An Oscar-nominated actress, Penelope Milford, celebrated for her captivating performances in âComing Homeâ and âHeathers,â has died at age 77. As per a report in The Hollywood Reporter, her family confirmed she passed away on Tuesday in an assisted living facility in Saugerties, New York. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Milford was best known for her Academy Awardânominated role as Jane Fondaâs free-spirited roommate in Hal Ashbyâs 1978 drama âComing Home.â
Her performance earned her widespread critical praise and placed her among Hollywoodâs most promising talents of the era.
A Career Marked by Range & Resilience
Milford’s film career included memorable roles in âValentino,â where she portrayed a silent film star opposite Rudolf Nureyev, and Franco Zeffirelliâs âEndless Love.â
She later brought humor and heart to the cult classic âHeathers,â playing the empathetic school guidance counselor Pauline Fleming.
Her work in âComing Homeâ earned her one of four Oscar nominations for the film, alongside co-stars Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, and Bruce Dern.
Maggie Smith ultimately won the Academy Award that year for âCalifornia Suite”. Her portrayal of Vi Munson remains one of the most moving depictions of compassion and friendship in 1970s cinema.
From Stage to Screen
Before finding success on film, she honed her craft on stage, appearing twice on Broadway. She joined the 1972 cast of âLennyâ and later earned a Drama Desk nomination for her performance in the long-running Civil War musical âShenandoah.â
Mildford’s stage presence carried over into television and film, with credits in âThe Last Word,â âTake This Job and Shove It,â âNormal Life,â and the acclaimed telefilms âSeizure: The Story of Kathy Morrisâ and âThe Burning Bed.â Critics often praised her for bringing emotional intelligence and depth to every role she took on.
The actress rose to prominence in both television and film after getting her start on Broadway. Metro reported that she performed opposite Richard Gere in the acclaimed play “Richard Fariña: Long Time Coming and a Long Time Gone,” and the two later dated offstage.
Away from the screen, Milford also ran an art gallery in Los Angeles in the mid-1980s and dedicated time to teaching acting and performing in local theater (as reported by Variety). A devout Christian Scientist, she later moved to Saugerties in 2003, where she remodeled a historic home and stayed involved in her community.
Her brother, actor and musician Kim Milford, died in 1980 at age 37, as reported by The Huffington Post. She was briefly married to poet Michael Lally during the 1980s. She is survived by her brother Douglas and three nieces and nephews.
Her artistic legacy, from her Academy Award recognition to her lifelong devotion to creative expression, continues to inspire fans and fellow performers around the world.
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