Biography
Dame Olivia Mary de Havilland DBE (July 1, 1916 – July 25, 2020) was a British-American actress whose career spanned from 1935 to 1988. She appeared in 49 feature films and was a leading star during the golden age of Classical Hollywood. She is best remembered for her early roles in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) and Gone with the Wind (1939), as well as her acclaimed performances in To Each His Own (1946), The Snake Pit (1948), and The Heiress (1949).
Born in Tokyo to British parents, de Havilland and her younger sister, actress Joan Fontaine, moved with their mother to California in 1919. Raised by their mother Lilian, a former stage actress who taught them drama, music, and elocution, they developed their talents early on.
De Havilland debuted on screen in Reinhardt's A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1935. Throughout her career, she often portrayed demure ingénues opposite popular leading men, notably Errol Flynn, with whom she starred in nine films. Their on-screen partnership became one of Hollywood’s most beloved romantic duos.
She initially gained fame in romantic comedies like The Great Garrick (1937) and Westerns such as Dodge City (1939). Her natural beauty and polished acting made her especially effective in historical period pieces like Anthony Adverse (1936) and romantic dramas like Hold Back the Dawn (1941).
Later in her career, de Havilland excelled in dramas such as Light in the Piazza (1962) and took on unglamorous roles in psychological dramas including Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964). Beyond film, she appeared on Broadway three times and worked in television, featuring in the acclaimed miniseries Roots: The Next Generations (1979) and TV films like Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna, which earned her a Primetime Emmy nomination.
Throughout her film career, de Havilland won two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, two New York Film Critics Circle Awards, the National Board of Review Award for Best Actress, and the Venice Film Festival’s Volpi Cup. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to cinema. Honored for her lifetime achievements, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President George W. Bush and was named a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
De Havilland and Joan Fontaine remain the only siblings to have won Academy Awards in leading acting categories. Their lifelong rivalry led to an estrangement lasting over thirty years. De Havilland resided in Paris from 1956 onward and celebrated her 100th birthday on July 1, 2016.
In June 2017, just two weeks before turning 101, de Havilland was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2017 Birthday Honours for her services to drama. She became the oldest woman ever to receive this honor, calling it "the most gratifying of birthday presents" in a statement.
13 wins and 2 nominations
