Margot Kidder, who was Lois Lane to Christopher Reeve's Superman, dies after years of bipolar struggle
Margot Kidder, the actress best known for portraying Lois Lane opposite Christopher Reeve's Superman in four movies starting with the 1978 film, has died at the age of 69. The cause of her death remains unknown.
According to the spokesperson at Franzen-Davis Funeral Home in Livingston, Montana, she was at her home during the time of her death.
She has been married thrice, to Thomas McGuane from 1975 to 1977, to John Heard from 1979 to 1980 (for only six days) and to Philippe de Broca from 1983 to 1984. She has been single – at least to public knowledge – since the '80s and is a survived by a daughter Maggie McGuane.
The actress, who was very open about her struggle with bipolar disorder, reportedly died on Sunday at her home in Livingston. The illness induced by bipolar had gotten so intense that Kidder had also become homeless for a while in April 1996.
According to reports, she had a breakdown that led to her disappearance for four days, after which she was found in the backyard of a stranger's house in a manic state. She was taken away by the Los Angeles Police Department to Olive View Medical Center and she was later placed in psychiatric care.
After claiming to have been cured of her manic episodes with the help of orthomolecular medicine in 2007, Margot went on to become a vocal advocate for mental health in subsequent years.
Since her mental health improved, her professional life also seems to have taken a turn for the better. A supporter of Democratic and liberal causes throughout her career, she appeared on Broadway in 'The Vagina Monologues' in December 2002 and toured with the show for two years.
In 2004, she also got to return to the Superman franchise in two episodes of the television series 'Smallville.' She appeared as Bridgette Crosby, the assistant to Dr Virgil Swann, portrayed by Reeve.