English-born actress Samantha Eggar, a celebrated figure in film and television, passed away peacefully on Wednesday in Los Angeles at the age of 86, surrounded by her family. Her daughter, actress Jenna Stern, shared the news, highlighting the beauty and privilege of being by her mother's side. Eggar had been struggling with a long illness prior to her death.

Eggar's career received a significant early boost with her performance in William Wyler’s chilling 1965 thriller “The Collector,” which earned her an Oscar nomination, a Golden Globe, and the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival. In the film, she portrayed the captive of an odd character played by Terence Stamp, a role that brought her widespread critical acclaim.

Following this breakthrough, Eggar starred alongside Cary Grant in his final picture, the 1966 romantic comedy “Walk Don’t Run.” In this Columbia release, she played a young woman from whom Grant's character rents a room, eventually becoming a matchmaker between her and a U.S. athlete. The film was lauded for its fine scripting, direction, and performances, showcasing Eggar's successful pace change.

Her rising profile led to her casting in the high-budget “Doctor Dolittle,” where she played Emma Fairfax, the love interest to Rex Harrison’s titular character. Both “Doctor Dolittle” and Martin Ritt’s 1970 coal miner film “The Molly Maguires,” in which she starred with Sean Connery and Richard Harris, provided Eggar opportunities to display her singing talents.

Eggar also delivered strong performances in the 1970 British film “The Walking Stick,” portraying a woman scarred by childhood polio, and opposite Oliver Reed in Anatole Litvak’s final film, “The Lady in the Glasses With a Gun.” Over the years, she took on a variety of roles in both film and television, including a series of TV movies such as a remake of “Double Indemnity” where she assumed the Barbara Stanwyck role, and a big-screen appearance as Dr. Watson’s wife in “The Seven Per-Cent Solution.”

Notably, Eggar returned to the genre that marked her early success with David Cronenberg’s 1979 body horror classic “The Brood.” Her portrayal of the 'bravura matriarch' in this film, revealing a 'literally wandering womb,' remains one of Cronenberg's most unforgettable visions. She continued in the horror genre, appearing in films like “A Name for Evil,” “The Uncanny,” “The Exterminator,” “Demonoid: Messenger of Death,” and “Curtains.”

With her crisp English accent, Eggar diversified her career into voice work in the early 1990s. She famously voiced Hera, queen of the gods, in Disney’s 1997 animated feature “Hercules,” a role she reprised for the spin-off ABC series. Her voice credits also include Queen Guinevere in “The Legend of Prince Valiant,” various video games, and, more recently, the Adult Swim series “Metalocalypse.”

Her early career included a feature debut in 1962’s “Young and Willing,” followed by “Doctor” franchise entry and “Dr. Crippen” in 1963. More impressive was her role in Alexander Singer’s “Psyche 59.” She also starred in J. Lee Thompson’s 1965 noirish melodrama “Return From the Ashes.” Her television work included a brief series-regular role opposite Yul Brynner in CBS’s 1972 adaptation of “Anna and the King,” and regular guest appearances on popular shows such as “Hawaii Five-O,” “Fantasy Island,” “The Love Boat,” and “Falcon Crest.” In 1990, she appeared on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” as Captain Picard’s sister-in-law, Marie Picard, and recurred as Sarah Templeton on “Commander in Chief” in 2005-06.

Born Victoria Louise Samantha Marie Elizabeth Therese Eggar in Hampstead, London, she began her acting journey with Shakespearean companies. Eggar was married to actor Tom Stern from 1964 to 1971 and is survived by her daughter, actress Jenna Stern, and her son, film producer Nicolas Stern.