Ali MacGraw: Love Story, Marriages, and Quiet Santa Fe Life

There is a through-line in Ali MacGraw’s story that the Hollywood press-book version does not capture: the woman who would become one of the most famous faces of the 1970s eventually chose a life built around the high desert, antiques, and animals. Rotten Tomatoes (film and television database) notes Love Story made her a star in 1970, and Yahoo Entertainment (entertainment news) paired her with Steve McQueen in The Getaway (1972), but the actor who walked away from that spotlight now lives quietly in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Born: 1939 · Breakthrough: Love Story (1970) · Current home: Santa Fe, New Mexico

A quick reference to the details that anchor MacGraw’s biography:

Why did Ali MacGraw leave Steve McQueen?

MacGraw and McQueen were two of the 1970s most magnetic screen presences, and their 1973 marriage made tabloid sense after The Getaway. But the relationship that looked like a Hollywood fantasy was, by MacGraw’s later account, not one she had wanted to build inside that kind of spotlight.

The couple’s volatile relationship

• MacGraw married McQueen in 1973, according to Yahoo Entertainment (entertainment news).
• The marriage ended in divorce in 1978, according to the same report.
• MacGraw later said she never wanted to be married during that time, according to the same Yahoo Entertainment report.

Reported reasons for the split

• MacGraw was not present at McQueen’s death in 1980, according to Yahoo Entertainment (entertainment news).

The through-line is not cruelty or scandal. MacGraw’s own account, as reported in later interviews, is that she was not looking for marriage during that period of her life. The real breakup may have been with the idea that a movie star must fit a certain personal template.

The pattern: MacGraw’s decision to leave the marriage was less about McQueen and more about rejecting the expected Hollywood script.

Was Ali MacGraw with Steve McQueen when he died?

Steve McQueen died on November 7, 1980. MacGraw and McQueen had already divorced in 1978, and she was not present at his death. McQueen was with his wife Barbara Minty at the time, according to Yahoo Entertainment (entertainment news).

Does Ali MacGraw have any children?

Yes. MacGraw has one son, Josh Evans, from her marriage to producer Robert Evans. Josh was born during one of the most visible chapters of MacGraw’s life, while she was becoming one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars.

• Josh Evans is MacGraw’s son with Robert Evans, according to Wikipedia (biographical reference).
• MacGraw married Robert Evans in 1969, before Love Story was released, according to Yahoo Entertainment (entertainment news).
• The family drama was never tabloid noise in her later interviews; MacGraw has consistently kept her identity as a mother central to her personal story, according to Wikipedia (biographical reference).

What this means: The role that mattered most to MacGraw was not on screen but at home with Josh.

What is Ali MacGraw doing now?

For someone who once carried the pressure of being a 1970s movie star, MacGraw has spent her later years away from the tabloid periphery. She has been repeatedly linked to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she reportedly lives quietly and devotes time to animals and wellness.

The New York Times profile described MacGraw as finding fulfillment in New Mexico later in life.

The New York Times (news outlet that profiled her later years)

HELLO! reported that MacGraw now lives quietly in New Mexico and is active in her community, animal welfare, and yoga.

HELLO! (celebrity publication)

Her Hollywood résumé remains part of the official record. Rotten Tomatoes (film and television database) lists Love Story as the defining romantic drama of her career, while IMDb (film biography database) notes that she also worked as a model and fashion editor before acting. That combination — early fashion-world polish, a defining film romance, and a deliberate exit from Hollywood noise — makes MacGraw’s biography unusual for her era.

The consequence: MacGraw’s later years are defined not by nostalgia but by a quiet, chosen life away from the cameras.

What ethnicity was Ali MacGraw?

MacGraw’s father was of Scottish descent, and her mother was of Hungarian Jewish ancestry. She grew up in Pound Ridge, New York, and attended Wellesley College, according to biographical records.

• Father of Scottish descent.
• Mother of Hungarian Jewish ancestry.
• Grew up in Pound Ridge, New York.
• Attended Wellesley College.

How wealthy is Ali MacGraw?

Exact net worth is not publicly audited, but estimates place it around $10 million. Her income came from film earnings (including Love Story), alimony from Steve McQueen and Robert Evans, and later antique dealing in Santa Fe.

• Estimated net worth: approximately $10 million.
• Earnings from Love Story and other films.
• Alimony from McQueen and Evans.
• Antique business revenue.

Frequently asked questions

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