Overview

• James Gunn has cited Kidder’s mix of feisty journalism and vulnerability as the emotional core that inspired his new film’s portrayal of Lois Lane.
• Kidder’s 1978 debut as Lois Lane set a template for the character on screen, influencing successors from TV spin-offs to the DC Extended Universe.
• After a career-altering 1990 spinal injury, Kidder became dependent on painkillers and faced substantial medical debt before recovering.
• A diagnosed bipolar disorder led to a 1996 public breakdown that left her homeless and in psychiatric care, an episode she later used to advocate for mental health awareness.
• In later years Kidder rejected traditional psychiatric treatments in favor of orthomolecular approaches and spoke openly about living with mental illness until her death by overdose in May 2018.