Jane Birkin, Actress and Singer, Dies at 76
She was not on the list.
The British-French icon shot to fame thanks to her relationship with Serge Gainsbourg and their sexually explicit song "Je t’aime...moi non plus," but would go on to become a 1960s and '70s It-girl and lend her name to Hermes' iconic Birkin bag.
Jane Birkin, the singer and actress who rose to fame in the late 1960s as the lover of French bad boy Serge Gainsbourg and became a beloved figure in her adopted France, has died. She was 76.
The French culture minister announced the news on Sunday
following reports in Le Parisien newspaper and BFM television that said Birkin
had been found dead at her home in Paris. She had suffered a mild stroke in
2021.
Although born in London, Birkin would find fame singing in French. Her duet with Gainsbourg on the sexually explicit song “Je t’aime…moi non plus” (which was banned in several countries and condemned by the Vatican) made her a household name around the world.
The song was recorded in 1968, just months after the pair — Birkin then 22-year-old and Gainsbourg 40 — had first met on the set of the film Slogan, forging a turbulent relationship that would last 13 years and see them become France’s most famous couple. The two — whose notorious rows once saw her fling herself into the River Seine after throwing a custard pie in Gainsbourg’s face — would have a daughter, the actress, singer and director Charlotte Gainsbourg (who in 2021 debuted her documentary about her mother, Jane by Charlotte, in Cannes).
“He and I became the most famous of couples in that strange way because of ‘Je t’aime’ and because we stuck together for 13 years, and he went on being my best friend until the day he died,” Birkin told CNN in 2006.
Birkin’s film debut was Michelangelo Antonioni’s 1966
classic Blow-Up, where she had a small role noted for a full-frontal scene.
Other credits include the 1972 adaptation of Death on the Nile and 1982’s Evil
Under the Sun. Later moving to more arthouse productions, she earned three
Cesar nominations, beginning with 1985’s La Pirate.
Thanks to her style, Birkin became a major fashion icon and It-girl of the 1970s. In 1984, Hermes named its Birkin bag — still a highly sought-after accessory four decades on — after her.
Alongside Charlotte, Birkin had a daughter, Kate Barry, with
the James Bond composer John Barry, whom she married at the age of 17 (a
marriage that lasted just three years). Barry tragically died in 2013 of an
apparent suicide. Birkin also had another daughter, the singer Lou Doillon,
from a relationship with French director Jacques Dillon.
She was not on the list.
Actress
Video
2020
Jane Birkin and Gilles Tschudi in La femme et le TGV (2016)
La femme et le TGV
Elise
Short
2016
Whoever Was Using This Bed (2016)
Whoever Was Using This Bed
The Caller (voice)
Short
2016
Les Saisons meurtrières (2011)
Les Saisons meurtrières
Lili Rousseau
TV Mini Series
2011–2013
Julie Gayet, Thierry Lhermitte, and Raphaël Personnaz in The French Minister (2013)
The French Minister
Molly Hutchinson
2013
Penélope Cruz in Twice Born (2012)
Twice Born
Psicologa
2012
Golshifteh Farahani in Si tu meurs, je te tue (2011)
Si tu meurs, je te tue
Louise, la femme à l'aéroport
2011
Jane Birkin, Caroline Cellier, and Catherine Jacob in Thelma, Louise et Chantal (2010)
Thelma, Louise et Chantal
Nelly
2010
Around a Small Mountain (2009)
Around a Small Mountain
Kate
2009
Bunker (2008)
Bunker
Short
2008
Jane Birkin, Lou Doillon, Natacha Régnier, and Adèle Exarchopoulos in Boxes (2007)
Boxes
Anna
2007
La tête de maman (2007)
La tête de maman
Jane
2007
The Stevensons (2006)
The Stevensons
Fanny Stevenson
TV Movie
2006
