Moreau, Jeanne (1928-2017), was a French motion-picture actress known for her sensuality and strong character. She became famous for her roles in movies of the French New Wave, a film movement of the late 1950’s and 1960’s. She often played a femme fatale, an attractive woman who causes the downfall of others. During her career, Moreau worked with a number of major directors, including Luis Buñuel, Louis Malle, François Truffaut, and Orson Welles.
Jeanne Moreau was born in Paris, France, on Jan. 23, 1928. Her father was a French restaurant owner, and her mother was an English dancer. Moreau studied drama at the Conservatoire National d’Art Dramatique in Paris. In the late 1940’s, she began a stage-acting career. She performed with the Comédie-Française, and later the Théatre National Populaire, two national theaters in Paris. Moreau appeared in her first movie, Last Love, in 1949. However, her stage career continued, on and off, into the 1980’s.
Moreau’s film career took off beginning in 1958, with Elevator to the Gallows. Some of the notable films in which she later appeared include The Lovers (1958), Seven Days…Seven Nights (1960), La Notte (1961), Jules and Jim (1962), Diary of a Chambermaid (1964), and The Bride Wore Black (1968), among many others. Moreau continued acting in motion pictures into the 2010’s. Among her more than 100 feature films, she appeared in a number of American movies. However, most of her films were French or other European productions.
Moreau also directed three films—the dramas Lumiere (1976) and The Adolescent (1979), and the documentary Lillian Gish (1983). Additionally, she had a singing career, recording several albums and singing for a number of films. During Moreau’s later career, she appeared in some television movies and series.
Moreau won many awards throughout her career. These included a French César film award for best actress for The Old Lady Who Walked in the Sea (1991). Moreau was made an officer of the French Legion of Honor, France’s highest award. In 2001, she became the first woman member of the French Academy of Fine Arts. Moreau died in Paris on July 31, 2017.
