The news of her death brought sadness to the artistic world, as Susan Kendall Newman was an active creator with a significant presence both in front of and behind the camera.

Newman became known for her role in Robert Zemeckis’s film I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978), where she played Janice Goldman, a young fan trying with her friends to watch the Beatles’ first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. She also had a small role in the film Slap Shot (1977), alongside her father, as well as in Robert Altman’s A Wedding (1978).

In addition to acting, Susan Kendall Newman was an Emmy-nominated producer, and she was active in the Newman Foundation, the charitable organization behind Newman’s Own, known for donating its proceeds to social causes.

She was the daughter of Paul Newman and his first wife, Jackie Witte. Her father, who died in 2008 at the age of 83, was one of the greatest actors in American cinema, known for films such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Colleagues and friends of Susan paid emotional tributes to her on social media. “She was extraordinarily intelligent, kind, and deeply knowledgeable about the inner workings of the Newman Foundation. She gave real help in difficult times,” wrote one colleague. Another added: “I can’t believe it… we’ve lost two leading figures of the wonderful film I Wanna Hold Your Hand in a year. Susan was a beautiful soul.”