Jane Birkin
Jane Birkin OBE (born
14 December 1946) is an
actress and
singer.
Birkin was born in
London,
England to David Birkin, a
Royal Navy commander and
World War II espionage hero, and Judy Campbell (née Gamble), an actress in
Noel Coward musicals. Her great aunt was
Freda Dudley Ward born
Winifred (Freda) May Birkin, a mistress of
Edward VIII while he was
Prince of Wales.
Birkin emerged in the
swinging 60s in London, starring as one of the models in the controversial film
Blow Up[. In "Blowup" Birkin had the distinction of being the first actress to show full bush in a mainstream British movie] in 1967.
In 1968, Birkin went to France to audition for the lead female role in
Slogan. Though she did not speak French, she got the role.
In 1969, she and
Serge Gainsbourg released the song "
Je t'aime... moi non plus"
("I love you... me neither"), written by Gainsbourg and featuring both of them singing, which caused a scandal for its sexual explicitness. Thanks to the publicity it got from being banned by radio stations in Italy, Sweden, Spain, and the UK, it was a commercial success all over Europe.
Birkin took a short break from her acting career in 1971-72, but returned as
Brigitte Bardot's lover in
Don Juan (or if Don Juan were a woman) in 1973.
In 1975, she appeared in Gainsbourg's first film, also titled
Je t'aime... moi non plus, which created quite a stir for its frank examination of sexual ambiguity. For this performance she was nominated for a Best Actress
César Awards.
Birkin has starred in the
Agatha Christie films
Death on the Nile and
Evil Under the Sun, and recorded several albums including "Baby Alone in Babylone".
In 1980, she met
Jacques Doillon when she starred in his film
La fille prodigue, they worked and lived together for the next 10 years. 1984's Doillon's film
"La pirate" (also nominated for a César Award) led to an invitation from
Patrice Chéreau to star on stage in
La Fausse suivante by
Marivaux at
Nanterre. After this, she also began to appear frequently on stage in plays and concerts (France, Japan, UK then US).
Jacques Rivette also collaborated with her for
Love on the Ground (1983) and
La belle noiseuse (1991, Nominated
Césars best supporting actress), and for
Merchant Ivory's
A Soldier's Daugther Never Cries (1998, also used her song
"Di Doo Dah"),
Merci Docteur Rey (2002) and also
Le Divorce's end title song featured her singing
"L'Anamour" composed by Serge Gainsbourg.
In 2006, she will play
Elektra directed by Philippe Calvario in France.
She has been awarded an
OBE for her services to acting, as well as the
Ordre National du Mérite in France.
She is noted for being the inspiration for fashion house
Hermès' popular
Birkin Bag.
* Birkin recorded the song "Beauty" on French producer
Hector Zazou's 2003 album
Strong Currents.
* The Hermes Birkin bag was named after Birkin, after the actress was seen struggling with several bags while boarding an airplane.
*Her image features on the cover art of
Have You Fed the Fish? by singer song writer
Badly Drawn Boy.
|
The Best of Jane Birkin album cover. |
* 1969 -
Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg* 1973 -
Di doo dah* 1975 -
Lolita go home* 1978 -
Ex fan des sixties* 1983 -
Baby alone in Babylone* 1987 -
Lost song* 1987 -
Jane Birkin au Bataclan* 1990 -
Amours des feintes* 1992 -
Integral au Casino de Paris* 1996 -
Versions Jane* 1996 -
Integral a l'Olympia* 1999 -
A la legere* 2002 -
Arabesque* 2004 -
Rendez-Vous* 2005 -
Open Season (with
Feist)
* 2006 -
Fictions*
La Tête de maman (2007)
*
L'ex-femme de ma vie (2004) - singer (theme song "Parlez-moi d'amour")
*
Le Divorce (2003) - singer (end title "L'Anamour"')
*
The Very Merry Widows (2003) -
