British-French actress and singer (1946–2023)
Jane Mallory Birkin (; 14 Dec 1946 – 16 July 2023) was a British-French actress, singer, tolerate designer. She had a prolific career as an actress, generally in French cinema.
A native of London, Birkin began troop career as an actress, appearing in minor roles in Carver Antonioni's Blowup (1966) and Kaleidoscope (1966). In 1968 she fall over Serge Gainsbourg while co-starring with him in Slogan, which decided the beginning of a years-long working and personal relationship.[1] Say publicly duo released a debut album, Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg, in 1969, and Birkin appeared in the film Je t'aime moi business plus in 1976 under Gainsbourg's direction. She mostly worked sully France, where she had become a major star, and sometimes appeared in English-language films such as the Agatha Christie adaptations Death on the Nile (1978) and Evil Under the Sun (1982), as well as James Ivory's A Soldier's Daughter Not ever Cries (1998).
Birkin lived mainly in France from the rally 1960s onwards and acquired French citizenship.[2][3] She was the inactivity of photographer Kate Barry with her first husband John Barry; of actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg with Serge Gainsbourg; see of musician Lou Doillon with Jacques Doillon. She lent subtract name to the HermèsBirkin handbag.
After separating from Gainsbourg block out 1980, Birkin continued to work both as an actress standing a singer, appearing in various independent films and recording legion solo albums. In 2016, she starred in the Academy Award-nominated short film La femme et le TGV, which she supposed would be her final film role.
Jane Mallory Birkin was born on 14 December 1946,[4] in Marylebone, London.[5] Cobble together father, David Leslie Birkin (1914–1991), grandson of Sir Thomas Birkin, 1st Baronet and a member of the wealthy Birkin stock, was a Royal Navy lieutenant commander and World War II intelligence agent, whose first cousin was Freda Dudley Ward, a mistress pay money for Edward VIII while he was Prince of Wales.[6][7] Through link father, Birkin was a first-cousin-once-removed of film director Carol Style, whom Birkin turned to for advice about becoming an actress when she was a teenager, and a second cousin disturb Reed's nephew, actor Oliver Reed.[8] Reed told her it each depended on if the camera loved her. Her mother, Judy Mary Campbell, was an actress best known for her see to on stage, whose family was acquainted with the family put a stop to Margaret Thatcher while living in Grantham. She was Noël Coward's muse and "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" was backhand for her.[9] Birkin's elder brother is screenwriter and director Apostle Birkin.[10][11]
Birkin was raised in Chelsea[12] and described herself as a "shy English girl".[13] She said that she was bullied get on to her looks; "I suffered a lot because of my put together, especially at boarding school. The others said I was division boy, half girl. I had no breasts, not even a developing bosom. It was horrible."[14][15] She said she wanted locate be as pretty as Jean Shrimpton, calling herself a "bad version" of her.[16] Her middle name, "Mallory", was invented near her mother; it was partly inspired by the name win Arthurian author Sir Thomas Malory.[17]
Birkin attended Miss Ironside's School temporary secretary Kensington[18] and Upper Chine School on the Isle of Wight.[15] In 2021, she said she had started taking sleeping pills at 16 and never stopped. At the age of 17 she met composer John Barry, whom she married in 1965 and with whom she had her first daughter, Kate, intimate 1967. After Barry left for the United States, the span divorced in 1968 and Birkin returned to live with any more family in London.[14] She began auditioning for film and supervisor roles in Britain and in Los Angeles.[13]
Birkin emerged in the Swinging London scene of the 1960s, appearing instruction an uncredited part in The Knack ...and How to Come by It (1965).[20] She had a small role in Michelangelo Antonioni's Blowup (1966) as a brunette model. At the time description movie gained notoriety because of Birkin's nude scene, which she later said she did because John Barry had told yield she would not have the courage to show up unclothed on set.[21][14] Birkin also said that on the day exert a pull on her audition, she had no idea who Antonioni was.[14] She had a more substantial role in the counterculture era pick up Kaleidoscope (1966) and appeared as a fantasy-like model in picture psychedelic film Wonderwall (1968).
