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Maria-Hélène Schneider (27 March 1952 – 3 February 2011), known professionally as Maria Schneider, was a French actress. In 1972, at the age of 19, she starred opposite
Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...
in ''
Last Tango in Paris ''Last Tango in Paris'' ( it, Ultimo tango a Parigi; french: Le Dernier Tango à Paris) is a 1972 erotic drama film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. The film stars Marlon Brando, Maria Schneider and Jean-Pierre Léaud, and portrays a recently wi ...
'', but being traumatised by a rape scene and hounded by unsavoury publicity negatively affected her subsequent career. Although Michelangelo Antonioni's '' The Passenger'' (1975) showcased her abilities, a reputation for walking out of films mid-production resulted in her becoming unwelcome in the industry. However, she re-established stability in her personal and professional life in the early 1980s, and became an advocate for equality and improving the conditions actresses worked under. She continued acting in film and TV until a few years before she died in 2011 after a long illness.


Early life and family

Schneider was born in Paris to
Daniel Gélin Daniel Yves Alfred Gélin (19 May 1921 – 29 November 2002) was a French film and television actor. Early life Gélin was born in Angers, Maine-et-Loire, the son of Yvonne (née Le Méner) and Alfred Ernest Joseph Gélin. When he was ten, ...
, a French actor, and Marie-Christine Schneider from Romania, a model who ran a bookshop in Paris. Gélin was married to actress and producer
Danièle Delorme Gabrielle Danièle Marguerite Andrée Girard (9 October 1926 – 17 October 2015), known by her stage name Danièle Delorme, was a French actress and film producer, famous for her roles in films directed by Marc Allégret, Julien Duvivier or Y ...
during the affair and his lack of father-level involvement was deeply felt by his daughter. Gélin never recognised Schneider as his daughter, though he publicly acknowledged his paternity in the 1970s. Schneider was first brought up by her mother in a town near the French border with Germany. Eventually, her mother was unwilling to attend to her and entrusted her to a nurse for two years. Maria Schneider later lived for several years with her maternal uncle Michel Schneider and his wife. She reconnected with her biological father when she was sixteen, by visiting him unannounced. Vanessa Schneider, ''Tu t'appelais Maria Schneider'', Grasset, 2018, pp. 29-31, 186-188, 191-192 Schneider later said that she had met Gélin only "three times".https://movies.yahoo.com/person/maria-schneider/biography.html "Maria Schneider"
, Movies, Yahoo
Her cousin Vanessa Schneider wrote, in a biographical book published in 2018, that Maria Schneider had actually been in regular contact with her father during her late teens. It was he who first brought her to a film set. Over the years, Maria Schneider and her biological father met irregularly. She eventually bonded with her half-siblings (who had been unaware of her until after she starred in ''Last Tango in Paris''), especially her half-sister Fiona Gélin. Her half-brother
Xavier Gélin Xavier Gélin (21 June 1946 – 2 July 1999) was a French actor and film producer, and son of French film star Daniel Gélin and actress-producer Danièle Delorme. Through his father, he was a half-brother of Fiona Gélin and Maria Schneider, a ...
was also an actor.


