Ann Robinson, star of the genre-defining sci-fi flick War of the Worlds, has passed away.

Robinson started her career as a stunt rider in westerns like Frenchie (1950), The Cimarron Kid (1951), and Gun Brothers (1956).

In 1953, she landed her most well-known role in the sci-fi film The War of the Worlds. Based on the H.G. Wells novel, the movie follows a Martian invasion and the efforts of the humans to fight back. Robinson stars as library science teacher Sylvia Van Buren alongside Gene Barry's Dr. Clayton Forrester. The movie won an Academy Award for visual effects and is now considered one of the great science fiction films of the 1950s.

Robinson appeared many times on TV over the following years, including guest roles on shows such as Perry Mason, Adam-12, Gilligan's Island, and more.

She reprised her famous role as Sylvia Van Buren in the 1988 War of the Worlds TV series. In 2005, she appeared in Steven Spielberg's remake alongside Gene Barry, this time playing the mother-in-law of Tom Cruise's character. 

Robinson passed away in September of 2025; however, the family did not publicly reveal the news until now. The actress was 96 years old.