Beloved French actress Annie Girardot, aged 79, died Monday after years of living with Alzheimer’s disease.

Girardot, whose film career began in 1955 with her role in André Hunebelle’s Thirteen at the Table (Treize a table), acted in more than 100 films and plays.

She took home three of France’s prestigious César Awards in her lifetime, winning best actress for Docteur Françoise Gailland (1976) and best supporting actress for Les Miserables (1995) and The Piano Teacher (Le Pianiste) (2001).   

Despite facing periods of struggle in her career, Girardot was remembered as a passionate and talented actress.  After her emotional César win for Les Miserables, Girardot said, “I don’t know if the French cinema missed me, but I missed the French cinema crazily.”  

“Today French cinema is mourning one of its most likable, most distinguished and most remarkable people,” said French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand of Girardot.

Girardot is survived by a daughter, Julia, and granddaughter, Lola, both of whom were by her side at her death.

Topics