‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ actress Melinda Dillon dies aged 83

American actress Melinda Ruth Dillon, known for her role in the films “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977) and “The Slander” (1981), died on January 9 at the age of 83, her family announced today.

In Steven Spielberg’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” Dillon played Jillian Guiller, a single mother searching for her son, who is kidnapped by aliens.

The actress was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Spielberg’s film.

In “The Slander”, by Sydney Pollack”, opposite Paul Newman, obtaining a nomination for the Oscar for Best Actress in 1982.

At the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards, Dillon lost to Venessa Redgrave for “Julia” (1978) and Maureen Stapleton for “Reds” (1982).

Early in her career, she was nominated for a Tony and won a Theater World Award in 1963 for her Broadway performance in Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

His film resume also includes Norman Jewison’s “FIST” (1978), Barbra Streisand’s “The Prince of Tides” (1991) and Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Magnolia” (1999).

Born October 13, 1939, in Hope (Arkansas), Melinda Ruth Dillon was married to the late actor Richard Libertini (1933-2016) between 1963 and 1978.