Valerie Perrine, the acclaimed actress who rose to fame in the 1970s with her Oscar-nominated performance in Lenny, has died at the age of 82. Her death on March 23, 2026, was confirmed by her close friend and filmmaker Stacey Souther. Perrine had been living with Parkinson's disease for several years, a journey documented in the 2018 film Valerie.

Perrine is perhaps most widely recognized by fans as Eve Teschmacher, the glamorous accomplice to Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor in the 1978 blockbuster Superman and its 1980 sequel. Her career was marked by versatility, earning her a Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival and an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of Honey Bruce in the 1974 biopic Lenny, starring opposite Dustin Hoffman.

In her later years, the actress faced significant financial challenges due to the high cost of her medical care. Souther has established a GoFundMe campaign to assist with funeral expenses, noting that her personal funds were depleted by her long health struggle. Colleagues and fans are remembering Perrine today as a vibrant talent who brought both wit and depth to the silver screen during Hollywood's golden era of the 70s.