Acting career


Early years

As a teenager, Schneider loved films, going to the cinema up to four times a week. She left home at age 15 after an argument with her mother and went to Paris, where she made her stage-acting debut that same year. She eked out a living as a film extra and a model. While working on a film set, she met
Brigitte Bardot Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a former French actress, singer and model. Famous for portraying sexually emancipated characters with hedonistic lifestyles, she was one of the ...
, who having worked with her father on several productions (a father who refused to help his daughter), was "horrified" that the young actress was homeless and offered her a room in her house. Through Bardot, Schneider met people in the film business, including
Warren Beatty Henry Warren Beatty (né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker, whose career spans over six decades. He was nominated for 15 Academy Awards, including four for Best Actor, four for Best Picture, two for Best Director, ...
, who was greatly impressed by Schneider, and introduced her to the
William Morris Agency The William Morris Agency (WMA) was a Hollywood-based talent agency. It represented some of the best known 20th-century entertainers in film, television, and music. During its 109-year tenure it came to be regarded as the "first great talent ag ...
. She was 18 when she had her first break in 1970, appearing in '' Madly'', starring Alain Delon. This was followed by relatively substantial roles in films such as
Roger Vadim Roger Vadim Plemiannikov (; 26 January 1928 – 11 February 2000) was a French screenwriter, film director and producer, as well as an author, artist and occasional actor. His best-known works are visually lavish films with erotic qualities, su ...
's ''
Hellé ''Hellé'' (''Helle'') is an opera by the French composer Étienne-Joseph Floquet, first performed at the Académie Royale de Musique (the Paris Opéra) on 5 January 1779. It takes the form of a tragédie lyrique in three acts. The libretto, by Pi ...
'' (1972); '' The Old Maid'' (''La Vieille Fille'') (1972) with
Philippe Noiret Philippe Noiret (; 1 October 1930 – 23 November 2006) was a French film actor. Life and career Noiret was born in Lille, France, the son of Lucy (Heirman) and Pierre Noiret, a clothing company representative. He was an indifferent student and ...
; ''
Dear Parents ''Dear Parents'' ( it, Cari genitori) is a 1973 Italian drama film directed by Enrico Maria Salerno. For this film Florinda Bolkan was awarded with a David di Donatello for Best Actress. Cast *Florinda Bolkan: Giulia Bonanni * Catherine Spaak: ...
'' (''Cari genitori'') (1973) opposite
Florinda Bolkan Florinda Bolkan (born Florinda Soares Bulcão; 15 February 1941) is a retired Brazilian actress and model. Biography She was born in Uruburetama and lived in Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro until she moved to Italy. A former flight inspector fo ...
and Catherine Spaak; and '' Dance of Love'' (1973), based on a play by
Arthur Schnitzler Arthur Schnitzler (15 May 1862 – 21 October 1931) was an Austrian author and dramatist. Biography Arthur Schnitzler was born at Praterstrasse 16, Leopoldstadt, Vienna, capital of the Austrian Empire (as of 1867, part of the dual monarchy ...
. (The latter film is also known as ''Merry-Go-Round'', which is distinct from Schneider's 1981 film of the same name directed by
Jacques Rivette Jacques Rivette (; 1 March 1928 – 29 January 2016) was a French film director and film critic most commonly associated with the French New Wave and the film magazine '' Cahiers du Cinéma''. He made twenty-nine films, including '' L'amour f ...
.)


''Last Tango in Paris'' and related controversies

Schneider gained international renown for her performance at the age of 19 in the sexually explicit ''
Last Tango in Paris ''Last Tango in Paris'' ( it, Ultimo tango a Parigi; french: Le Dernier Tango à Paris) is a 1972 erotic drama film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. The film stars Marlon Brando, Maria Schneider and Jean-Pierre Léaud, and portrays a recently wi ...
'' (1972), directed by
Bernardo Bertolucci Bernardo Bertolucci (; 16 March 1941 – 26 November 2018) was an Italian film director and screenwriter with a career that spanned 50 years. Considered one of the greatest directors in Italian cinema, Bertolucci's work achieved international ...
. In a graphic portrayal of anonymous sex with an older man, she performed several nude scenes, including a rape scene that Bertolucci did not reveal to her until just before the filming of it. In 2007, she said: In 2013, Bertolucci said he had withheld the information from her to generate a real "reaction of frustration and rage". Brando alleged that Bertolucci had wanted the characters to have real sex, but Brando and Schneider both said it was simulated. Actress
Jessica Tovey Jessica Tovey (born 10 November 1987) is an Australian actress. Tovey graduated from the Newtown High School of the Performing Arts and has made appearances for various drama companies. She is best known for her role of Belle Taylor on the long ...
, writing in ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', argued that Bertolucci's defense of pursuing an artistic vision was "bogus" and that what occurred was "a violation." Tovey also observed that it is difficult to imagine the "roles being reversed; Brando being brutalized only to discover midway through filming that Schneider and Bertolucci had conspired to add an element of humiliation." In 2001, Schneider commented: Criminal proceedings were brought against Bertolucci in Italy for the rape scene; the film was sequestered by the censorship commission and all copies were ordered destroyed. An Italian court revoked Bertolucci's civil rights for five years and gave him a four-month suspended prison sentence. In 1978 the Appeals Court of Bologna ordered three copies of the film to be preserved in the national film library with the stipulation that they could not be viewed, until Bertolucci was later able to re-submit it for general distribution with no cuts. Schneider said that due to her experience with the film – and her treatment afterward as a sex symbol rather than as a serious actress – she decided never to work nude again. She started struggling with depression, became a drug addict and made several suicide attempts. She later became a women's rights advocate, in particular fighting for more female film directors, more respect for female actors, and better representation of women in film and media.


