Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Havilland were sisters and two of classic Hollywood’s most acclaimed actresses, but their relationship was famously strained. Born just over a year apart in Tokyo to British parents, they moved to California as children and both pursued acting careers—often in direct competition. Olivia, the elder, rose to fame first with her role as Melanie in Gone with the Wind (1939), while Joan eventually earned her own acclaim, winning an Academy Award for Suspicion (1941), reportedly beating out Olivia in the same category. Tensions between them were fueled by career rivalry, family dynamics, and Hollywood gossip, leading to a lifelong feud marked by periods of silence and public frostiness.
Despite occasional attempts at reconciliation, the sisters remained largely estranged for decades. Their rivalry was often sensationalized by the press, but both women confirmed the difficulties in interviews over the years. Olivia claimed Joan was difficult and manipulative, while Joan accused Olivia of being dismissive and competitive. Their final major rift reportedly came in the 1970s over a family matter involving their mother’s death. Joan passed away in 2013 at the age of 96, and Olivia died in 2020 at 104. Their story remains one of the most well-known sibling rivalries in Hollywood history—two gifted actresses forever linked by blood, fame, and a complicated emotional distance.
