Margot Kidder had already enjoyed a long and successful career, including four Superman films, when she experienced a very public mental breakdown in 1996.
The actress, known for her role as Lois Lane opposite Christopher Reeve, went missing for several days after being dropped off at LAX for a trip to Arizona to teach an acting class. Kidder, originally from Canada, was found in a distressed state in Glendale, a suburb of Los Angeles, where she had been living in a cardboard box hidden in the bushes behind a house.
When discovered, she appeared disheveled and in obvious mental distress, with missing dental caps and wearing discarded clothing. Bruised and scratched, she had even cut her hair with a razor blade and was reportedly claiming that her ex-husband was trying to kill her. Kidder was subsequently taken to a hospital for a 72-hour psychiatric evaluation.
A few months later, Margot Kidder, who had long lived in Livingston, Montana, where she passed away at the age of 69, opened up to People magazine about her harrowing experience.
She described the incident, during which she claimed to have thwarted an attempted rape, as “the most public freak-out in history.” Kidder likened herself to “one of those ladies you see talking to the space aliens on the street corner in New York.”
She had faced numerous challenges prior to her breakdown—such as struggles with drug and alcohol addiction, multiple divorces, and high-profile romances with figures like Richard Pryor and former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.
And an auto accident that left her partially paralyzed and bankrupt—Kidder revealed that the root of her problems lay in mental illness, specifically manic-depressive disorder, now known as bipolar disorder.
She described experiencing “mood swings that could knock over a building,” and despite being diagnosed eight years earlier, she had initially refused to accept the diagnosis or adhere to the prescribed treatment with lithium.
However, while recovering from her public breakdown on an island near Vancouver, she encountered the writings of author Kay Redfield Jamison, which focused on bipolar disorder. This exposure was transformative for Kidder: “Finally,” she reflected, “I was able to accept the diagnosis.”
She later addressed her experience of going missing during a November 1996 appearance on The Tonight Show.
Despite initial speculation that her career might be over, Margot Kidder embraced her role as a prominent advocate for mental health. By 2001, the Los Angeles Times had labeled her a “mental-health advocate.”
She had recently received the Courage in Mental Health Award from the California Women’s Mental Health Policy Council, recognizing her bravery in discussing mental illness—an issue that many celebrities were hesitant to address at the time.
Kidder opened up about her lifelong struggle with mental health, recalling that she first recognized something was amiss when she was just 10 years old.
She wrote in her diary about her fears of going crazy, stating, “I knew I was different, had these mind flights that other people didn’t seem to have. And I had deep depressions.” Through her candidness, she helped destigmatize mental health issues and encouraged others to speak out.
In her People interview, Margot Kidder shared her experience of concealing her mental illness from teachers, parents, and friends. At just 14, after a breakup, she attempted to cope by swallowing a handful of codeine pills. “It never occurred to anyone to send me to a shrink,” she reflected.
“I was just a teenager with a broken heart.” Acting became her refuge, allowing her to express her true self while remaining anonymous. By 21, she began seeing psychiatrists for her mood swings but struggled to trust their methods.
In a 2005 interview with The Guardian, she commented on her public breakdown, describing it as “the biggest nervous breakdown in history, bar possibly Vivien Leigh’s.” She noted that while her experience was highly visible, many others have similar struggles. “If you’re gonna fall apart, do it in your own bedroom,” she advised.
Despite the chaos of being pursued by the media, she recognized that her public ordeal forced her to confront her issues. “Horrifying as it was to crack up in the public eye, it made me look at myself and fix it,” she stated, adding, “I’m now ferociously healthy in body and mind. You couldn’t pay me to go near a psychiatrist again.”
Throughout her life, Kidder remained committed to mental wellness initiatives, often discussing her alternative approach to managing her mental health. In a 2006 interview with the Montreal Gazette, she explained that traditional psychiatry didn’t work for her, opting instead for a regimen of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
Her advocacy continued as she took on the role of national spokesperson for AlternativeMentalHealth.com, focusing on non-drug treatments for mental health.
A few years ago, during an appearance on George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight, Margot Kidder reflected on her journey with mental health. With her signature candor, she expressed her frustration about people continuously bringing up her past breakdown, stating, “It’s old news that I flipped out almost 17 years ago now.”
She noted the kindness of strangers who approach her in airports, asking if she’s okay, acknowledging that while it’s sweet and touching, it can also be a bit perplexing: “It was 17 years ago!”
Kidder emphasized her gratitude for the support she received during her recovery. “I feel very lucky that I got the kind of help that I did,” she shared, highlighting those who didn’t resort to heavy medication.
“People who didn’t insist that I got drugged to the gills with a lot of mind-numbing things that basically turn you into a vegetable and who taught me how to get better naturally. So I feel really, really blessed by that.”
Kidder further emphasized the importance of normalizing conversations around mental health, asserting that it should be regarded as an integral part of overall well-being. “Your brain is an organ of your body,” she pointed out, highlighting that if there’s something wrong with the body, there’s likely something wrong with the brain as well. “You heal the two of them at the same time,” she noted.
By openly discussing her experiences with bipolar disorder, Kidder helped raise awareness, much like fellow icons Carrie Fisher and Patty Duke, who also battled the condition and tragically passed away in 2016. Their openness paved the way for younger celebrities, such as Demi Lovato, to speak candidly about their struggles with mental illness at a younger age.
However, discussing mental health publicly remains challenging for many. Recently, Mariah Carey revealed for the first time that she also lives with bipolar disorder. Although she was diagnosed after her 2001 breakdown, she had kept it private until her disclosure in April, reflecting the ongoing stigma surrounding mental health issues.
