Susan Backlinie has sadly passed away at the age of 77, her agent has confirmed.
The renowned Jaws actress, who also had a successful career as a stuntwoman, tragically died in her home in Ventura, California on Saturday, according to The Daily Jaws website.
Backlinie, a professional diver and nationally ranked swimmer, was only 28 when she portrayed the unforgettable character of Chrissie in the Steven Spielberg masterpiece. Prior to her iconic role, she worked with animals and even performed as a mermaid.
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When discussing why he selected Susan for the role, Spielberg told Laurent Bouzereau for his 2023 book “Spielberg: The First Ten Years,” that it was because she was “up to the challenge.” He elaborated, “I didn’t want an actor to do it.”
(Image: Getty Images)
“I wanted a stuntperson because I needed somebody who was great in the water, who knew water ballet and knew how to endure what I imagined was going to be a whole lot of violent shaking. So, I went to stunts to find her, and Susan was up to the challenge.”
In a throwback to her Hollywood heyday, Susan opened up on her time with legendary director Spielberg. Chatting with the Palm Beach Post back in 2017, she shared a classic Spielberg moment: “The first thing Spielberg said to me was, ‘When your scene is done, I want everyone under the seats with the popcorn and bubblegum’.”
(Image: No credit)
In 2023, Susan revealed all about the gruelling filming schedule for some of the movie’s iconic scenes, revealing that she was underwater for up to 14 hours a day across three days in Martha’s Vineyard; “We would film anywhere from 6 or 7 in the morning until 9, because of the light. I’ll tell you, I was exhausted at the end of the day.”
Born on September 1, 1946, Susan’s journey took her from Washington to the sunny shores of West Palm Beach, Florida, when she was just a nipper at ten years old. She became a bit of a local legend at Forest Hill High School, not only as a cheerleader but also as a state swimming champ. After waving goodbye to high school in 1964, she dipped her toes into nursing for a year.
(Image: Getty Images)
She let slip a sneaky trick she used to clinch her role with Spielberg, revealing: “If you use me, you could get close-ups during the stunt itself. If you use an actress, she’ll have to hide her face.'” In the 2010 tell-all documentary, Jaws: The Inside Story, she gave us the lowdown on how she made her character come alive, explaining “as I would feel my hips go to one side, I would just throw my arms in the opposite direction as hard as I could.”
Additionally, she shared: “I also had a pair of fins on because when they would pull me to one side, I would go under, so I had to kick with all my strength to stay above the water. It took a lot of energy, but I was in pretty good shape back then.” Susan lived on a houseboat in Ventura where she resided with her spouse, Harvey.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
