Marie Laforêt

Marie Laforêt was a French folk, pop and rock singer as well as a successful actress. Born in Soulac-sur-Mer, Gironde, France in 1939, Laforêt lived her early childhood in the shadow of World War II. Her father was captured and held as a prisoner of war in Germany until the allied liberation in 1945 while she, her mother and sister lived in occupied France. Following the war the family moved to Valenciennes and then to Paris where Laforêt, having considered becoming a nun, instead discovered the dramatic arts during secondary education.

She got an unlikely start in show business, replacing her sister in a talent contest at the last minute and going on to win. It led to Laforêt being cast opposite actor Alain Delon in director René Clément's 1960 film 'Plein Soleil'. More film roles followed, including in 'Saint Tropez Blues' (1961) and 'La Fille aux Yeux d'Or' (1961). It was Laforêt's performance of the former's title track that launched her music career. Her initial work was in the folk genre and included a notable cover of Bob Dylan's 'Blowin' in the Wind'. Her self-titled first album was released in 1964, bringing together various previously released songs. It was the first of a string of eponymous albums released throughout the 1960s, and by the 1970s Laforêt had all but abandoned acting in favour of her career as a singer. More self-titled collections followed and Laforêt had hits including 'Viens, Viens' (1973) and 'Il a Neigé sur Yesterday' (1977).

When the 1980s rolled around, however, Laforêt made the switch back from music to acting. A number of best-of collections followed in later years, but the flow of new material dried up.

Laforêt died on 2nd November 2019 at the age of 80.