Early life Jane Mallory Birkin was born on 14 December 1946, in Marylebone, London. Her mother, Judy Campbell, was an English actress, best known for her work on stage. Her father, David Birkin, was a Royal Navy lieutenant-commander and World War II spy. Her brother is the screenwriter and director Andrew Birkin. She was educated at Upper Chine School, Isle of Wight. She is an aunt of theatre and opera director Sophie Hunter.[2][3][4] Career Birkin emerged in the Swinging London scene of the 1960s, appearing briefly in the counterculture era film Blowup (1966) and as the fantasy-like model in the psychedelic film Wonderwall (1968). That same year, she auditioned in France for the lead female role in the film Slogan (1969).[5] Though she did not speak French,[citation needed] she won the role, co-starring alongside Serge Gainsbourg, and she performed with him on the film's theme song, "La Chanson de Slogan" — the first of many collaborations between the two. In 1969, she and Gainsbourg released the duet "Je t'aime... moi non plus" ("I love you... me neither"). Gainsbourg originally wrote the song for Brigitte Bardot. The song caused a scandal for its sexual explicitness, and was banned by radio stations in Italy,[6] Spain, and the UK.[7] Birkin in 1985 "Je t'aime" made UK chart history in that on 4 October 1969 and the following week on 11 October, the song was at two different chart positions even though it is the same song, the same artists, and the same recorded version. The only difference was that they were on different record labels. It was originally released on the Fontana label, but due to its controversy, Fontana withdrew the record which was then released on the Major Minor label. Because there were Fontana singles still in the shops along with the Major Minor release, on 4 October 1969 the Major Minor release was at number 3 and the Fontana single at number 16. Also at that time it was the biggest ever selling single for a completely foreign language record. She appeared on Gainsbourg's 1971 album Histoire de Melody Nelson, portraying the Lolita-like protagonist in song and on the cover.[8] She took a break from acting in 1971–72, but returned as Brigitte Bardot's lover in Don Juan, or If Don Juan Were a Woman (1973).[1] In 1975, she appeared in Gainsbourg's first film, Je t'aime... moi non plus, which created a stir for frank examination of sexual ambiguity and was banned in the UK by the BBFC. For this performance she was nominated for a Best Actress César Award.[1] Birkin appeared in the Agatha Christie films Death on the Nile (1978) and Evil Under the Sun (1982), and recorded several albums, including Baby Alone in Babylone, Amours des Feintes, Lolita Go Home, and Rendez-vous. She won Female Artist of the Year in the 1992 Victoires de la Musique.[1] She starred in two films directed by Jacques Doillon – as Anne in La fille prodigue (1981) and as Alma in La pirate (1984, nominated for a César Award). This work led to an invitation from Patrice Chéreau to star on stage in La Fausse suivante by Marivaux at Nanterre. 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. Jacques Rivette collaborated with her in Love on the Ground (1983) and La Belle Noiseuse (1991, Nominated Césars best supporting actress). In 1985, she co-starred with John Gielgud, who was Katherine Mansfield's husband, in Leave All Fair (1985). She appeared in Merchant Ivory's A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998) (which also used her song "Di Doo Dah") and in Merci Docteur Rey (2002). The end title song for Le Divorce (2003) featured her singing "L'Anamour", composed by Gainsbourg.[citation needed] In 2006, she played the title role in Elektra, directed by Philippe Calvario in France.[1] Birkin recorded the song "Beauty" on French producer Hector Zazou's album Strong Currents (2003).[1] The cover art of Have You Fed the Fish? (2002) by singer-songwriter Badly Drawn Boy features her image and backing vocals by her daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg.[1] In 2010, she recorded a duet with Brazilian singer Sérgio Dias for a project by Dias and French band Tahiti Boy and the Palmtree Family.[citation needed] Hermès Ostrich Birkin bag. Birkin bag In 1981, Hermès chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas was seated next to Birkin on a flight from Paris to London. Birkin had just placed her straw bag in the overhead compartment of her seat, but the contents fell to the floor, leaving her to scramble to replace the contents. Birkin explained to Dumas that it had been difficult to find a leather weekend bag she liked. In 1984, he created a black supple leather bag for her: the Birkin bag,[9][10] based on a 1982 design. She used the bag for herself for quite some time until developing tendinitis, switching to other types at that point.