Renée*
Merci Docteur Rey (2002) -
Pénélope*
A Hell of a Day (2001) -
Jane*
This Is My Body (2001) -
Louise Vernet*
The Last September (1999) -
Francie Montmorency*
A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998) -
Mrs. Fortescue"
*On connaît la chanson (1997) - Jane" (she sung her song "Quoi")
*
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (1995) -
The Woman (voice)*
Black for Remembrance (1995) -
Caroline*
Les cent et une nuits (1995) -
Celle qui dit radin*
3000 scénarios contre un virus (1994) - as Director (segment "Je t'aime, moi non plus")
*Oh pardon ! Tu dormais... (1992, TV) - as Director and writer
*La Belle noiseuse. Divertimento (1991) - Liz
*La Belle noiseuse (1991) - Liz
*Contre l'oubli (1991, segment "Pour Maria Nonna Santa Clara, Philippine") - Director and narrator
*These Foolish Things (1990) - Caroline
/ also singer (end title "These Foolish Things")
*Comédie ! (1987, by Jacques Doillon) - Elle
/ also singer (theme song)
*Soigne ta droite (1987) - La cigale
*Jane B. par Agnès V. (1987) - Calamity Jane/
Claude Jade/
Jeanne d'Arc
*Kung-Fu master (1987) - Mary-Jane""
*
La Femme de ma vie (1986) -
Laura*
Beethoven's Nephew (1985) -
Johanna*
Dust (1985) -
Magda*
Leave All Fair (1985) -
Katherine Mansfield*
Love on the Ground (1984, by
Jacques Rivette) -
Emily*
La Pirate (1984, by
Jacques Doillon) -
Alma*
Le Garde du corps (1984) -
Barbara Penning*
L'Ami de Vincent (1983) -
Marie-Pierre*
Circulez, y'a rien à voir ! (1983, by
Patrice Leconte) -
Hélène Duvernet*
Nestor Burma, Détective de choc (1982) -
Hélène Chatelain*
Evil Under the Sun (1982) -
Christine Redfern*
Rends-moi la clé ! (1981) -
Catherine*
The Prodigal Daughter (1981, by
Jacques Doillon) -
Anne*
Egon Schiele - Exzesse (1981) -
Vally*
La miel (1979) -
Inés*
Melancholy Baby (1979) -
Olga*
Au bout du bout du banc (1979) -
Peggy*
Death on the Nile (1978) -
Louise Bourget*
Good-bye, Emmanuelle (1977) - as Singer (theme song)
*
L'Animal (1977) -
La vedette féminine*
Madame Claude (1977) - singer (theme son "Yesterday Yes a Day")
*
The Devil in the Heart (1976) -
Linda*
Je t'aime moi non plus (1976) -
Johnny Jane*
Burnt by a Scalding Passion (1976) -
Virginia Vismara*
Bestial Quartet (1975) -
Jane Berg*
Catherine & Co. (1975) -
Catherine*
La Course à l'échalote (1975) -
Janet*
Serious as Pleasure (1975) -
Ariane Berg*
Lucky Pierre (1974) -
Jackie Logan*
How to Make Good When One Is a Jerk and a Crybaby (1974) -
Jane*
Le Mouton enragé (1974) -
Marie-Paule*
Projection privée (1973) -
Kate/Hélène*
Seven Dead in the Cat's Eye (1973) -
Corringa*
Don Juan, ou Si Don Juan était une femme... (1973) -
Clara*
Dark Places (1973) -
Alta*
Trop jolies pour être honnêtes (1972) -
Christine*
Romance of a Horsethief (1971) -
Naomi*
19 djevojaka i Mornar (1971) -
Milja*
The Mafia Wants Your Blood (1970) -
Jane Swenson*
Alba pagana (1970) -
Flora*
Sex Power (1970) -
Jane*
Trop petit mon ami (1970) -
Christine Mars/Christine Devone*
The Swimming Pool (1969) -
Penelope*
The Pleasure Pit (1969) -
Jane*
Slogan (1969) -
Evelyne*
Wonderwall (1968) -
Penny Lane*
Kaleidoscope (1966) -
Exquisite Thing*
Blow Up (1966) -
The Blonde*
The Knack...and How to Get It (1965) - ''Girl on Motorbike (uncredited)
Birkin was married to
John Barry, an English composer who wrote the musical score to the
James Bond movies. Their daughter, Kate Barry, was born in 1968.
On the set of
Slogan, she met
Serge Gainsbourg, with whom she cohabitated until 1980. They had a daughter,
Charlotte Gainsbourg.
In 1982 Birkin had a third daughter,
Lou Doillon, with film director
Jacques Doillon.
*
Yahoo Movies Bio*
JaneBirkin.net*
A Tribute to Gainsbourg, zoom sur Jane Birkin*
Jane Birkin biography
