Marie Laforet

Marie Laforêt was a French-Swiss singer and actress who rose to fame in the 1960s and 1970s. She was known for her distinctive voice, her eclectic repertoire, and her roles in films by renowned directors such as René Clément, Georges Lautner, Henri Verneuil, and Claude Chabrol. She was also nicknamed "The Girl with the Golden Eyes" after starring in a film adaptation of a novel by Honoré de Balzac. Marie Laforêt was born as Maïtena Marie Brigitte Doumenach on October 5, 1939, in Soulac-sur-Mer, Gironde, France. Her father was an industrialist who was captured and detained as a prisoner of war in Germany during World War II. Her mother was a homemaker who built holiday cottages in Soulac-sur-Mer. Marie had a sister named Alexandra and a brother named Jean-Pierre. She suffered a sexual trauma at the age of three, which affected her for a long time. She also developed a natural shyness, which she tried to overcome by becoming more religious and considering becoming a nun. Marie moved to Paris with her family after the war and attended the prestigious Lycée Jean-de-La-Fontaine. There she discovered her passion for drama and took classes with actor and director Raymond Rouleau. She also won a radio talent contest in 1959, which launched her career in show business. She made her film debut in 1960 in Purple Noon, a thriller directed by René Clément and starring Alain Delon. She then married Jean-Gabriel Albicocco, the director of her second film The Girl with the Golden Eyes, in 1961. They divorced in 1968. Marie started her singing career in 1963 with the release of her first single Vendanges de l'amour, which was a hit. She followed it with other successful songs such as Ivan, Boris et moi, Il a neigé sur Yesterday, Viens sur la montagne, Marie douceur, Marie colère, and Que calor la vida. She sang in French and Spanish and drew inspiration from American and European folk music. She also recorded cover versions of songs by Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, and The Rolling Stones. She sold more than 35 million albums throughout her career. Marie continued to act in films alongside stars such as Louis Jourdan, Lilli Palmer, Charles Aznavour, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean-Claude Brialy, and Alain Delon. She worked with directors such as Georges Lautner, Henri Verneuil, Pierre Granier-Deferre, Michel Deville, and Jean-Pierre Mocky. Some of her notable films include Dark Journey (1961), Male Hunt (1964), How Not to Rob a Department Store (1965), Blue Panther (1965), The Legend of Frenchie King (1971), The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob (1973), The Last Deadly Mission (2008), and The Yellow Eyes of the Crocodiles (2014). Marie also had a career in theatre and was nominated for a Molière Award in 2000 for her portrayal of Maria Callas. She also wrote books, opened an art gallery, and became an antique dealer and auctioneer. She moved to Geneva, Switzerland, in 1978 and acquired Swiss citizenship. She married and divorced four more times and had five children, including Lisa Azuelos, a film director and screenwriter. She also had several grandchildren. Marie Laforêt died on November 2, 2019, in Genolier, Switzerland, from bone cancer complications. She was 80 years old. She was buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France. She left behind a legacy of music and films that touched millions of people around the world.