Steven Spielberg’s ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ star Melinda Dillon has died

Melinda’s relatives explained that the actress died on January 9, but they were only able to report it now. Dillon’s cause of death has not been released.

Barbra Streisand addressed a late colleague. “Melinda Dillon was an amazing actress with amazing subtlety. May he rest in peace,” People quoted Barbra, who starred in Dillon’s “Lord of the Tides,” as saying.

Audiences remember the actress best of all for her role in Steven Spielberg’s 1977 sci-fi drama film Close Encounters of the Third Kind. At the center of the plot is the story of a meeting between humans and representatives of an extraterrestrial civilization. The third degree of contact with extraterrestrials is considered to be the observation of such beings from other worlds. The picture earned 306 million at the box office – while the shooting budget was 20 million dollars.

During her illustrious career in Hollywood, Melinda was nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The star’s career in film, television and Broadway spanned over four decades.

Dillon was married to actor Richard Libertini, with whom she had a son. The marriage lasted from 1863 to 1978. After that, the actress hid her personal life.