Nathalie Baye

Nathalie Marie Andrée Baye (; 6 July 1948 – 17 April 2026) was a French film, television and stage actress. She began her career in 1970 and has appeared in more than 80 films. A ten-time César Award nominee, her four wins were for Every Man for Himself, Strange Affair (1981), La Balance (1982), and The Young Lieutenant (2005). Her other films include Day for Night (1973), Catch Me If You Can (2002), Tell No One (2006), and The Assistant (2015). In 2009, she was appointed a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour.

Early life Baye was born in Mainneville, Eure, Normandy, on 6 July 1948, to Claude Baye and Denise Coustet, two painters. At 14, she joined a school of dance in Monaco. Three years later she went to the United States. On returning to France, she continued with dance but also registered for the Simon Course and was admitted to the Conservatoire, from where she graduated in 1972 with a second prize in comedy, dramatic comedy, and foreign theatre.

Career

Baye's second film appearance was in Two People (1973), directed by Robert Wise. She became better known as the script girl in Day for Night (La Nuit américaine, 1973) by François Truffaut. Throughout the 1970s, she played the good girlfriend or nice provincial girl in film and television.

She won her first César, as best supporting artist, for Every Man for Himself (Sauve qui peut (la vie), 1980) directed by Jean-Luc Godard. There then followed The Return of Martin Guerre (Le Retour de Martin Guerre, 1982) and La Balance (also 1982).

Baye won two more César Awards, Best Supporting Actress, for Strange Affair (Une étrange affaire, 1981), and Best Actress for La Balance, 1982). Her four-year relationship with Johnny Hallyday made them a celebrity couple and their daughter is Laura Smet, now an actress.

After changing her image by playing a streetwalker in La Balance, she widened her scope with more obscure characters in J'ai épousé une ombre (1983) and En toute innocence (1988). In 1986, she returned to the theatre with an interpretation of Adriana Monti.

In 1999, she was voted Best Supporting Actress at Venice Film Festival for Une liaison pornographique and starred in Vénus Beauté (Institut) (2000) by Tonie Marshall which won multiple César Awards including Best Film.

She worked with François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Claude Chabrol and Steven Spielberg.

Death Baye died from complications of Lewy body dementia in Paris, on 17 April 2026, at the age of 77.

Filmography

Awards and nominations

Year Title of work Award Category Result 1981 Every Man for Himself César Award Best Supporting Actress A Week's Vacation César Award Best Actress 1982 Strange Affair César Award Best Supporting Actress 1983 La Balance César Award Best Actress 1984 J'ai épousé une ombre César Award Best Actress 1991 Un week-end sur deux César Award Best Actress 1999 Une liaison pornographique Venice International Film Festival Volpi Cup European Film Award Best Actress 2000 Venus Beauty Institute César Award Best Actress Seattle International Film Festival Best Actress 2004 Les Sentiments César Award Best Actress 2006 The Young Lieutenant César Award Best Actress European Film Award Best Actress Globes de Cristal Award Best Actress Mon fils à moi San Sebastián International Film Festival Best Actress 2009 A French Gigolo Globes de Cristal Award Best Actress Body of work Legion of Honour Chevalier of the legion of Honour 2012 Magritte Award Honorary Margritte Award 2017 It's Only the End of the World Canadian Screen Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role César Award Best Supporting Actress Riviera International Film Festival Best Actress 2018Nox ACS Awards Best Actress