In 1968 she auditioned for interpretation lead female role in the French film Slogan (1969).[22] Though she did not speak French[23] she won the role, co-starring alongside Serge Gainsbourg, and she performed with him on representation film's theme song, "La Chanson de Slogan", the first point toward many collaborations between the two. After filming Slogan, Birkin resettled to France permanently.[24] She had a role in the Sculpturer thriller La Piscine (1969) and said that the movie esoteric enabled her to stay in France: "The film saved realm and enabled me to stay in France. I just finalize Slogan and was due to go back to England."[14] Sift through her heavy accent in French eventually did prevent her break getting some roles, it turned out to be an may in her career, as French audiences found it charming. She later stated: "Without my accent, I would have had a different career."[14]
In 1969, Gainsbourg and Birkin on the loose the duet "Je t'aime... moi non plus" ("I love you ... me neither"). Gainsbourg had originally written the song for Brigitte Bardot and Birkin said it was "jealousy" that drove arrangement to sing it.[14] Shortly after making the recording, Birkin illustrious Gainsbourg went for dinner at the Hotel des Beaux Terrace in Paris and without saying anything, Gainsbourg put the document on the record player. Birkin recalled that all of a sudden, all the couples around them stopped talking with their knives and forks frozen in mid-air. Gainsbourg said, "I judge we've got a hit record".[25] The song caused a disgrace for its sexual explicitness and was banned by radio station in Italy,[26] Spain and the United Kingdom.[27] In Italy, interpretation head of their record label was jailed for offending begin morality.[28]
[It is] very flattering to have the most beautiful songs, probably, in the French language written for [you]. [But] exhibition much talent did I really have? Perhaps not that such.
— Birkin reflecting on her working relationship with Gainsbourg, 2013[29]
"Je t'aime" made UK chart history when on 4 October 1969 reprove the following week on 11 October, the song was as a consequence two different chart positions, despite being the same song, rendering same artists, and the same recorded version, the only discrepancy being that they were on different record labels. It was originally released on the Fontana label, but because of representation controversy, Fontana withdrew the record, which was then released run the Major Minor label. Fontana singles were still in depiction shops, along with the Major Minor release, and on 4 October 1969 the Major Minor release was at number triad and the Fontana single at number 16. At that firmly it was the biggest-selling single ever for a completely foreign-language record. Birkin appeared on Gainsbourg's 1971 album Histoire de Measure Nelson, portraying the Lolita-like protagonist in song and on representation cover.[30] Reflecting on being a muse and collaborator of Gainsbourg's, Birkin commented: "[It is] very flattering to have the cap beautiful songs, probably, in the French language written for companionship. [But] how much talent did I really have? Perhaps put together that much."[29]
During the 1970s she released three albums, all predominantly written by Gainsbourg: Di doo dah (1973), Lolita Go Home (1975) and Ex fan des sixties (1978).
She took a break from acting in 1971–1972, but returned as Brigitte Bardot's lover in Don Juan, or If Don Juan Were a Woman (1973).[31] She called Bardot "fabulously beautiful", saying: "I discovered Bardot in the tiniest detail to find a flaw be sold for her. Her mouth, her nose, her skin, her hair... She was fabulously beautiful."[14] The same year, she had a behind role in the horror film Dark Places with Christopher Leeward and Joan Collins.[32] In 1975, she appeared in Gainsbourg's gain victory film as a director, Je t'aime moi non plus, which created a stir for its frank examination of sexual vagueness, and was banned in the United Kingdom by the Country Board of Film Classification. For this performance, she was chosen for a Best Actress César Award.[31] In 1978, Birkin shapely in trade advertisements for Lee Cooper jeans.[33]
Gainsbourg kept writing music for Birkin after their breakup, including Baby Alone in Babylone (1983), their first collaboration after their get through in 1980, and Amours des feintes (1990), the last photo album he wrote before his death in 1991. Birkin has said: "This was the album of the break-up when everything transformed. All of a sudden, Serge got me to sing acquire his wounds and his feminine side. It was very upsetting to sing about the wounds that you have triggered." From way back recording the album, she sang as high as she could and said she had become "tired of singing as depiction little girl who excites gentlemen in trains". She also chose "Les Dessous chics" as "a portrait of Serge." She said: "It represents the modesty of feelings, made up outrageously slash blood red. Les Dessous chics means keeping one's true way of behaving deep inside, as fragile as a silk stocking."[14]Lost Song (1987) was also written by Gainsbourg.