Jane Birkin, Pierre Richard, Clovis Cornillac, and Émilie Dequenne in Mariées mais pas trop (2003)
Mariées mais pas trop
Renée
2003
Merci Docteur Rey (2002)
Merci Docteur Rey
Pénélope
2002
A Hell of a Day (2001)
A Hell of a Day
Jane
2001
Louis Garrel in This Is My Body (2001)
This Is My Body
Louise Vernet
2001
Cinderella (2000)
Cinderella
Mab
TV Movie
2000
Jane Birkin, Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Keeley Hawes, Fiona Shaw, and Lambert Wilson in The Last September (1999)
The Last September
Francie Montmorency
1999
A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998)
A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries
Mrs. Fortescue
1998
Quand le chat sourit
TV Movie
1997
Same Old Song (1997)
Same Old Song
Jane
1997
Noir comme le souvenir (1995)
Noir comme le souvenir
Caroline
1995
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (1995)
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Nikos' former love (voice)
1995
Michel Piccoli in One Hundred and One Nights (1995)
One Hundred and One Nights
Celle qui dit radin
1995
Divertimento (1992)
Divertimento
Liz
1992
Red Fox (1991)
Red Fox
Violet Harrison
TV Mini Series
1991
The Beautiful Troublemaker (1991)
The Beautiful Troublemaker
Liz
1991
Daddy Nostalgia (1990)
Daddy Nostalgia
Caroline
1990
L'ex-femme de ma vie (1990)
L'ex-femme de ma vie
Aurélie
TV Movie
1990
Médecins des hommes (1988)
Médecins des hommes
Joy
TV Series
1988
Jane B. for Agnes V. (1988)
Jane B. for Agnes V.
Calamity JaneClaude JadeJoan Arc
1988
Jane Birkin and Mathieu Demy in Kung-Fu Master! (1988)
Kung-Fu Master!
Mary-Jane
1988
Jane Birkin and Alain Souchon in Comédie! (1987)
Comédie!
Elle
1987
Soigne ta droite (1987)
Soigne ta droite
La cigale (as Mademoiselle Birkin)
1987
La femme de ma vie (1986)
La femme de ma vie
Laura
1986
La fausse suivante
La Comtesse
TV Movie
1985
John Gielgud and Jane Birkin in Leave All Fair (1985)
Leave All Fair
Marie TaylorKatherine Mansfield
1985
Jane Birkin, Dietmar Prinz, and Wolfgang Reichmann in Beethoven's Nephew (1985)
Beethoven's Nephew
Johanna
1985
Dust (1985)
Dust
Magda
1985
Love on the Ground (1984)
Love on the Ground
Emily
1984
Jane Birkin and Maruschka Detmers in The Pirate (1984)
The Pirate
Alma
1984
Jane Birkin, Sami Frey, and Gérard Jugnot in The Bodyguard (1984)
The Bodyguard
Barbara Penning
1984
Dorothée - Le Show (1983)
Dorothée - Le Show
Jane
TV Movie
1983
A Friend of Vincent (1983)
A Friend of Vincent
Marie-Pierre
1983
Move Along, There is Nothing to See (1983)
Move Along, There is Nothing to See
Hélène Duvernet
1983
Scarface
Cesca
TV Short
1982
Jane Birkin and Michel Serrault in Nestor Burma, détective de choc (1982)
Nestor Burma, détective de choc
Hélène Chatelain
1982
Evil Under the Sun (1982)
Evil Under the Sun
Christine Redfern
1982
Rends-moi la clé! (1981)
Rends-moi la clé!
Catherine
1981
The Prodigal Daughter (1981)
The Prodigal Daughter
Anne
1981
Egon Schiele: Excess and Punishment (1980)
Egon Schiele: Excess and Punishment
Wally
1980
La miel (1979)
La miel
Inés (as Jane Bírkín)
1979
Melancoly Baby (1979)
Melancoly Baby
Olga
1979
Au bout du bout du banc (1979)
Au bout du bout du banc
Peggy
1979
Death on the Nile (1978)
Death on the Nile
Louise Bourget
1978
Raquel Welch and Jean-Paul Belmondo in Animal (1977)
Animal
La vedette féminine
1977
Burnt by a Scalding Passion (1976)
Burnt by a Scalding Passion
Virginia Vismara
1976
The Devil in the Heart (1976)
The Devil in the Heart
Linda
1976
Jane Birkin and Joe Dallesandro in Je t'aime moi non plus (1976)
Je t'aime moi non plus
Johnny
1976
Gérard Depardieu, Jane Birkin, Michel Piccoli, Charles Vanel, and Marina Vlady in 7 morts sur ordonnance (1975)
7 morts sur ordonnance
Jane Berg
1975
Catherine & Co. (1975)
Catherine & Co.
