At 85, Ali MacGraw Reveals the Horrors of Being Married to Steve McQueen | HO

SANTA FE, NM — For a generation of moviegoers, Ali MacGraw will forever be remembered as the radiant face of innocence in Love Story, the 1970 romantic drama whose tear-jerking tagline — “Love means never having to say you’re sorry” — became an anthem for young lovers worldwide.

But as MacGraw marks her 85th birthday this year, she is opening up about a side of her life that was anything but romantic: her tumultuous marriage to Hollywood legend Steve McQueen.

For decades, fans have been captivated by the fairy-tale narrative of MacGraw and McQueen — the beautiful star and the “King of Cool.” But as MacGraw now candidly reveals, the reality behind the headlines was a far darker story of jealousy, control, and heartbreak.

A Hollywood Fairy Tale Gone Wrong

Ali MacGraw’s path to stardom was never easy. Born in Bedford Village, New York, she grew up in a home rife with conflict and instability. Her father’s struggles with alcoholism and her parents’ constant fighting left lasting scars. “I was always looking for a way out,” MacGraw recalled in her 1991 memoir, Moving Pictures.

Modeling offered her an escape, and with the help of legendary fashion editor Diana Vreeland, she broke into the world of high fashion.

Her big break came in 1969 with Goodbye, Columbus, quickly followed by Love Story. The latter transformed MacGraw into an international star, earning her an Academy Award nomination and making her one of the most sought-after actresses of the decade. Behind the scenes, she married Robert Evans, the powerful head of Paramount Pictures, and became a mother to their son, Joshua.

But just as her Hollywood dreams seemed secure, fate intervened in the form of Steve McQueen.

The Getaway — And Into the Arms of McQueen

In 1972, MacGraw was cast opposite Steve McQueen in Sam Peckinpah’s The Getaway. At the time, she was still married to Evans, but the chemistry between her and McQueen was instantaneous — and undeniable. “I knew I was going to get in some serious trouble with Steve,” MacGraw would later confess.

McQueen, 12 years her senior, was already a global superstar, known for his rugged good looks and rebellious persona on and off the screen. For MacGraw, he was magnetic. “When Steve walked into a room, everyone noticed,” she once said. Their affair began almost as soon as filming started, quickly becoming the most talked-about romance in Hollywood.

By the end of 1972, MacGraw filed for divorce from Evans, a scandal that rocked the entertainment world. In July 1973, she married McQueen, stepping into what many believed would be a glamorous new chapter. Instead, it marked the beginning of the most difficult period of her life.

Life With Steve: Control, Jealousy, and Sacrifice

The early days of marriage seemed idyllic. The couple settled into a secluded Malibu beach house, hosting barbecues and enjoying the ocean air. But behind closed doors, the cracks soon began to show.

McQueen’s childhood had been marked by abandonment and hardship. Those wounds never fully healed, and they manifested as deep insecurity and jealousy in his marriage. “His jealousy was constant,” MacGraw later revealed. “He didn’t want me to look at another man, let alone talk to one.”

Paradoxically, McQueen himself was notoriously unfaithful, and rumors of his affairs circulated widely. Still, he demanded absolute loyalty from MacGraw — and more. He insisted she sign a prenuptial agreement and, more devastatingly, that she give up her acting career entirely. At the height of her fame, MacGraw walked away from Hollywood, trading scripts and red carpets for domestic life.

“I did it out of fear of losing him,” she admitted. “He was the biggest star in the world, and he didn’t want a working wife.” For years, MacGraw played the role of homemaker, raising her son and catering to McQueen’s needs. The isolation was suffocating. “I played cook, cleaning lady, simple woman to the hilt,” she wrote. But the more she tried to please him, the more she lost herself.

Addiction, Betrayal, and the Slow Unraveling

McQueen’s substance abuse only deepened the couple’s troubles. Known for his hard living, he drank heavily and used drugs, disappearing for nights on end and returning home volatile or withdrawn. MacGraw, already struggling with her own self-worth, began drinking more heavily, too.

The rumors of McQueen’s infidelities gnawed at her. “At first, I tried to ignore it,” she said. “But eventually, the humiliation became too much.” In her memoir, MacGraw admitted that she, too, sought comfort outside the marriage as the relationship devolved into a cycle of mistrust and pain.

By 1977, MacGraw’s patience had run out. Desperate to reclaim her independence, she told McQueen she wanted to return to acting. His response was chillingly final: “In that case, we are filing for divorce.” The words shattered any remaining hope for reconciliation.

MacGraw accepted a role in Sam Peckinpah’s Convoy, a decision that made the split irreversible. The couple’s five-year marriage, once the envy of Hollywood, ended in 1978. Two years later, McQueen died of cancer at just 50, leaving MacGraw to grapple with a complicated legacy of love and loss.

Life After Steve: Recovery and Reinvention

When Steve McQueen died in 1980, MacGraw was just 41. The grief was profound, complicated by the pain of their years together. “I wish we had both grown old sober,” she reflected decades later. “It was a life we could never have.”

Professionally, MacGraw tried to pick up the pieces. She returned to acting, appearing in Convoy and later in the hit TV series Dynasty. But the magic of her earlier stardom had faded. Hollywood had moved on, and she found herself typecast or overlooked.

Personally, she struggled with alcoholism, eventually seeking help at the Betty Ford Center in the early 1990s. There, she began the long journey of recovery, confronting not only her addiction but also the emotional scars left by her marriage to McQueen and her abrupt exit from Hollywood.

Her 1991 memoir, Moving Pictures, became a bestseller, resonating with readers who saw in her story a reflection of their own battles with love, loss, and addiction. The book’s honesty helped spark a broader conversation about the pressures facing women in Hollywood and the cost of sacrificing one’s own dreams.

A New Life in Santa Fe

In 1994, MacGraw left Hollywood for good, settling in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She embraced a quieter life, focusing on painting, gardening, and spiritual practice. There, far from the glare of the spotlight, she found the peace that had eluded her for decades.

She devoted herself to sobriety and wellness, practicing yoga and meditation daily. She never remarried, choosing instead to focus on self-discovery and enduring friendships. In 2016, she reunited with Love Story co-star Ryan O’Neal for a touring stage production of Love Letters, a reminder of the magic that once made them household names.

MacGraw also poured her creative energy into new passions, partnering with Ibu, a fashion collective that supports female artisans worldwide. For a woman who once gave up her career for love, this work represented a new chapter — one built on independence and empowerment.

Looking Back With Honesty and Strength

Now 85, Ali MacGraw speaks openly about her past, refusing to romanticize her years with McQueen. “There were wonderful days and dreadful days,” she says. “I’m not a victim in any way. There were times that were just wonderful, and there were times that were just ghastly.”

Her candor has made her a role model for women of all ages, a survivor who endured fame, heartbreak, addiction, and loss — and emerged with the strength to finally tell her truth.

Ali MacGraw’s memories of Steve McQueen remain bittersweet, a reminder that even the most glamorous romances can hide unbearable struggles. Her courage in revealing these truths, after so many years, offers a powerful lesson: that healing and happiness are possible, even after the darkest chapters of life.