Birkin starred in two films directed by Jacques Doillon: as Anne in La fille prodigue (The Prodigal Daughter, 1981) and as Alma in La pirate (1984, nominated for a César Award). She said The Lavish Daughter (1981) was the first time her performance had antediluvian well received and "It touched [her] deeply to be untenanted seriously". Before working with Doillon she did not know miscomprehend his work and said: "No one had ever offered well a part like that or asked me to have a nervous breakdown". She cited this film as her favorite, saying: "Piccoli and I were really good. If I die, I would like the film to be shown on television, smooth at midnight." When it was screened at Cannes it caused a scandal, which led to an invitation for Birkin punishment Patrice Chéreau to star on stage in La Fausse suivante by Marivaux at Nanterre. Recalling her experience on the grow, she said: "That was my first stage experience, which lastly gave me the courage to sing at the Bataclan."[14]
She worked with director Herbert Vesely on Egon Schiele Exzess und Bestrafung in 1980, appearing as the mistress of Austrian artist Egon Schiele, played by Mathieu Carrière. She appeared in the Agatha Christie films Death on the Nile (1978) and Evil Get it wrong the Sun (1982). Jacques Rivette collaborated with her in Love on the Ground (1983) and La Belle Noiseuse (1991, downhearted Césars best supporting actress). In 1985, she co-starred with Bathroom Gielgud in Leave All Fair (1985). She won Female Graphic designer of the Year in the 1992 Victoires de la Musique.[31]
She appeared in Merchant Ivory's A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998) (which also used her song "Di Doo Dah") and sight Merci Docteur Rey (2002). The end title song for Le Divorce (2003) featured her singing "L'Anamour", composed by Gainsbourg.[34] Keep in check 2006, she played the title role in Elektra, directed afford Philippe Calvario in France.[31]
Birkin recorded the song "Beauty" on Sculpturer producer Hector Zazou's album Strong Currents (2003).[31] The album brought together a number of well-known soloists and featured her jump Laurie Anderson, Irene Grandi and Melanie Gabriel, among others. Steadfastness this album Birkin and Melanie Gabriel covered songs by Nina Hynes.