1970s, post-''Last Tango''

In 1975, Schneider was cast opposite
Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. In many of his films, he played rebels against the social structure. He received numerous ...
in the well-received Michelangelo Antonioni film '' The Passenger'', which remains one of the highlights of her career, and was the personal favorite of the actress. That same year, Schneider also starred in
René Clément René Clément (; 18 March 1913 – 17 March 1996) was a French film director and screenwriter. Life and career Clément studied architecture at the École des Beaux-Arts where he developed an interest in filmmaking. In 1936, he directed hi ...
's final movie, the
Hitchcockian Hitchcockian films are those made by various filmmakers, with the styles and themes similar to those of Alfred Hitchcock. Characteristics Elements considered Hitchcockian include: *Climactic plot twist. *The cool platinum blonde. *The presence ...
thriller '' Wanted: Babysitter'', in which, according to Schneider, the director actually wanted the actress for the villainous role; yet, when Antonioni screened ''The Passenger'' for him, Clément decided that Schneider would be ideal for the heroine. The picture, produced by
Carlo Ponti Carlo Fortunato Pietro Ponti Sr. (11 December 1912 – 9 January 2007) was an Italian film producer with more than 140 productions to his credit. Along with Dino De Laurentiis, he is credited with reinvigorating and popularizing Italian cinema ...
(as with ''The Passenger'' and ''Dear Parents'') and also featuring
Robert Vaughn Robert Francis Vaughn (November 22, 1932 – November 11, 2016) was an American actor noted for his stage, film and television work. His television roles include the spy Napoleon Solo in the 1960s series '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.''; th ...
,
Vic Morrow Victor Morrow (born Victor Morozoff; February 14, 1929 – July 23, 1982) was an American actor. He came to prominence as one of the leads of the ABC drama series '' Combat!'' (1962–1967), which earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstand ...
, and
Sydne Rome Sydne Rome (born March 17, 1951) is an American-Italian film actress. Her first name is often misspelled ''Sydney'' or ''Sidney''. Biography Born in Akron, Rome grew up in a wealthy, Jewish family in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. Her father was preside ...
, went largely unnoticed by the public and critics alike. During the '70s, Schneider traveled (including to the Hopi Reservation and
Navajo Nation The Navajo Nation ( nv, Naabeehó Bináhásdzo), also known as Navajoland, is a Native American reservation in the United States. It occupies portions of northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah; at roughly , the ...
) and lived in various parts of Europe, including Venice, Paris, and London. After ''The Passenger'' and ''Wanted: Babysitter'', Schneider settled in Los Angeles for a year, looking around for film opportunities and being offered roles in Hollywood movies such as '' Black Sunday'' (1977) as a Palestinian guerilla terrorist, which she turned down based on what she perceived to be poor quality material. She signed up with renowned talent agent and producer
Paul Kohner Paul Kohner (May 29, 1902 – March 16, 1988) was an Austrian-American talent agent and producer who managed the careers of many stars and others—like Ingrid Bergman, Maurice Chevalier, Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, John Huston, Liv Ullmann an ...
, and several movies were considered, but ultimately little came of this. Work became difficult for her to find, as she had become uninsurable. Moving back to Europe, Schneider was asked by director
Tinto Brass Giovanni "Tinto" Brass (born 26 March 1933) is an Italian film director and screenwriter. In the 1960s and 1970s, he directed many critically acclaimed avant-garde films of various genres. Today, he is mainly known for his later work in the er ...
to play
Drusilla Drusilla is a female given name deriving from the Roman cognomen Drusilla. History The name has its origin from the Latin cognomen (and later praenomen) ''Drusus'' which itself derived from the Greek ''drosos'' (dew). The diminutive "illa" t ...
, the incestuous sister of a notorious Roman emperor, opposite ''
