Actress and stuntwoman Susan Backlinie, who portrayed the first shark-eating victim in the Jaws movie, passed away.
On Saturday, Backlinie passed away at his Ventura, California, home. Her age was seventy-seven.
Her convention agent, Matthew Templeton, confirmed the story to The Daily Jaws.
He said, “We regret to inform you that our beloved Susan passed away this morning.”
We are appreciative of all the sympathies that have been conveyed during this time.
“Please honor the family’s right to privacy during this trying time.”
Her most well-known performance was in Steven Speilberg’s 1975 film Jaws, in which she played Chrissie Watkins.
The nationally recognized swimmer and professional diver played the victim of skinny-dipping when she was 28 years old.
Backlinie worked with water and animals for a period before the film discovered her.
The stunt lady had experience working with a variety of wild creatures, including tigers and bears, and was employed as a mermaid at the Weeki Wachee Springs tourist attraction in Florida.
Knowing that Spielberg would be interested in something no other actress could provide, Backlinie pursued her debut film.
“You might get close-ups of the stunt itself if you hire me.” “If you hire an actress, she’ll have to cover her face,” he informed the director.
In Laurent Bouzerau’s book Spielberg: The First Ten Years, Spielberg stated, “I went to stunts to find the perfect stuntwoman, and Susan was up to the task.”
In a 2017 interview, Backlinie discussed what Spielberg had instructed her prior to filming the well-known moment.
“I want everyone under the seats with the popcorn and the bubblegum when your scene is done,” he said to her at the outset, she told The Post.
On social media, the actress and stuntwoman has received a lot of praise, with particular attention being dedicated to her Jaws character.
Jeffrey Kramer, who also portrayed Susan on the show, stated of Susan, “The Jaws community will miss her very much. She was a loving and kind person.”
“Our hearts hold a special place for her.”
On X, formerly Twitter, a fan posted, “May Susan Backlinie rest in peace. The most unforgettable leg pull in film history was experienced by her as Chrissie Watkins in Jaws.
A third fan commented, “She did an amazing job that made the whole world afraid of the ocean,” and another stated, “She has to go down in movie history.”
She has received a lot of positive comments, including the terms “class act” and “scream queen legend.”
One man even claimed that her involvement had aided him in his lifetime pursuit of shark sightings.
When The Daily Jaws announced Susan’s passing, a fan commented, “Susan will be remembered forever and immortalized as the first victim of the great white shark of Jaws fame.”
“For some reason, it got me interested in GW sharks when I was eleven years old.”
“At the age of 61, I have recorded over 29 different GW sharks while cage diving in South Africa and Australia. Thank you, Susan,” the diver said.