Actress Joan Fontaine Dead At Age 96

Another loss is being felt tonight at the passing of Oscar-winning actress Joan Fontaine who has died at the age of 96.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Joan Fontaine, the polished actress who achieved stardom in the early 1940s with memorable performances in the Alfred Hitchcock films SUSPICION — for which she earned the best actress Oscar over her bitter rival, sister Olivia de Havilland — and REBECCA, has died. She was 96.

THR awards analyst Scott Feinberg spoke with the actress’ assistant, Susan Pfeiffer, who confirmed the death of natural causes Sunday at Fontaine’s home in Carmel, Calif.

Fontaine and her older sister Olivia de Havilland are the only siblings to have won lead acting Academy Awards.

Despite the fact that de Havilland went on to win two Academy Awards of her own, they remained permanently estranged.

The actress has been quoted as saying, “I married first, won the Oscar before Olivia [sister Olivia de Havilland] did, and if I die first, she’ll undoubtedly be livid because I beat her to it!”

After a career spanning over 50 years, Fontaine made her last on-screen appearance in 1994.

Read the rest of THR’s report here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/actress-joan-fontaine-dies-rebecca-suspicion-665831