Susan Backlinie, from Jaws, one of the most iconic movies from Hollywood, has died.
The champion swimmer was cast in the film to portray Chrissie Watkins who is featured in the opening scene of the movie.
The film classic sees Susan Backlinie running along the beach before diving into the water and skinny dipping in the opening sequence of Jaws.
But her fate has been sealed, as she is then suddenly pulled under the water and screams for help as an unseen great white shark lurking beyond the waves violently attacks her.
READ NEXT: Roger Corman’s death devastates movie fans – ‘Grateful to know him’
Back in 2015, she told The Palm Beach Post, director Steven Spielberg said: “When your scene is done, I want everyone under the seats with the popcorn and bubblegum.
“I think we did that”.
Spielberg himself loved the scene but knew of the risk.
He said in the documentary, Jaws: The Inside Story Susan Backlinie’s scene was ‘one of the most dangerous’ stunts he’s ever directed.
Although there was no real shark underneath, there were people behind the scenes tugging at her so it appeared there was.
He explained: “She was actually being tugged left and right by 10 men on one rope and 10 men on the other back to the shore, and that’s what caused her to move like that”.
The duo worked together again in 1979 for the parody war film 1941, where she spoofed her own Jaws character.
The celebrity passed away in her home in California at the age of 77.
READ NEXT: Kendall Jenner thought she’d have kids by now – but she’s enjoying the ‘freedom’
Comments are closed.