Anouk Aimée, the distinguished French actress known for her work with renowned filmmakers like Federico Fellini, Sidney Lumet, Jacques Demy, and Bernardo Bertolucci, has passed away at the age of 92. The news was shared by her daughter, Manuela Papatakis, who announced on social media that Aimée died peacefully at her home in Paris.
Aimée is perhaps most famous for her Oscar-nominated performance in Claude Lelouch’s 1966 romance, A Man and a Woman, where she starred opposite Jean-Louis Trintignant. Her career, which spanned over seven decades and included more than 80 films, brought her international acclaim and recognition.
Anouk Aimée (IMDb)
Born Nicole Françoise Florence Dreyfus on April 27, 1932, to actor parents, Aimée began her acting career in the late 1940s. She adopted the stage name Anouk Aimée after her role in The Lovers of Verona, a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet. This film, released in 1949, was her first leading role.
Aimée’s impressive filmography includes known works such as Ronald Neame’s Golden Salamander, Alexandre Astruc’s Bad Liaisons, and the Émile Zola adaptation Pot-Bouille.
However, her rise to fame came with her role in Federico Fellini’s 1960 film La Dolce Vita, where she portrayed the liberated socialite Maddalena alongside Marcello Mastroianni. She reunited with Fellini in 1963’s 8 ½, playing Luisa, a character based on Fellini’s wife, Giulietta Masina.
In 1961, Aimée starred as the titular character in Jacques Demy’s Lola, and in 1962, she appeared in Robert Aldrich’s epic Sodom and Gomorrah. Her role in A Man and a Woman earned her a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination.
The film itself won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, and two Oscars. Aimée reprised her role in two sequels: A Man and a Woman: 20 Years Later in 1986, and The Best Years of a Life in 2019, which was her final film role.
Other credits in Aimée’s career include Bertolucci’s Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man, Lumet’s The Appointment, Robert Altman’s Prêt-à-Porter, and Agnes Varda’s A Hundred and One Nights.
Aimée was married four times, including to actor Albert Finney. She had a daughter, Manuela, with her second husband, Greek director Nikos Papatakis. Aimée’s legacy as an iconic figure in international cinema remains profound, marked by her contributions to numerous classic films and her collaborations with some of the most influential directors of her time.