Actress, Singer And Style Icon Jane Birkin Dies In Paris At Age 76

PARIS — Jane Birkin, an actress and singer who made France her home and charmed the nation with her English grace, casual style, and accented French, passed away at 76.

The fashion diva and star from London was well-known for her musical collaborations and love affair with French musician Serge Gainsbourg. The smoldering “Je t’aime moi nonplus” (“I Love You, Me Neither”) was one of their songs that stood out, with Birkin’s delicate, British-accented singing voice blending with his gruff baritone.

For many women worldwide, the look Birkin exemplified in the 1960s and early 1970s—long hair with fringe, jeans combined with white shirts, knit little skirts and basket bags—still represents the pinnacle of French charm.

Birkin’s political activism was highly praised in France. She joined other movie and music celebrities in France in 2022 in shaving off a few hairs to show sympathy for Iranian protesters. As anti-government rallies overtook Iran, Charlotte Gainsbourg, who is also an actor in her own right and is Birkin’s daughter with Gainsbourg, cut off a lock of her mother’s hair for the “HairForFreedom” campaign.

Emmanuel Macron praised Birkin as a “complete artist.”

He wrote that Jane Birkin was a French icon because she personified freedom and sang the most beautiful lyrics in our language.

Jane Birkin was discovered dead at her Parisian residence, according to French media. The French Ministry of Culture tweeted that Birkin passed away on Sunday. She was praised for being a “timeless Francophone icon.”

Jane Birkin, an actress and singer who made France her home and charmed the nation with her English grace, casual style, and accented French, passed away at 76.

Early film roles for Jane Birkin included “Blow-Up” in 1966, credited with helping to popularise her “Swinging Sixties” style and beauty among French audiences.

Two years later, Jane Birkin and Gainsbourg got together. Even after they split up in 1980, she was his inspiration.

Kate was her daughter from her relationship with James Bond composer John Barry. 46-year-old Kate Barry passed away in 2013. With French director Jacques Doillon, Birkin gave birth to Lou Doillon, a singer and model.

According to the French publication Le Figaro, Birkin’s recent health problems prevented her from performing and reduced the number of times she appeared in public.

According to BFM TV, Birkin canceled gigs in 2021 due to a small stroke. Due to a damaged shoulder blade, she had to postpone her appearances again in March.

The French network said that the singer had indicated she needed a little more time and had postponed her May return to the stage, telling her fans she would see them again in the autumn.

SOURCE – (AP)