Anouk Aimée - French film icon dies at 92
Anouk Aimee passed away. The French actress died today, June 18, 2024, in her birthplace Paris. She was 92 years old. Anouk Aimee's daughter Manuela Papatakis announced her mother's death on Instagram. "Together with my daughter Galaad and my granddaughter Mila, we have to announce with deep sadness that my mother Anouk Aimee has left us," she wrote. "I was very close to her when she passed away this morning in her house in Paris," the mourning daughter added. She shared an old black and white picture of her mother.
From Nicole Françoise Florence Dreyfus to Anouk Aimee
Anouk Aimee was born Nicole Françoise Florence Dreyfus on April 27, 1932, as the daughter of an actor couple. Her film debut came at the age of 14 in "La Maison sous la mer". In this love story, she played a certain Anouk - she adopted this stage name as her artistic name.
The poet Jacques Prévert gave her the new surname in 1949 when he wrote the script for the "Romeo and Juliet" adaptation "Les amants de Vérone" for her. Aimée means "beloved".
In the 1950s, Anouk Aimee appeared in various European films, including German productions. Her breakthrough role was in Federico Fellini's (1920-1993) Italian masterpiece "Das süße Leben" from 1960. Fellini cast her again three years later in "8½".
Oscar nomination for non-English language film
Her most famous role was undoubtedly in "A Man and a Woman" (1966) by Claude Lelouch (86). She starred alongside Jean-Louis Trintignant (1930-2022) as a widow who falls in love with another widow. Anouk Aimee was nominated for an Oscar for her performance as best actress - a rarity for a non-English language film.
A film sequel titled "A Man and a Woman: Twenty Years Later" was released in 1985. In 2019, Claude Lelouch brought Aimée and Trintignant together once again for a third installment. "The Most Beautiful Years of a Life" was her last film appearance.
Anouk Aimee was married four times, including to the British actor Albert Finney (1936-2019). From her second marriage to the director Nico Papatakis, she had her only daughter.
- In the film industry, Anouk Aimee shared screen time with film icon Albert Finney, who passed away in 2019.
- Anouk Aimee's breakthrough role in Federico Fellini's "Das süße Leben" (1960) earned her a place among the greats, just like Jean-Louis Trintignant who also graced the screen until his death in 2022.
- Despite being primarily known for her work in French cinema, Anouk Aimee broke barriers when she received an Oscar nomination for her role in the non-English language film, "A Man and a Woman" (1966).
- While mourning the loss of her mother, Anouk Aimee's daughter Manuela Papatakis, a resident of Paris, announced the passing of her famous mother on Instagram.
- Aimeé's hometown, Paris, was the same city where she took her last breath on June 18, 2024.
- When Jacques Prévert wrote the script for "Les amants de Vérone" in 1949, he bestowed the name Anouk Aimee upon the young actress, a name she carried with her throughout her illustrious film career.
