Jane Birkin dies in Paris at 76: ‘She was the incarnation of freedom’
PARIS –
Actor and singer Jane Birkin, who captivated France with her English grace, natural style and French accent and made the country her home, has passed away at the age of 76.
The London-born star and fashion icon was known for her musical and romantic relationship with French singer Serge Gainsbourg. Their songs notably include the steamy “Je t’aime moi non plus” (“I Love You, Me Noch”), which features Birkin’s ethereal British-accented singing voice intertwined with his gruff baritone.
The style that Birkin showcased in the 1960s and early 1970s — long hair with bangs, jeans paired with white tops, knitted mini dresses and handbags — still embodies the pinnacle of French chic for many women around the world.
Birkin was also celebrated in France for her political activism. In 2022, along with other movie and music stars in France, she cut off their hair in support of protesters in Iran. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Birkin’s daughter with Gainsbourg and an actor herself, cut off a lock of her mother’s hair for the “HairForFreedom” campaign when Iran was engulfed in anti-government protests.
French President Emmanuel Macron hailed Birkin as a “complete artist.”
“Jane Birkin was a French icon because she was the incarnation of freedom, singing the most beautiful words of our language,” he tweeted.
French media reported that Birkin was found dead in her home in Paris. The French Ministry of Culture tweeted that Birkin died on Sunday. It praised her as a “timeless francophone icon.”
Birkin’s early film credits include “Blow-Up” in 1966, credited with helping introduce the French public to her “Swinging Sixties” style and beauty.
Birkin and Gainsbourg met two years later. She remained his muse even after the couple split in 1980.
She also had a daughter, Kate, with James Bond composer John Barry. Kate Barry died in 2013 at the age of 46. Birkin had her third daughter, singer and model Lou Doillon, with French director Jacques Doillon.
The French newspaper Le Figaro reported that Birkin had suffered from health problems in recent years that prevented her from performing and her public appearances became scarce.
BFM TV said Birkin suffered a mild stroke in 2021, forcing her to cancel shows that year. In March, she canceled her shows again due to a broken shoulder blade.
A return to the May performance was postponed, the French broadcaster said, citing the singer as saying she needed a little more time and promising her fans she would see them again in the fall.
