This is what Jenny from Love Story looks like today.

Few films have ever touched hearts like Love Story. And that was thanks not only to Ryan O’Neal, but also to its leading lady, Ali MacGraw. Here’s what she’s doing today.

Romantic movies are a dime a dozen — but even 55 years later, one film still lingers in the hearts of many: Love Story, the tale of two college students whose love story had generations reaching for tissues. The film premiered in 1970.

“Love Story”: The film was released in theaters in 1970. (Source: Imago images / courtesy Everett Collection)

A heartbreaking story about an unlikely couple: Oliver (played by Ryan O’Neal) comes from East Coast old money and addresses his father as “Sir.” Jenny (Ali MacGraw) comes from a working-class background. Her father, whom she affectionately calls Phil, makes humble pies for a living.

Oliver studies law, Jenny studies music. They fall in love and become a couple — only for fate to deliver a devastating ending. The line “Love means never having to say you’re sorry” has echoed in fans’ minds for decades. Love Story, produced on a modest budget of just $2.2 million, earned over $130 million worldwide and owes much of its success to its two stars. How many children were named Oliver and Jennifer because of this film? How many couples found inspiration in those moments of love? Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw became overnight sensations and both were nominated for Oscars for their roles — though neither took home the award.

Success That Didn’t Last

Major success after Love Story never quite came. Today, Ali MacGraw celebrates her 86th birthday. Over the years, she appeared in just five or six more films. She remained more loyal to television — even making a brief appearance in Dynasty. Eventually, she stepped back from the entertainment industry entirely, left Hollywood, and turned her focus to books and yoga.

Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw played the leading roles in “Love Story”. (Source: Imago images / Cinema Publishers Collection)

Her love life in the 1960s and 1970s was marked by ups and downs. She was married three times. Her first marriage was to Robin Martin Hoen, which ended in divorce after two years. She then married film producer Robert Evans, with whom she has a son.

Ali MacGraw is now 86 years old. (Source: Imago images)

“A Part of Me Died”

Ali later married actor Steve McQueen. The two were said to have incredible chemistry. “Most of the time, he was incredibly attractive, but he also had a dangerous side — he could be a ‘bad boy,’” she once told People magazine.

Ali MacGraw and Steve McQueen were a couple in the 1970s. (Source: Imago stock & people)

McQueen was nine years older than her and wanted her to stay at home — he didn’t want her acting anymore. “A part of me died,” she admitted. She gave up her career for Steve McQueen. When she eventually accepted another role, the marriage ended in 1977. A few years later, McQueen died of cancer. Ali MacGraw has not remarried since.

Ryan O’Neal Passed Away in December 2023

Ryan O’Neal also married multiple times. His last marriage ended in 1974 — not unlike MacGraw’s love life. But O’Neal stayed active in the film and television industry much longer, appearing in shows like 90210, Desperate Housewives, and Bones.

In December 2023, Ryan O’Neal died at the age of 82 from heart failure. He had publicly revealed his prostate cancer diagnosis in 2012, and back in 2001, he had already been diagnosed with leukemia.