Jane Birkin, a beloved British-French actor and singer who spent the majority of her life in France and was known for her turbulent relationship with French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg, dἰed on Sunday (16 July) at her residence in Paris. She was 76.
No cause of deἀth has been determined. Internationally, Birkin was best known for her 1969 duet with Gainsbourg, “Je t’aime… moi non plus,” which she recorded one year after meeting him on the set of Pierre Grimblat’s “Slogan.”
She had a minor but memorable role in Michelangelo Antonioni’s seductive 1966 film “Blow Up” despite the fact that she had not yet achieved mainstream success.
Birkin and Gainsbourg had a daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg, who is an actor and singer (“Melancholia,” “Nymphomaniac”). After their 1980 separation, they remained close and continued their artistic collaboration.
Birkin contributed creatively to three Gainsbourg albums: “Baby Alone in Babylone” in 1983, “Lost Song” in 1987, and “Amours des feintes” in 1990. Birkin also released a number of solo albums, including “Di Doo Dah,” “Ex fan des sixties,” and “Lolita Go Home,” and collaborated with well-known musicians such as Etienne Daho.
Do you know that the California Highway Patrol reported gunshΘts between two vehicles on eastbound Interstate 580 in Oakland on Friday night (14 July), forcing the road to be closed to traffic? At 6:23 p.m., gunfire was reported near Grand Avenue, according to CHP spokesman Andrew Barclay:
Birkin also had two other daughters, the musician Lou Doillon, with French director Jacques Doillon, and the late photographer Kate Barry, with James Bond composer John Barry, who she had with her first spouse.
Arriving in France in the 1960s, Birkin became a fashion icon in the 1970s by importing an effortlessly elegant style from “Swinging London.” Even the French luxury brand Hermes was inspired by her to create the Birkin purse.
She starred opposite Alain Delon and Romy Schneider in Jacques Deray’s “La Piscine” (“The Swimming Pool”), one of her most well-known film roles. She was nominated for three Cesar Awards, including one for “La Pirate,” directed by Jacques Doillon. She made her directorial début in 2007 with the film “Boxes,” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
In 2021, Charlotte Birkin portrayed her mother in the documentary film “Jane by Charlotte.” The intimate, critically acclaimed documentary was screened at Cannes and nominated for a Cesar Award.
Birkin, who was adored for her optimism and unassuming charm, suffered a stroke in 2021 and fractured her shoulder blade in February, causing her to cancel several March concerts.
This year, Birkin participated in a televised charity concert hosted by “Les enfoirés.” Three months ago, in May, Birkin canceled a new series of concerts scheduled for the Olympia and La Cigale theaters in Paris.
In a statement, she explained that while she had “always been a great optimist,” she “needed a bit more time to be able to be on stage.” Also tragic for Birkin was the apparent suicide of her eldest daughter, Kate Barry, ten years ago. She referenced Kate in her most recent album, “Oh! Pardon tu dormais… ”
