Teri Hatcher and Mark Hamill lead tributes to Superman actress Margot Kidder

Stars are taking to social media to pay tribute to Superman actress Margot Kidder, who has died aged 69. Kidder rose to stardom playing intrepid reporter Lois Lane in the Superman films of the 1970s and 80s, alongside Christopher Reeve. Her manager confirmed her death at her home in Montana to CNN.

The Canadian-born actress also starred in the horror films Black Christmas and The Amityville Horror, and in later years became an activist.

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"On-screen she was magic," Star Wars' Mark Hamill wrote on Twitter. "Off-screen she was one of the kindest, sweetest, most caring woman I've ever known. I'll miss you #MargoKidder. Your legacy will live on forever."

Sarah Douglas, who played the supervillain Ursa, whom Lane (Kidder) sucker-punched in one iconic scene, posted an image of the famed cinematic moment on Twitter.

"So saddened by the news that dear #MargotKidder has died peacefully in her sleep yesterday," Douglas wrote. "We continued to have fun together over the last 40 years and she was a joy to be around."

Teri Hatcher, who played Lois Lane on the 1990s television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, said that it was "a privilege" to have shared a role with "wonderful actress" Kidder. Hollywood stars including Elijah Wood and Kumail Nanjiani also paid tribute.

In 2016 Kidder spoke about the familial chemistry she enjoyed with co-star Christopher Reeve, who played Superman and his alter-ego Clark Kent in the original 1978 film Superman and its three sequels.

"The energy we had was one of brother and sister, which was often bickering, that took the place of romantic energy," she told website Hey U Guys. "No one noticed the difference one from the other – it worked. We didn't have to create a different reality."

Kidder also struggled for years with bipolar disorder, and social media users have been praising the actress for broaching the subject publicly.

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