A Clockwork Orange ''A Clockwork Orange'' may refer to: * ''A Clockwork Orange'' (novel), a 1962 novel by Anthony Burgess ** ''A Clockwork Orange'' (film), a 1971 film directed by Stanley Kubrick based on the novel *** ''A Clockwork Orange'' (soundtrack), the film ...
'' star
Malcolm McDowell Malcolm McDowell (born Malcolm John Taylor; 13 June 1943) is a British actor, producer, and television presenter. He is best known for portraying Alex DeLarge in ''A Clockwork Orange.'' He was born in the Horsforth suburb of Leeds and raised i ...
, in the infamous, pornographic, multi-million dollar ''
Penthouse Penthouse most often refers to: *Penthouse apartment, a special apartment on the top floor of a building *Penthouse (magazine), ''Penthouse'' (magazine), a British-founded men's magazine *Mechanical penthouse, a floor, typically located directly u ...
'' production of ''
Caligula Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August 12 – 24 January 41), better known by his nickname Caligula (), was the third Roman emperor, ruling from 37 until his assassination in 41. He was the son of the popular Roman general Germanicu ...
''; Schneider refused to perform nude or do graphic sex scenes, and was replaced mid-production with
Teresa Ann Savoy Teresa Ann Savoy, FRSA (18 July 1955 – 9 January 2017) was a British actress who appeared in a number of Italian films. Biography Savoy was 18 years old when she appeared in the Italian adult magazine ''Playmen'' (October 1973), using an al ...
, who had appeared in the director's previous film ''
Salon Kitty Salon Kitty was a high-class Berlin brothel used by the Nazi intelligence service, the ''Sicherheitsdienst'' (SD), for espionage purposes during . Created in the early 1930s, the salon was taken over by SS general Reinhard Heydrich and his sub ...
''. Around the same time, Schneider agreed to star in
Luis Buñuel Luis Buñuel Portolés (; 22 February 1900 – 29 July 1983) was a Spanish-Mexican filmmaker who worked in France, Mexico, and Spain. He has been widely considered by many film critics, historians, and directors to be one of the greatest and ...
's ''
That Obscure Object of Desire ''That Obscure Object of Desire'' (french: Cet obscur objet du désir; es, Ese oscuro objeto del deseo) is a 1977 comedy-drama film directed by Luis Buñuel, based on the 1898 novel '' The Woman and the Puppet'' by Pierre Louÿs. It was Buñuel' ...
'' (1977), and showed up on set, yet argued with the filmmaker over how her role would be portrayed in light of Schneider's growing concern regarding the depiction of women in cinema , and because of excessive nudity. Schneider ultimately dropped out, and Buñuel made the creative, unusual decision to replace her with not one but two actresses for the same role: Carole Bouquet and
Ángela Molina Ángela Molina Tejedor (born 5 October 1955) is a Spanish actress. Aside from her performances in Spanish films, she has starred in multiple international productions, particularly in a number of Italian films and television series. Family Mol ...
. Schneider was also asked by Bertolucci to appear in his 1976 film '' 1900'', but either turned him down or was fired. She was asked to play
Mary, mother of Jesus Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...
in
Franco Zeffirelli Gian Franco Corsi Zeffirelli (12 February 1923 – 15 June 2019), was an Italian stage and film director, producer, production designer and politician. He was one of the most significant opera and theatre directors of the post-World War II era, ...
's 1979 television miniseries '' Jesus of Nazareth''; Schneider said she did not feel right for the part, though later regretted missing out on this opportunity, and instead eventually appeared in Zeffirelli's 1996 film ''
Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The first ...
'' in a brief appearance as
Bertha Mason Bertha Antoinetta Rochester (née Mason) is a character in Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel ''Jane Eyre''. She is described as the violently insane first wife of Edward Rochester, who moved her to Thornfield Hall and locked her in a room on the ...
. For the rest of the 1970s, Schneider opted to star in small-budgeted, independent European productions, such as the little-seen Swiss period piece ''
