Oscar-nominated actress Valerie Perrine has passed away at the age of 82 following a prolonged battle with Parkinson's disease. Her longtime partner, Stacey Souther, confirmed her passing in a statement on Facebook.
Perrine, best known for her roles in Superman and Lenny, received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her performance in Lenny in 1974. She also played a significant role as Miss Teschmacher in Richard Donner's Superman movies.
Perrine was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2015, but her symptoms began appearing in 2011. Her long-battling illness caused her finances to suffer, and her partner started a GoFundMe to pay for her funeral.
Parkinson's disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that impacts movement and speech over time, often leading to severe complications in later stages. Perrine's condition reportedly worsened over the past decade, eventually limiting her ability to eat, speak, and move independently.
Her Hollywood legacy includes roles in Slaughterhouse-Five, Lenny, The Last American Hero, The Electric Horseman, and Can't Stop the Music. Perrine rose to fame in the early 1970s and became a household name as Eve Teschmacher in the Superman films.
