s.

Ali MacGraw expressed her frustration with the media and the fashion industry, saying, “I don’t think there’s a woman over 40 who’s ever been conspicuously in the spotlight who doesn’t get sick of the kind of questioning the media lays on you. It’s cruel.”

After her brief period as a Hollywood superstar, she transitioned to interior design but didn’t completely abandon her acting career. She appeared in the television miniseries The Winds of War (1983) and China Rose (1985). However, soon after, her life took a turn for the worse.

Ali MacGraw struggled to find work in film, leading her to feel useless and unfulfilled. She expressed that she didn’t feel complete without a partner, comparing the experience of being in love to “a drug high.”

Feeling alone and desperate, Ali MacGraw turned to heavy drinking. In 1986, she checked herself into the Betty Ford Clinic in California to seek help. She reflected on her struggles, saying, “The worst stuff happened when I drank. I lost my judgment; I fancied other women’s husbands.”

At the time of her rehabilitation, Ali MacGraw’s son, Josh Evans, was 15 and struggled to witness his mother’s suffering. After spending 30 days in group therapy, Ali emerged as a stronger person.

In 1993, another tragedy struck when her house in California was destroyed by a wildfire. This event prompted her to leave Los Angeles and relocate to a town near Santa Fe, New Mexico.

“I live in a little village north of Santa Fe, New Mexico called Tesuque,” Ali MacGraw shared last year. She noted that her neighbors do not view her as a former Hollywood star; instead, they appreciate her contributions to the community. For instance, she has been actively involved in volunteer work at the annual International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Although Ali MacGraw stepped away from acting for many years, she made a return to the stage in 2006 when she reunited with her Love Story co-star Ryan O’Neal in the Broadway adaptation of the Danish film Festen.

Since then, she has largely remained out of the spotlight but has devoted herself to animal rights activism and produced several successful yoga videos, channeling her energy into these passions over the past couple of decades.

In a 2019 interview with the Herald-Tribune, Ali MacGraw expressed her openness to new adventures and opportunities. She said, “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.”

Although Ali MacGraw stepped away from acting, her family remains connected to the industry. Her son, Josh Evans, has established himself as an actor and director, making a significant name for himself in Hollywood.

Being the son of Hollywood celebrities Robert Evans and Ali MacGraw came with its share of pressure for Josh Evans, who was born in January 1971. However, he had a strong desire to pursue a career in show business from an early age.

Despite being surrounded by the film industry, Josh Evans didn’t initially aspire to be an actor; it was more of a path that unfolded for him. His first job wasn’t in film, but in 1989, he landed a small role in Dream a Little Dream. Eager to pursue more opportunities, he took the initiative as a teenager and frequently visited the manager’s office to review the breakdowns of upcoming movie projects.

Josh Evans’s determination to break into the film industry led him to meet the acclaimed director Oliver Stone while Stone was working on Born on the Fourth of July, starring Tom Cruise. Eager to land a role, Josh recalled, “At the time, I just knew [Oliver Stone] from Platoon. There was a role for the little brother, and I wanted to play that part, so he got me a meeting with Oliver Stone.”

During their meeting, Oliver playfully asked Josh, “Oh, you think you look like Tom Cruise?” Despite recognizing the teasing tone, Josh replied confidently, “Yeah, I do.” Stone responded, “We’ll see what happens.” Four months later, Josh received a call to audition for the role and ultimately secured it, feeling the excitement and significance surrounding the film.

Since that breakthrough, Josh has built a successful career as both an actor and director, appearing in notable projects like the biographical film The Doors in 1991 and continuing to pursue work in both fields.

Josh Evans has directed eight films, including his 2015 project Death in the Desert, which starred Michael Madsen. However, when it comes to his preferences in filmmaking, he admits, “I am definitely more comfortable on the side of the camera that does not show myself.” This indicates his inclination toward directing rather than acting, where he prefers to work behind the scenes.

Josh Evans is open to acting if an intriguing opportunity arises, saying, “If an interesting opportunity presents itself, I am not opposed to it. I think there are other people out there who are more qualified and want it more than I do.” He distinguishes his passion for directing, expressing that he would happily direct and tell his own stories even without compensation, stating, “I would do that for free.” In contrast, he views acting as more of a job, though he admits that he enjoys it once he is involved in a project.

Josh Evans shares a striking resemblance to his mother, Ali MacGraw, particularly with his big, expressive eyes. After the passing of his father, Robert Evans, in 2019, the family cherishes the memories they made together, including the honor of celebrating Robert’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012.

Josh has been married twice and has a son named Jackson with his second wife, singer Roxy Saint. Ali MacGraw speaks fondly of her son, describing him as “my favorite human being on the planet” and appreciating his relationship with his partner, which is built on friendship and respect.

Both Ali and Josh take pride in their family and share hopes for their future, possibly even reuniting on a stage or film set.