Violanta ''Violanta'', Op. 8, is a one-act opera by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. The libretto is by the Austrian playwright Hans Müller-Einigen. It is Korngold's second opera, written when he was seventeen years old. Performance history It was premiered o ...
'' (1976, with a young Gérard Depardieu), and three consciously feministic works: the Italian production ''
I Belong to Me "I Belong to Me" is a song by American recording artist Jessica Simpson from her fifth studio album, ''A Public Affair''. The song was written by Diane Warren and produced by Stargate. It was released on September 26, 2006 by Epic Records, as th ...
'' (''Io Sono Mia'') (1978, with
Stefania Sandrelli Stefania Sandrelli (born 5 June 1946) is an Italian actress, famous for her many roles in the ''commedia all'Italiana'', starting from the 1960s. She was 14 years old when she starred in '' Divorce Italian Style'' as Angela, the cousin and love i ...
); the graphic, disturbing ''
Memoirs of a French Whore ''Memoirs of a French Whore'' (French: ''La Dérobade'') is a French film released in 1979. It was directed by Daniel Duval. It stars Miou-Miou, Maria Schneider and Niels Arestrup. Plot Marie is 19 and is bored in her little suburban life with ...
'' (French title: ''La Dérobade'') (1978, alongside
Miou-Miou Sylvette Herry (born 22 February 1950), known professionally as Miou-Miou (), is a French actress. A ten-time César Award nominee, she won the César Award for Best Actress for the 1979 film ''Memoirs of a French Whore''. Her other films incl ...
, and for which Schneider was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 1980 5th César Awards); and the lesbian Dutch drama ''
A Woman Like Eve ''A Woman Like Eve'' ( nl, Een vrouw als Eva) is a 1979 Dutch drama film about a woman who leaves her husband for another woman. The film was directed by Nouchka van Brakel; Accessed 13 June 2008. Monique van de Ven stars in the title role of Eve, ...
'', directed by
Nouchka van Brakel Nouchka van Brakel (born 18 April 1940 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch film director known for her 1982 movie ''Van de koele meren des doods''. That movie, and A Woman Like Eve (1979), established her as an important Dutch feminist film director. Van ...
, where Schneider plays the bohemian love interest of conflicted
Monique van de Ven Monica Maria Theresia "Monique" van de Ven (; born 28 July 1952) is a Dutch actress and director. Life and career From 1973 until 1988 she was married to Dutch cinematographer and director Jan de Bont, with whom she lived in Los Angeles for a ...
who is married to and has children with
Peter Faber Peter Faber (french: Pierre Lefevre or Favre, la, Petrus Faver) (13 April 1506 – 1 August 1546) was a Jesuit priest and theologian, who was also a co-founder of the Society of Jesus, along with Ignatius of Loyola and Francis Xavier. Pope Fra ...
. Towards the end of the decade, famed arthouse director
Jacques Rivette Jacques Rivette (; 1 March 1928 – 29 January 2016) was a French film director and film critic most commonly associated with the French New Wave and the film magazine '' Cahiers du Cinéma''. He made twenty-nine films, including '' L'amour f ...
met Schneider at a cafe on the Champs-Elysées and asked her what kind of movie she'd like to make with him, to which Schneider replied "a thriller"; Rivette then asked which actor she'd like to star opposite, and she suggested her friend
Joe Dallesandro Joseph Angelo D'Allesandro III (born December 31, 1948) is an American actor and Warhol superstar. Having also crossed over into mainstream roles such as mobster Lucky Luciano in the film '' The Cotton Club'', Dallesandro was a sex symbol of g ...
, renowned for his association with
Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...
and leading performances in Paul Morrissey's films. The result was the vague, symbolic crime drama ''
Merry-Go-Round A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (List of sovereign states, international), roundabout (British English), or hurdy-gurdy (an old term in Australian English, in South Australia, SA) is a type of amusement ...
'', a troubled production that Schneider and Rivette, both overcome by ill health and personal issues, eventually completed, and was finally released in 1981 to mediocre reviews.


