Born Margaret Ruth Kidder to Kendall Kidder, a mining engineer in Yellowknife, Canada, on October 17 1948, Margot was a delightful child who took pride in everything she did. At an early age she became aware of the great emotions she felt towards expressing herself, and thus she caught the acting bug. As a child she wrote explicitly in a diary that she wanted to become a movie star, and that one day it would happen, but she had to overcome something else first. Margot was aware that she was constantly facing mood swings, but wasn't aware why. At odd times she would try to kill herself, first a ...
show all Born Margaret Ruth Kidder to Kendall Kidder, a mining engineer in Yellowknife, Canada, on October 17 1948, Margot was a delightful child who took pride in everything she did. At an early age she became aware of the great emotions she felt towards expressing herself, and thus she caught the acting bug. As a child she wrote explicitly in a diary that she wanted to become a movie star, and that one day it would happen, but she had to overcome something else first. Margot was aware that she was constantly facing mood swings, but wasn't aware why. At odd times she would try to kill herself, first at age 14, and then the next days she would be just fine. The fact that her father's hectic schedule and moving around so much didn't help things. She went to 11 schools in 12 years as a direct result of this. Finally, in an attempt to help Margot with her troubles, her parents sent her to a boarding school, where she took part in school plays, such as Romeo and Juliet, in which she played the lead, Juliet.
After graduation, Margot moved to Los Angeles to start a film career. She found herself dealing with a lot of prejudice, and hotheads, but later found solace with a Canadian agent. This was when she got her first acting job, in the Norman Jewison film, Gaily, Gaily (1969). This led to another starring role in the film Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx (1970), in which she co-starred with 'Gene Wilder' (qv). After some harsh words from the film's director, Margot temporarily left films to study acting in New York. There, she found some television work to pay her bills and fees for the acting studies. When the money ran out, she decided it was time to make a second try at acting. When she arrived on the Hollywood scene, she met up at a screen test with actress 'Jennifer Salt' (qv). This is a friendship that still stands strong today. Margot and Jennifer moved into a lofty beach house on the shores of California and befriended other, then unknown, struggling filmmakers such as 'Martin Scorsese' (qv), 'Brian De Palma' (qv), 'Steven Spielberg (I)' (qv), 'Susan Sarandon' (qv), among others. This was a house of friends, and at times, a literal circle of friends. Late nights had the hot happening youngsters up till all hours talking around a fire about how they were all going to change the film industry. It was crazy living and within the Christmas season, Margot had become involved with De Palma, and as a Christmas present, he gave her the script to his upcoming motion picture, Sisters (1973). Margot and Salt both had the leads in the film, and it was a huge critical success.
This success had Margot establish her name and talent and in the following years she starred in a string of critically acclaimed films, such as Black Christmas (1974), Great Waldo Pepper, The (1975), 92 in the Shade (1975), directed by Thomas McGuane, who was also her husband for a brief period, and the timeless tale of self resurrection, Reincarnation of Peter Proud, The (1975).
After three years of being a housewife, looking after her daughter, Maggie, and not working, Margot decided it was time to let her emotions take control and get back into acting. Once her marriage to McGuane was over she eyed a script that would change her life forever. Her new agent hooked her up with a little known director named 'Richard Donner' (qv). He was going to be directing a film called Superman (1978), and she auditioned and secured the leading female role of Lois Lane. Superman and Superman II (1980), were to be filmed simultaneously. After the success of Superman she took on more intense roles, of the likes of Amityville Horror, The (1979), Willie and Phil (1980). After that, Margot did numerous films, television and theater work throughout the 80s, including Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). When the 90s erupted with the Gulf War, Margot found herself becoming involved in politics. She made a stir in the biz when she bashed the military for their actions in Kuwait. She also appeared in a cameo in the Richard Donner film, Maverick (1994).
In 1996, when Margot was going to write a biography of herself, she began to get paranoid, and her computer contracted a virus. Her manic depression, then took its toll. She panicked, and created problems in her head. This led to her fantasizing that her first husband was going to kill her, so she left her home, and feigned death. She even altered her appearance for dramatic effect. After an intervention took place, Margot got back on her feet and started the mental wellness campaign. Since then she has sustained her career in film, television, and theater, recently appearing in a Canadian stage production of "The Vagina Monologues".
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