One of France's most celebrated film stars, Nathalie Baye, has died aged 77, as reported by French media.
President Emmanuel Macron expressed that the much-loved stalwart of French cinema was an actress with whom we loved, dreamed and grew up.
A four-time acting winner at the Césars - France's equivalent of the Oscars - Baye starred in approximately 80 films during her illustrious career, which began with breakout roles in the early 1970s.
Her family announced that she passed away at her home in Paris on Friday evening from Lewy body dementia, a neurodegenerative disease.
Baye, born into a bohemian family of artists in Normandy in 1948, began her career as a dancer before transitioning to acting. She made her mark in François Truffaut's 1973 comedy La Nuit Américaine (Day for Night) shortly after graduating from drama school.
Her career subsequently spanned over five decades, during which she garnered her first César in 1981 for her supporting role in Jean-Luc Godard's Sauve qui peut (la vie) (Every Man for Himself). She won subsequent awards for her performances in Une Étrange Affaire (Strange Affair) and La Balance.
Baye was named best actress at the 1999 Venice Film Festival for her role in Une Liaison Pornographique (An Affair of Love).
Later in her career, she appeared in notable international projects, including Steven Spielberg's Catch Me if You Can, and recently in the acclaimed series Call My Agent! alongside her daughter, actress Laura Smet.
Away from acting, Baye supported action against climate change and legislative reform concerning assisted dying in France.
She leaves behind a legacy remembered by former co-stars and figures in the French film community. Isabelle Adjani, one of Baye's early co-stars, praised her as an actress of dazzling spontaneity, while Macron reflected, We loved Nathalie Baye so much. Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones.
Baye's passing marks the end of an era for a beloved figure in French culture and cinema.
