Her family said she died January 9 in Los Angeles but did not give other details.
She earned a Supporting Actress Oscar nom for the role.
Sally Field also starred in the pic directed by Sydney Pollock.
Melinda DillonGetty Images
The twisty thriller also earned a sixth career Oscar nom for Newman.
Later, sheaccidentallydestroys it.
Greg Evans contributed to this report.
Dillon and Richard Dreyfuss in ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind,’ 1977
