Jaws actor and stuntwoman Susan Backlinie has died aged 77 at her California home.
The actress, who played Chrissie Watkins, the giant shark’s first victim in the opening scene of Steven Spielberg’s 1975 horror thriller, died of a heart attack, her agent Sean Clark told Variety.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: The first victim of the titular shark in Jaws dies in dramatic fashion.
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Backlinie’s convention agent Matthew Templeton later shared a statement with The Daily Jaws, a fan-led website.
“It is with heartfelt regret to confirm our beloved Susan passed away this morning.”
“We would like to thank everyone for their condolences at this time. Please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.”
As a stuntwoman, Backlinie specialised in swimming and water work.
To film the dramatic opening scene, Backlinie was securely fastened to a harness across the three-day shoot, according to The Daily Jaws website.
The harness was tethered to a line anchored to the ocean floor beneath her.
However, no one had warned her she would be pulled underwater by the harness, which then sparked a genuinely terrified reaction from the stuntwoman.
In a 2023 interview, she recalled a conversation with Speilberg about the purpose of her scene.
“The first thing (Spielberg) said to me was, ‘When your scene is done, I want everyone under the seats with the popcorn and bubblegum’,” she recalled to The Palm Beach Post.
The actress and stuntwoman is survived by her husband Harvey.
