One Of The Last Living Cast Members Of Hit '60s Classic To Kill A Mockingbird Still Looks Gorgeous

"To Kill a Mockingbird" is beloved both as a novel and a film. Starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch, the cast also included some up-and-coming actors like Robert Duvall (Boo Radley), as well as complete unknowns like Mary Badham, who played Scout, Atticus' daughter. Badham was 9when talent scouts visited her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. While she didn't have any acting aspirations at the time, her mom was involved in the local acting scene, which paved the way for her to get noticed.

Decades later, it's unthinkable to imagine anyone other than Badham as Scout. Sadly, although Badham adored making the movie, she doesn't get the same satisfaction from watching it. "It's too painful for me to watch now, because everyone's gone," Badham explained to Yahoo Entertainment in 2022. After Duvall died in February 2026, Badham and Phillip Alford (Jem Finch) became the last two living cast members. While Alford was a child star who ditched Hollywood for a normal job, Badham recently made a return to the profession, with roles in 2024's "Was Once a Hero" as well as some not-yet-released projects. She's also given plenty of interviews about her "To Kill a Mockingbird" experiences. Every time, Badham's gorgeous smile lights up the room.

Badham's zest for life is delightful in this 2026 interview. She never let stardom go to her head. Now in her seventies, she's living a well-rounded life, taking pleasure in working outdoors and spending time with her family, including her husband, whom she's been married to for over 50 years.

Although Mary Badham and Phillip Alford played siblings in "To Kill a Mockingbird," their interactions on set were pretty contentious, and they never developed a close relationship. In contrast, Badham's connection with her on-screen dad, Gregory Peck, was so strong that she's practically part of the family. "His daughter and I are still really close and we'll be getting together this weekend," Badham informed "Tell Me Tell Me" in January 2026. 

Peck formed a parental bond with Badham when they acted together, and that relationship continued until Peck died in 2003. "He was kind and loving and he listened," Badham informed The 92nd St Y in 2015. His supportive guidance became even more crucial when Badham's parents died within a few years of each other when she was a young adult.

Surprisingly, Badham didn't read Harper Lee's once-banned novel until she was well into adulthood, when it became a requirement for an invitation to speak to a college literature class. She and Lee didn't become friends until the end of Lee's life, and their mutual affection for Peck was a major source of common ground. After Lee no longer wanted to connect with her legacy as the writer of this important story, preferring to lead a more private life, Badham took up the mantle. "It's my life's work basically," she informed Yahoo Entertainment. "The people involved in this film were very passionate about their belief in it and the messages that came with it."