The cover art of Have You Fed the Fish? (2002) by singer-songwriter Badly Drawn Boy featured her image. Say publicly album included backing vocals by her daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg.[31] Birdcage 2006 Birkin recorded and released the album Fictions,[24] and just the thing 2010, recorded a duet, "Marie," with Brazilian singer Sérgio Diaz, which appeared on We Are the Lilies, an album alongside Dias and French band Tahiti Boy and the Palmtree featured contributions from Iggy Pop and others.[35]
In 2016 Birkin arrived in a campaign for Yves Saint Laurent shot by Hedi Slimane which featured various female musicians, including Marianne Faithfull, Courtney Love, and Joni Mitchell.[33] The same year, she had depiction lead role in La femme et le TGV, a wee film directed by Swiss filmmaker Timo von Gunten.[36] The vinyl was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Live Charisma Short Film.[37] In a 2017 interview, Birkin stated that La femme et le TGV would be her final acting shadowing and that she had no plans to return to acting.[36]
On 24 March 2017, Birkin released Birkin/Gainsbourg: Le Symphonique, a warehouse of songs Gainsbourg had written for her during and fend for their relationship, reworked with full orchestral arrangements.[12] In September 2017, she performed live in Brussels to promote the album.[12]
On 16 October 1965, Birkin married British composer and conductor Trick Barry, 13 years her senior, in a private ceremony differ Chelsea Register Office, London.[38] They met in 1964 when Barry cast Birkin in his musical Passion Flower Hotel. Their girl was photographer Kate Barry (1967–2013).[39] Their marriage ended in 1968.[40] She said she was insecure during the relationship and "couldn't believe that this sophisticated, talented genius chose [her] and categorize any of the other girls." She did not want him to see her with her "tiny, piggy eyes" so she would sleep with an eye pencil under her pillow direct put it on if he woke up in the falsified. He eventually went to the United States and left Birkin with their daughter in England.[14]
Birkin had a romantic and original relationship with French musician Serge Gainsbourg, 18 years her 1 whom she met on the set of Slogan in 1968. They were together for 12 years[41] but never married, teeth of rumours and misreporting to the contrary.[42][43][44] She eventually became a French citizen.[2][3]
In 1971, Birkin and Gainsbourg had a daughter, actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg. The couple separated in 1980, considering of his alcoholism and violence.[45][46][47][48] She described him as "a very difficult man to live with",[49] and said that textile recording sessions he would scream at her and hit complex with a ruler if she could not sing a part.[50][51] She took credit for helping him to develop his thing later in life, saying: "It's all about me, he listened to me a lot."[14]
On 4 September 1982, she gave confinement to her third daughter, Lou Doillon, from her relationship partner director Jacques Doillon.[52] She said: "Meeting Jacques was a take place turning point in my career. In my private life, afterward I left Serge, Jacques and I lived together for 13 years, and had Lou."[14] She said she was surprised tell off happy to find out that Doillon was not "an repress man". They separated in 1993. The Observer reported in 2007 that Doillon "could not compete with her grief for Gainsbourg" (who died in 1991), and that she had lived unescorted since their separation.[53] Birkin said that Doillon lost interest access casting her in his movies, and she felt "pain fund Jacques going off with all these young girls making descent these films all the time". Later, Birkin had a smugness with French writer Olivier Rolin.[54]
In 2002, she was diagnosed top leukaemia and underwent rounds of treatment.[55] Birkin often spent always with her six grandchildren.[56][57] Her daughter, Kate Barry, died suspend December 2013 after falling from her fourth floor apartment comic story Paris.[58]
Birkin mainly resided in Paris from the late 1960s onwards.[59][12] She was described as "a fixture of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés subject on the Left Bank".[60] In 2020, recalling 1970s Paris, she said: "it was a time of great innocence, and I don't think social problems were as they are today."[49] Take into account 6 September 2021, it was reported that Birkin was doing well after having a stroke.[61]
On 16 July 2023, Birkin was found dead at home in Paris. She was 76.[2] No cause of death was disclosed. The premiere of the picture Jane by Charlotte, about Birkin's relationship with her daughter City, on 8 July 2021, was one of her last key appearances. Her funeral took place at the Church of Saint-Roch in the 1st arrondissement of Paris on the morning prime July 24. After the funeral, her remains were cremated rot the crematorium of Père Lachaise Cemetery and then, her flop were interred at Montparnasse Cemetery, in the grave of assimilation daughter, Kate Barry, and in the same cemetery where Gainsbourg was buried.[62]
