Olivia de Havilland, a real Hollywood star, passed away in 2020.

The two-time Oscar winner for classic films such as Gone with the Wind and The Adventures of Robin Hood died at the age of 104.

The last living big star of Hollywood’s golden age was infamous for her wicked sense of humor while making Gone With the Wind. However, her real life was far worse than her portrayals in films.

Nobody can match Olivia in terms of elegance, control, beauty, strength, intelligence, and wit. She was the embodiment of a woman.

De Havilland rose to prominence in the 1930s as one of Hollywood’s finest ingénues, most notably playing in swashbuckling adventure pictures with Errol Flynn, such as Captain Blood and The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Her most memorable role at the end of the decade was Melanie Wilkes in the classic Gone with the Wind, widely regarded as one of the finest Hollywood pictures of all time and, adjusted for inflation, still the highest-grossing film ever filmed.

As Scarlett O’Hara’s kindhearted closest friend and confidant, de Havilland gave the film its heart, delivering a legendary performance that earned her her maiden Oscar nomination.

But her second major contribution to Hollywood occurred off-screen: in 1943, she sued Warner Bros. over the terms of her exclusive contract, claiming the right to pursue jobs with other companies.

She won the lawsuit on behalf of the actors, decreasing the studio system’s grip over them. People still often refer to it as “the de Havilland Law.”

It also allowed de Havilland to break out from her ingenue stigma at Warner Bros. and seek more serious parts, which paid off: she won two Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role for 1946’s To Each His Own and 1949’s The Heiress, among other accolades.

She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. In 2008, she received the National Medal of Arts. De Havilland made her final film performance in 1988, although she remains one of the remaining members of traditional Hollywood.

Given her background, Olivia de Havilland must have been quite proud of her achievements. Olivia’s upbringing was characterized by extreme hardship and instability. Olivia was born in Tokyo in 1916 to British parents, actress Lillian (née Ruse) and patent lawyer Walter de Havilland.

Olivia has a younger sister, Joan Fontaine, an actress born in 1917. According to the BBC, the sisters’ friendship and competition “was a constant source of speculation in the gossip columns.”

Olivia and Joan evidently had bronchial issues; thus, their mother chose to go to California in 1919. The plan was to locate a healthier environment for the daughters, and a doctor recommended Saratoga, in the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains.

Unfortunately, Lillian and Walter de Havilland found themselves estranged. Olivia’s father was infamous for infidelity and would eventually desert the family. After 11 days in California, the father departed and went to Tokyo to marry his Japanese maid.

Instead, Olivia de Havilland spent her childhood with her mother, sister, and stepfather. Many consider the mother’s upbringing quite rigid. Lillian had very high expectations for her girls. Both Oliva and Joan had to get permission to leave the house.

When an adolescent de Havilland, with her large brown eyes and long golden-brown hair, became interested in amateur theater and began starring in school plays, things went wrong at home.

She aspired to work in the entertainment world, which led to a tense clash with her stepfather, George Milan Fontaine. He did not want her to become an actor and threatened to push her out of the house if she consented to play the lead in the high school production “Pride and Prejudice.”

Olivia’s enthusiasm for drama, however, was unstoppable.

Her stepfather, known for his strict discipline, made it plain that if she left the house, she would go permanently. The 17-year-old girl accepted the part and left home to follow her aspirations.

Olivia stayed with her friends until Mills College awarded her a scholarship. And the rest is history.

Olivia’s death has created a massive hole in the atmosphere, almost as if oxygen is fleeing the room around us.

She passed away on July 26, 2020, at the age of 104. Her publicist said she died of natural causes at home in Paris.

Of course, Hollywood swiftly paid tribute to her outstanding and remarkable career.

Actress Jane Seymour remembers working with her on a film, describing her as “larger than life” and “a brilliant actor.”

The legendary Olivia De Havilland passed away yesterday. She was 104. Olivia made a powerful impact in my life and I had the pleasure to spend some time with her in Paris. I thanked her for her bravery and shared how her choices affected me and my brother (1/6) pic.twitter.com/R9RXsrWHS9

— JARED LETO (@JaredLeto) July 26, 2020

One of the most personal accolades came from an unexpected source: actor Jared Leto, who remembered meeting de Havilland in Paris and discussing how the actress’ legal success affected his career.
“I thanked her for her bravery and shared how her choices affected me and my brother,” Leto posted on Twitter.

Fans even paid tribute to de Havilland’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame:

What a remarkable life and career. Rest in peace, real Hollywood icon! Share this story with your best Olivia de Havilland memories.