With heavy hearts we announce the passing of this beloved actress at 96 See more

The news of her death arrived publicly after the loss itself. That delay means the moment when audiences learn about a death can be separate from the period in which relatives first faced it. For people who followed her work from a distance, hearing the news may lead them back to the film and to their own memory of watching it. For her family, it belongs to a much more personal history.

At 96, Robinson’s life had extended across many changes in the entertainment world. The performance remembered in the announcement remained available to new audiences through the film itself. That is one of the lasting qualities of screen work. Viewers can continue to encounter an actor at a particular moment in a career, even as the years outside the frame move on.

The tributes to Robinson begin with that familiar role, but the affection behind them also reflects the experience of discovering a film and carrying it in memory. Her place in The War of the Worlds gives audiences a way to revisit her work and the character that made her a lasting part of science-fiction history.