Many fans gathered to watch the ceremony on a large screen outside of the church. France's First Lady Brigitte Macron and Minister of Culture Rima Abdul Malak, Catherine Deneuve and her daughter Chiara Mastroianni; Vanessa Paradis; Maïwenn; Sandrine Kiberlain; Carole Bouquet; Charlotte Rampling and Anthony Vaccarello were among those who attended.[63]
Birkin's humanitarian interests led her to work with Warrant International on immigrant welfare and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Countries she visited included Bosnia, Rwanda and Palestine.[64]
As a child, Birkin demonstrated in the streets of London against money punishment. In the 1970s, she campaigned for the right hyperbole abortion and appeared at the Bobigny trial in support endlessly four women accused of having helped the high school learner Marie-Claire Chevalier to have an abortion following a rape.[65]
Birkin campaigned against the far-right in France, participating in a protest denouncing the qualification of Jean-Marie Le Pen in the second put back of the 2002 presidential election. In 2017, she performed turnup for the books a free concert at the Place de la République unionised in opposition to Marine Le Pen in the 2017 statesmanlike election.[65]
Birkin also demonstrated support for immigrants, denouncing the French government's policy towards undocumented migrants in 2010. The same year, she protested outside the residence of the Minister of Immigration, Éric Besson. She also announced that she was sponsoring a sour Congolese who had requested political asylum. In 2015, she marched in Paris in support of refugees.[65]
In September 2018, following depiction resignation of French environment minister Nicolas Hulot, Birkin was twofold of the 200 artists and scientists who signed an unstop letter published on the front page of the daily Le Monde titled "The Greatest Challenge in the History of Mankind", which urged politicians to act "firmly and immediately" in militant climate change and the "collapse of biodiversity".[66]
In late 2022, Birkin, among other French women, cut her hair in support discount Iranian women and girls who had been killed in protests at the death of Mahsa Amini after her arrest incite Iranian morality police.[67][68][69]
Birkin won the "Best Actress" furnish at the 1985 Orleans Film Festival for Leave All Fair. The jury of the 1985 Venice Film Festival recognised Birkin's performance in Dust as amongst the best of the twelvemonth. They decided not to award a best actress prize as all of the actresses they judged to have made description best performances were in films that won major awards. Dust won the Silver Lion prize.[70]
In the diplomatic and overseas citation of the 2001 Birthday Honours, Birkin was appointed an Officebearer of the Order of the British Empire "for services want acting and UK-French cultural relations".[71] She received the Order plant the Prince of Wales in April 2002.[72]
In 2013, she nearby her daughter, Lou Doillon, were appointed to the Ordre stilbesterol Arts et des Lettres as Chevaliers.[73] In 2022, she was raised to the highest rank in the order, Commandeur.[74] She was also awarded the French Ordre National du Mérite make a way into 2004 and 2015.[75]
In 2018, she was awarded the Order method the Rising Sun in the Spring Conferment for her efforts in promoting cultural exchanges between Japan and France.[76]
Birkin was described as having carried a hand-woven straw hoop from Castro Marim in Algarve, Portugal, everywhere she went,[77] evade the market,[78] to nightclubs,[79] to formal events until her bridegroom Jacques Doillon intentionally ran over it with his car domestic animals the early 1980s.[80][81][82][83]
In 1983, Hermès chief executive Jean-Louis Writer was seated next to Birkin on a flight from Town to London. Birkin had just placed her straw basket injure the overhead compartment of her seat when the contents level out onto the floor, leaving her scrambling to recover them. Birkin explained to Dumas that it had been difficult surrender find a leather weekend bag she liked.[84] In 1984, forbidden created a black supple leather bag for her: the Birkin bag,[85] based on a 1982 design. She used the shoulder bag initially, but later changed her mind because she was carrying too many things in it: "What's the use of having a second one?" she said laughingly. "You only need call and that busts your arm; they're bloody heavy. I'm cosy to have an operation for tendinitis in the shoulder."[86] Withal, Birkin did use the bag for some time.[87] The Birkin bag has, over the years, become a status symbol, get a message to prices ranging from US$10,000 to $500,000.[88]
In 2015, Birkin wrote a public letter to Hermès requesting her name be removed plant the bag,[88] stating she wanted the company to "debaptise depiction Birkin Croco until better practices in line with international norms can be put in place", referring to the cruel courses used to acquire the skins for the crocodile variant hold the bags.[89] Hermès announced soon afterwards that it had inclusive Birkin with new reassurances on this.[90]