Jane Birkin

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Jane Birkin

Birkin in recent years
Born December 14, 1946
London, England
Official site Official site

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, an actress in Noel Coward musicals. Her great aunt was Freda Dudley Ward, a mistress of Edward VIII while he was Prince of Wales.

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[edit] Career

Birkin emerged in the swinging 60s in London, starring as one of the models in the controversial film Blow Up[1] 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. The song's fame is a result of its salacious lyrics (sung in French) against a background of female moaning and groaning, culminating in an orgasm at the song's conclusion (which some claim to be the result of Jane and Serge actually engaging in sex during the recording of the song).

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 great albums including Baby Alone in Babylone, Amours des Feintes, Lolita Go Home and Rendez-vous. She has obtained in the category Female Artist of the year in France the Victoires de la Musique award in 1992 .

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.

Jane Birkin's humanitarian interests led her to work with Amnesty International, on immigrant welfare and AIDS issues. Birkin has also visited Bosnia, Rwanda. and Palestinian Territories, often working with children. She has been awarded an OBE for her services to acting, as well as the Ordre National du Mérite in France.

She was married from 1965 until 1968 to the famous film composer John Barry with whom she has a daughter, the photographer Kate Barry. Afterwards she had a very passionate and creative relationship with her mentor Serge Gainsbourg . They divorced in 1980 but Jane continued to be his absolute muse until his death . Their daughter is Charlotte Gainsbourg . In 1982 she gave birth to her third daughter, Lou Doillon from her marriage with the director Jacques Doillon .

She has made musical collaborations and duets with artists such as Feist , Beth Gibbons from Portishead , Bryan Ferry , Brian Molko from Placebo , Franz Ferdinand , Manu Chao , Brett Anderson from Suede , Mickey (3d) , Françoise Hardy , Cali , The Divine Comedy , The Magic Numbers , Paolo Conte , Beck, Rufus Wainwright , Yann Tiersen , Alain Souchon , Les Negresses Vertes , Johnny Marr from The Smiths , Zazie , MC Solaar , Yosui Inoue , Étienne Daho , Alain Chamfort , Jimmy Rowles , Goran Bregović ,Sonny Landreth and many others.

[edit] Trivia

  • Birkin recorded the song "Beauty" on French producer Hector Zazou's 2003 album Strong Currents.
  • She is noted for being the inspiration for fashion house Hermès' popular Birkin Bag after the actress was seen struggling with several bags while boarding an aeroplane.
  • Her image features on the cover art of Have You Fed the Fish? by singer song writer Badly Drawn Boy.

[edit] Discography

The Best of Jane Birkin album cover.
Enlarge
The Best of Jane Birkin album cover.

[edit] Filmography

  • 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 sang 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)

[edit] Private life

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.

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ . In "Blowup" Birkin had the distinction of being the first actress to show pubic hair in a mainstream British movie

[edit] Links

Official Website

Other links
Yahoo Movies Bio
Jane Birkin at the Internet Movie Database
A Tribute to Gainsbourg, zoom sur Jane Birkin
Jane Birkin biography
CNN interview with Jane Birkin



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