[11] Personal life Birkin was married in 1965 to John Barry, the English composer best known for writing the music to numerous James Bond films and other films. They met when Barry cast Birkin in his musical Passion Flower Hotel. Their daughter, the late photographer Kate Barry, was born on 8 April 1967 and died on December 11, 2013.[12] The marriage ended in 1968.[13] Birkin with her second daughter Charlotte Gainsbourg in 2010 She had a passionate and creative relationship with her mentor Serge Gainsbourg, whom she met on the set of Slogan in 1968, a relationship that lasted 13 years.[14] They never married, despite rumours and misreporting to the contrary.[15][16][17] In 1971 they had a daughter, the actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg. They separated in 1980.[18] On 4 September 1982 she gave birth to her third daughter, Lou Doillon, from her relationship with the director Jacques Doillon.[19] They separated in the 1990s. The Observer reported in 2007 that Doillon "could not compete with her grief for Gainsbourg" (who died in 1991), and that she had lived alone since their separation.[20] Affiliations Birkin's humanitarian interests led her to work with Amnesty International on immigrant welfare and AIDS issues. She has visited Bosnia, Rwanda, Palestine and Israel. Awards and honours In 2001, Birkin was awarded the OBE. She has also been awarded the French Ordre National du Mérite. She won the "Best Actress" award at the 1985 Venice Film Festival for her performance in the film Dust, and also in 1985 the "Best Actress" award at the Orleans Film Festival for Leave All Fair. Discography Studio albums 1969 – Je t'aime... moi non plus with Serge Gainsbourg 1971 – Serge Gainsbourg – Histoire de Melody Nelson 1973 – Di doo dah 1975 – Lolita go home 1978 – Ex fan des sixties 1983 – Baby alone in Babylone 1987 – Lost song 1990 – Amours des feintes 1996 – Versions Jane 1998 – Best Of 1999 – À La Légère 2004 – Rendez-Vous 2006 – Fictions 2008 – Enfants d'Hiver Live albums 1987 – Jane Birkin au Bataclan 1992 – Integral au Casino de Paris 1996 – Integral a l'Olympia 2002 – Arabesque 2009 – au palace (live) Selected filmography Year Title Role Director 1965 The Knack ...and How to Get It a girl on a motorbike (uncredited) Richard Lester 1966 Kaleidoscope Exquisite Thing Jack Smight Blowup The Brunette Michelangelo Antonioni 1968 Wonderwall Penny Lane Joe Massot 1969 La Piscine Penelope Jacques Deray Les Chemins de Katmandou Jane André Cayatte 1970 Cannabis Jane Swenson Pierre Koralnik 1971 Romance of a Horsethief (fr) Naomi Abraham Polonsky 1972 Trop jolies pour être honnêtes Christine Richard Balducci 1973 Dark Places Alta Don Sharp Don Juan, or If Don Juan Were a Woman Clara Roger Vadim 1974 Le Mouton enragé (fr) Marie-Paule Michel Deville How to Do Well When You are a Jerk and a Crybaby Jane Michel Audiard Serious as Pleasure Ariane Berg Robert Benayoun Lucky Pierre Jackie Logan Claude Zidi 1975 La Course à l'échalote (fr) Janet Claude Zidi Catherine et Compagnie (fr) Catherine Michel Boisrond Sept morts sur ordonnance Jane Berg Jacques Rouffio 1976 Je t'aime moi non plus Johnny Serge Gainsbourg 1977 L'Animal the female film star Claude Zidi 1978 Death on the Nile Louise Bourget John Guillermin 1980 Egon Schiele – Excess and Punishment Wally Neuzil Herbert Vesely 1982 Evil Under the Sun Christine Redfern Guy Hamilton 1983 Love on the Ground Emily Jacques Rivette 1984 The Pirate Alma Jacques Doillon 1985 Dust Magda Marion Hänsel Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea Nikos' former love" (voice) Marion Hänsel Leave All Fair Katherine Mansfield John Reid 1986 La Femme de ma vie Laura Régis Wargnier 1987 Kung-Fu Master Mary-Jane Agnès Varda Keep Your Right Up the fun-loving woman Jean-Luc Godard 1990 Daddy Nostalgie Caroline Bertrand Tavernier 1991 La Belle Noiseuse Liz Jacques Rivette 1995 One Hundred and One Nights Madame Radin Agnès Varda 1997 Same Old Song Jane Alain Resnais 1998 A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries Mrs Fortescue James Ivory 1999 The Last September Francie Montmorency Deborah Warner 2002 Merci Docteur Rey Pénélope Andrew Litvack 2003 Le Divorce singer (end title) James Ivory 2006 Boxes Anna Jane Birkin herself 2009 36 Views from the Pic Saint-Loup Kate Jacques Rivette 2010 Thelma, Louise et Chantal Nelly Benoît Pétré 2012 Twice Born The psychologist Sergio Castellitto 2013 Nobody's Daughter Haewon Herself Hong Sang Soo 2013 Quai d'Orsay Molly Hutchinson Bertrand Tavernier |
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