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What happened to Margot Kidder? A look into tragic story of Superman’s original Lois lane

Margot Kidder struggled with bipolar disorder and mental health crisis.
posted by Shreya Ghosh
Saturday 7/12/2025 at 12:53AM EDT
  • Margot Kidder (Image via Everett Collection)
    Margot Kidder (Image via Everett Collection)

    Margot Kidder passed away on May 13, 2018, at the age of 69. She was found at her home in Livingston, Montana, and her demise was ruled a suicide.

    While the Canadian-American actress witnessed fame and stardom in her impressive acting career spanning decades, her personal life was marked by struggles and tragedy.

    Kidder rose to international fame as Lois Lane in Superman (1978). In 2025, the latest film of the franchise, Superman, is releasing on July 11.

    With the new release, she is back in the headlines, with fans taking a peek at her history and the challenges of her private life away from the spotlight.

    In the 90s, the star was in the news for her highly publicized struggles with bipolar disorder and mental health issues.

    How did Margot Kidder die?

    Days after her demise, the Park County coroner's office in Montana opened up about the unfortunate incident. The New York Times cited the coroner's statement shared with The Associated Press, stating that she:

    "died as a result of a self-inflicted drug and alcohol overdose."

    Later, the coroner's office and Margot's family issued a statement, as the BBC cited, requesting,

    "those suffering from mental illnesses, addiction and/or suicidal thoughts to seek appropriate counselling and treatment."

    Maggie McGuane, Margot Kidder's daughter, had a conversation with The Associated Press. As The New York Times reported, she admitted knowing about her mother's suicide attempt.

    McGuane shared:

    "It’s a big relief that the truth is out there. It’s important to be open and honest so there’s not a cloud of shame in dealing with this."

    A look at Margot Kidder's bipolar disorder and mental health crisis

     

    In 1996, Kidder spoke with People for a cover story and reflected on her life, sharing,

    "The reality of my life has been grand and wonderful, punctuated by these odd blips and burps of madness."

    In 1990, Kidder was involved in a serious auto accident while shooting for Nancy Drew and Daughter. The tragic incident paralyzed her partially and bankrupted her, too.

    Only after a back operation in 1992, as the outlet confirmed, could she start walking again. The treatment and recovery procedure cost her over $600,000, leading to bankruptcy.

    She also explained:

    "If I felt myself starting to go manic, I’d get drunk. Better drunk than crazy."

    During the conversation, she also looked back on vanishing for four days, calling it "the most public freak-out in history." The Amityville Horror actress further noted,

    "I was like one of those ladies you see talking to the space aliens on the street corner in New York."

    Before her unexpected disappearances, she often remained in the spotlight for dramatic experiences in her private life.

    From her mental well-being crisis to dating stories to addictions, she suffered several ups and downs. 

    As FHE Health reported, Kidder tried taking her life at the age of 14. After parting ways with one of her ex-boyfriends, she overdosed on codeine capsules and attempted to die.

    Struggling with mental health for a long time, the Superman-famed actress was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1988. 

    Following her diagnosis, she refused treatment or take lithium initially. Recalling those days, Margot shared with People,

    "It’s very hard to convince a manic person that there is anything wrong with them. You have no desire to sleep. You are full of ideas."

    She also admitted that her manic depression caused most of her issues and she struggled with

    "mood swings could knock over a building."

    Her condition worsened in 1996 after her memoir was deleted suddenly due to a virus on her laptop.

    Recounting how she focused on the project for three years, she confessed going "from really distressed to absolute delusion."

    To resolve the disastrous issue, she rushed to Los Angeles to consult with a computer specialist. Sadly, none of those files were recovered.

    While she could not retrieve her years of hard work, she realized her ex-husband, Thomas McGuane, was trying to kill her with the CIA. 

    Reportedly, her memoir had information that could change a lot of things, as she imagined.

    Ted Hall remembered the terrifying incident and told People,

    "I could see there was no plot. It was so sad. She was dirty, tired, no makeup."

    Out of fear and anxiety, Margot Kidder discarded her purse, wondering if it had a bomb inside. She later tried booking a taxi but could not travel due to a lack of enough money.

    The actress also went to the ATM near the airport to get some cash. However, she was afraid the machine would explode. Looking back at those distressing moments, she expressed,

    "I took off running. I slept in yards and on porches in a state of fear."

    During those dire times, Charlie and a man helped her, adding that Charlie took incredible care of her. She noted,

    "I tried to make little jokes about how to behave because I wasn’t from this neighborhood. The other man just looked at me and said, 'None of us are from this neighborhood.'"

    Praising Charlie, she also conveyed,

    "I was cold. I was hungry. I was terrified beyond belief. He stayed with me and held me."

    While chatting with People, she also disclosed losing caps on her front teeth. She added that she placed those properly using Krazy Glue and explained,

    "When you’re having a manic episode, you don’t always remember to pack the Krazy Glue."

    Amid the chaos, a homeless man attempted to r*pe Kidder at that scary time. The guy physically a**aulted her by hitting her face and kicking her stomach.

    He beat her so aggressively that a few caps on her teeth got misplaced. However, she tried her best to protect herself and made the homeless individual understand his wrong deed, saying,

    "You’re a good person. You don’t want to do this."

    Luckily, he did not cause her any further harm.

    Margot also spoke openly about another day of spending her time here and there, describing,

    "I was walking up this endless mountain and had the wondrous realization that though I was stripped of all traditional forms of identity, I was still me."

    What happened later changed her life trajectory, from being miserable and unbothered to accepting the truth of her diagnosis. While walking up the mountain, she realized she needed help to get back on her feet.

    She found a backyard in Glendale and took shelter. At this time, she also met the homeowner named Elaine Lamb and recalled having a chat with her, saying,

    "I may not look like it, but I'm Margot Kidder."

    Dialing 911, Elaine soon contacted the Glendale police. The authorities rescued her and rushed her to Olive View Medical Center in Sylmar. A couple of days later, she was taken to UCLA Medical Center by her sister Annie.

    Five days later, on April 30, she attended a court hearing to prove that she would not harm herself or any other people.

    After all these severe incidents, Margot wished to step far away from the limelight. She rented a home on an island near Vancouver and stayed there.

    Over time, she accepted her diagnosis after her brother showed her the works of author Jamison, whose writings on manic-depression deeply resonated with her.

    Recounting her realization of her disease, she expressed,

    "Finally. I was able to accept the diagnosis."

    Her 1996 breakdown was her life's turning point. Soon, she began speaking candidly about her condition and advocating for mental health.

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    TOPICS: Margot Kidder


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