Hollywood Legend, 101, Recalls Scandalous Scene in Classic Thrilleroriginally appeared onParade. Eva Marie Saintturned 101 on July 4 and to celebrate,Remind Magazineresurfaced an interview she did a few years ago about her iconic 1959 thrillerNorth by Northwestalongside 1950s heartthrobCary Grant. In the interview, Saint talks about her intimate scene with Grant and what it was like working with directorAlfred Hitchcock. When Hitchcock came calling forNorth By Northwest, Saint already had an Oscar to her name, but she said in the interview that MGM didn't want her for the leading role opposite Grant — they wantedCyd Charisse. But Hitchcock fought for Saint. "Hitchcock wanted the 'cool blonde.' I remember saying to my husband, 'Hitchcock sees me as a sexy spy lady!' And my husband said, 'So do I!' He's a director, so there I had the OK from Hitch and my husband!" said Saint, who was married to directorJeffrey Haydenfrom 1951 until his death in 2016. Hayden was a renowned TV director, helming episodes of such shows asPeyton Place, Quincy M.E., That Girl, Magnum P.I., In the Heat of the Nightand dozens more classic shows. RELATED: '50s Child Star Goes Viral With 4th of July Pic With TV Mom When Saint read the North by Northwest script, she recalled thinking "Oh, this would be really fun" to film and she went on to say that it definitely was. "We worked hard, but we had such a good time working with Hitch," said Saint, adding of the famed director, "His demeanor on the set and his relationship with the actors … the respect he showed [them] … he checked out everything … he was so prepared." She also said that the film was definitely a little scandalous for 1959 and coyly added, "But we kept our clothes on, didn't we?" North by Northwestwas the only Hitchcock film that Saint would act in over her 8-decades-long career. It was also the only one she did with Grant. But she had plenty of other famous co-stars —Marlon BrandoinOn the Waterfront, for which she won her Oscar,Don MurrayinA Hatful of Rain, for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination, andMontgomery CliftandElizabeth Taylorin the Civil War romantic dramaRaintree County. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Hollywood Legend, 101, Recalls Scandalous Scene in Classic Thrillerfirst appeared on Parade on Jul 7, 2025 This story was originally reported byParadeon Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.