Catherine
1975
Jane Birkin and Pierre Richard in La course à l'échalote (1975)
La course à l'échalote
Janet
1975
Sérieux comme le plaisir (1975)
Sérieux comme le plaisir
Ariane
1975
Bons baisers de Tarzan (1974)
Bons baisers de Tarzan
Jeanne
TV Movie
1974
I'm Losing My Temper (1974)
I'm Losing My Temper
Jackie Logan
1974
Comment réussir... quand on est con et pleurnichard (1974)
Comment réussir... quand on est con et pleurnichard
Jane
1974
Dark Places (1974)
Dark Places
Alta
1974
Romy Schneider and Jean-Louis Trintignant in Love at the Top (1974)
Love at the Top
Marie-Paule
1974
Les Maudits Rois Fainéants
TV Mini Series
1973
Jane Birkin, Jean-Luc Bideau, Françoise Fabian, Bulle Ogier, and Jacques Weber in Private Screening (1973)
Private Screening
KateHélène
1973
Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eyes (1973)
Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eyes
Corringa
1973
Don Juan, or If Don Juan Were a Woman (1973)
Don Juan, or If Don Juan Were a Woman
Clara Prévost
1973
Jane Birkin: Les langues de chat
Music Video
1972
Trop jolies pour être honnêtes (1972)
Trop jolies pour être honnêtes
Christine
1972
Melody (1971)
Melody
Melody Nelson
TV Movie
1971
Romance of a Horsethief (1971)
Romance of a Horsethief
Naomi
1971
Devetnaest djevojaka i jedan mornar (1971)
Devetnaest djevojaka i jedan mornar
Milja
1971
Jane Birkin, Michael Dunn, and Bernard Fresson in Trop petit mon ami (1970)
Trop petit mon ami
Christine MarsChristine Devone
1970
French Intrigue (1970)
French Intrigue
Jane Swenson
1970
May Morning (1970)
May Morning
Flora Finlake
1970
Sex-Power (1970)
Sex-Power
Jane
1970
Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin: Je t'aime... moi non plus (Version 2)
Jane Birkin
Music Video
1969
Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg in Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin: Je t'aime... moi non plus (Version 1) (1969)
Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin: Je t'aime... moi non plus (Version 1)
Jane Birkin
Music Video
1969
The Pleasure Pit (1969)
The Pleasure Pit
Jane
1969
Slogan (1969)
Slogan
Evelyne Nicholson
1969
Alain Delon, Romy Schneider, and Maurice Ronet in La Piscine (1969)
La Piscine
Pénélope
1969
Le rat noir
TV Short
1968
Wonderwall (1968)
Wonderwall
Penny Lane
1968
Armchair Theatre (1956)
Armchair Theatre
BabsJudy
TV Series
1967–1968
David Hemmings and Veruschka von Lehndorff in Blow-Up (1966)
Blow-Up
The Blonde
1966
Kaleidoscope (1966)
Kaleidoscope
Exquisite Thing
1966
The Idol (1966)
The Idol
Art Student (uncredited)
1966
Armchair Mystery Theatre (1960)
Armchair Mystery Theatre
Anthea Langridge
TV Series
1965
Rita Tushingham in The Knack... and How to Get It (1965)
The Knack... and How to Get It
Girl on Motorbike (uncredited)
1965
Director
Jane Birkin, Lou Doillon, Natacha Régnier, and Adèle Exarchopoulos in Boxes (2007)
Boxes
Director
2007
3000 scénarios contre un virus (1994)
3000 scénarios contre un virus
Director
TV Series
1994
Oh pardon! Tu dormais...
Director
TV Movie
1992
Lest We Forget (1991)
Lest We Forget
Director (segment Pour Maria Nonna Santa Clara, Philippines)
1991
Writer
Jane Birkin, Lou Doillon, Natacha Régnier, and Adèle Exarchopoulos in Boxes (2007)
Boxes
written by
2007
Oh pardon! Tu dormais...
Writer
TV Movie
1992
Jane Birkin and Mathieu Demy in Kung-Fu Master! (1988)
Kung-Fu Master!
story
1988
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