40. She Was Covered In Blood
Between shots, the associate producer on Dynasty was personally spraying fake blood all over the cast. In her confusion, MacGraw asked the associate producer if she should close her eyes or leave them open. His remark was, “Closed, stupid. You’re dead”. And that was the end of MacGraw’s career on Dynasty.
But things in her personal life were almost as tragic.
Screenshot from Dynasty, Aaron Spelling Productions/20th Century Fox Television (1981–1989)
41. She Reached Out For Help
In 1985, MacGraw was struggling with her drinking and pretty much figured she had some kind of love addiction. Well, Betty Ford could only help her with the former. She checked herself into Ford’s clinic and tried for sobriety. After a long battle, she emerged clean.
MacGraw was in her 40s and had to figure out what to do with her life.
42. She Felt Like A Loser
While she was trying to figure out her next step, tragedy struck. In the mid 1990s, her home in Malibu caught fire. This might have been an omen that it was time to leave LA. She packed her bags and moved to Tesuque, New Mexico. She later said she left LA so she “wouldn’t feel like such a loser”.
Soon, she’d return to movies but only for a very personal reason.
43. She Helped Her Son
In the years following her recovery, MacGraw did some TV work. In 1997, she supported her son’s film career by appearing in his second feature as a director. Glam is a dark film about Hollywood and also features Tony Danza. Kevin Thomas from the Los Angeles Times called Josh Evans “fearless”, but this film was a little too arty for mass audiences.
In addition to helping out her son, MacGraw also hoped to help our furry friends.
44. She Loves Animals
MacGraw has shown her love for animals in many ways. She made a Public Service Announcement for PETA to remind those evacuating due to wildfires to bring their pets with them. She lobbied to end the practice of cockfighting in New Mexico. She also has her own pets: six Scottish Terriers at last count.
She also focused on healing herself.
45. She Hit the Mat
While in her 50s, MacGraw discovered the healing powers of yoga. Her video, Ali MacGraw Yoga Mind and Body, had a huge impact. In 2007, Vanity Fair magazine declared that she had been instrumental in bringing yoga to the masses in America. MacGraw had successfully pivoted her life away from acting.
And then she surprised everyone—and herself—by pivoting back.
Screenshot from Ali MacGraw: Yoga, Mind & Body, Warner Home Video (1994)
46. She Was Still Nervous
After a 10-year break from acting, MacGraw got an offer to appear on Broadway. The Celebration was the English version of a disturbing Danish play about a dysfunctional family. Even after all her years as an actor, she told New York magazine that she was very nervous about acting on stage. MacGraw’s troubled life was a source of inspiration for her role.
But MacGraw shouldn't have felt insecure. She’s earned her fair share of positive attention.
47. She Got Her Share Of Recognition
In her lifetime, MacGraw has been noted for her beauty and talent. In 1991, she made People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People” list. GQ magazine named her in a list of the “Sexiest 25 Women in Film Ever” edition. For her acting, she got her handprints in Grauman's Chinese Theater in 1972, and her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2021, alongside Love Story costar Ryan O’Neal.
There’s another list she’s on that’s very lucrative.
48. She Was At the Top
Early in her career, in 1971, MacGraw earned her spot on a prestigious list. She was the top female on the list of Hollywood stars’ bankability. The men above her were names like John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman and even her future husband, Steve McQueen. Sadly, it was only MacGraw who didn't have a lifelong career as an A-list actor.
But don’t worry. We’ll always remember her for one single line of dialogue.
Harry Chase, Los Angeles Times, Wikimedia Commons
49. She Was The First
In Love Story, MacGraw has the often-referenced line “Love means never having to say you’re sorry”. The next year, Barbra Streisand said it to O’Neal in the comedy What’s Up, Doc? O’Neal’s hilarious reply was that it was the “dumbest thing” he’d ever heard. They also used variations of it in The Simpsons and iZombie. In an ad for The Abominable Dr Phibes, the tag line read, "Love means never having to say you're ugly”.
Sometimes, an apology can feel really good.
Screenshot from What's Up, Doc?, Warner Bros. (1972)
50. She Deserved An Apology
After her divorce from McQueen, MacGraw never remarried but became a serial dater with men like Peter Weller and Warren Beatty. It seemed that her marriage to McQueen had damaged both her career and her desire for long-term relationships. We don’t know if McQueen ever had the chance to say he was sorry, but some say that he never got over MacGraw.
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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21,