The 1980s

The 1980s were a much quieter period for Schneider, both personally and professionally. Following issues with multiple drug addictions (including cocaine, LSD, and heroin) and a suicide attempt in the '70s (in the looming shadow of ''Last Tango in Paris'', which friend and one-time girlfriend of Marlon Brando, Esther Anderson, said "ruined aria'slife"), Schneider once and for all overcame these problems by the early '80s - which she accredited to her "angel", which may have been life-partner Maria Pia ''Almadio'' (or, according to some sources, ''Crapanzano''). The beginning of the decade saw the actress appearing in a campy Belgian vampire comedy with
Louise Fletcher Estelle Louise Fletcher (July 22, 1934 – September 23, 2022) was an American actress who portrayed the antagonist Nurse Ratched in ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (1975), which earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress, a BAFTA Award, a ...
, ''
Mama Dracula ''Mama Dracula'' is a 1980 Belgian comedy horror film co-written, produced and directed by Boris Szulzinger. The story relates how Mama Dracula (a character based on the life story of Countess Bathory),Klaus Kinski Klaus Kinski (, born Klaus Günter Karl Nakszynski 18 October 1926 – 23 November 1991) was a German actor, equally renowned for his intense performance style and notorious for his volatile personality. He appeared in over 130 film roles in a c ...
in the French thriller ''
Hate Hatred is an intense negative emotional response towards certain people, things or ideas, usually related to opposition or revulsion toward something. Hatred is often associated with intense feelings of anger, contempt, and disgust. Hatred is ...
'' (''Haine''). 1981 saw Schneider in ''
Peacetime in Paris ''Peacetime in Paris'' ( sr, Sezona mira u Parizu, french: Une saison de paix à Paris) is a 1981 Yugoslav-French drama film directed by Predrag Golubović. It was entered into the 12th Moscow International Film Festival where it won a Special P ...
'', a Yugoslavian picture set in the French capital, which follows a documentarian researching the history of Nazism in Paris; there he meets and falls in love with Schneider's mysterious character, who helps him out on his quest. The picture won a Special Prize at the 12th Moscow International Film Festival, and also featured Schneider's father,
Daniel Gélin Daniel Yves Alfred Gélin (19 May 1921 – 29 November 2002) was a French film and television actor. Early life Gélin was born in Angers, Maine-et-Loire, the son of Yvonne (née Le Méner) and Alfred Ernest Joseph Gélin. When he was ten, ...
, in a supporting role as a taxi driver (none of his scenes, however, are shared with Maria.) In 1982, she offered performances in two comedies, the Italian '' Looking for Jesus'' (''Cercasi Gesù''), with Fernando Rey, and the French '' Stray Bullets'' (''Balles perdues''). Starting from 1984, Schneider began appearing more regularly in European television movies and shows, such as 1985's ''
A Song for Europe A, or a, is the first Letter (alphabet), letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name ...
'' (or '' A Crime of Honour'') with a young David Suchet of ''
Agatha Christie's Poirot ''Poirot'' (also known as ''Agatha Christie's Poirot'') is a British mystery drama television programme that aired on ITV from 8 January 1989 to 13 November 2013. David Suchet starred as the eponymous detective, Agatha Christie's fictional Her ...
'' fame, while doing supporting roles in cinematic turns like the Japanese production of ''The Princess & the Photographer'' (1984). Towards the end of the 1980s, Schneider had substantial roles in the French thriller '' Résidence surveillée'' (1987) and the post-apocalyptic surrealistic comedy '' Bunker Palace Hôtel'' (1989) with three other legends of French cinema:
Jean-Louis Trintignant Jean-Louis Xavier Trintignant (; 11 December 1930 – 17 June 2022) was a French actor. He made his theatrical debut in 1951, and went on to be regarded as one of the best French dramatic actors of the post-war era. He starred in many classic fi ...
, Carole Bouquet, and
Jean-Pierre Léaud Jean-Pierre Léaud, ComM (; born 28 May 1944) is a French actor, known for playing Antoine Doinel in François Truffaut's series of films about that character, beginning with ''The 400 Blows'' (1959). He also worked several times with Jean-Luc ...
(the latter of which was Schneider's obsessive filmmaker fiancé in ''Last Tango in Paris''.)


Personal life

In 1974, Schneider
came out Coming out of the closet, often shortened to coming out, is a metaphor used to describe LGBT people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, or gender identity. Framed and debated as a privacy issue, coming out of ...
as
bisexual Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...
. In early 1976, she abandoned the film set of ''
Caligula Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August 12 – 24 January 41), better known by his nickname Caligula (), was the third Roman emperor, ruling from 37 until his assassination in 41. He was the son of the popular Roman general Germanicu ...
'' (reportedly due to its pornographic content, saying "I am an actress, not a prostitute!") and checked herself into a
mental hospital Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental health hospitals, behavioral health hospitals, are hospitals or wards specializing in the treatment of severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, dissociative ...
in Rome for several days to be with her lover, photographer Joan Townsend.Maria Schneider Pt. 3: Memoirs of a French Whore, A Woman Like Eve
''Alt Film Guide'', 3 February 2011.
This, coupled with her refusal to perform nude, led to Schneider's dismissal from the film. The 1970s were turbulent years for Schneider, marked by
drug addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use of ...
, overdoses, and a suicide attempt. Schneider said that she disliked the instant fame accorded to her from ''Last Tango in Paris''. She suffered abuse and began taking drugs.


Death

Schneider died of breast cancer on 3 February 2011 at age 58.Maria Schneider obituary
''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', 3 February 2011.
Her funeral was held on 10 February 2011 at the Church of Saint-Roch, Paris, attended by actors, directors, and producers in French cinema such as Dominique Besnehard, Bertrand Blier, Christine Boisson, Claudia Cardinale, Alain Delon, and Andréa Ferreol, her partner Maria Pia Almadio, half-siblings Fiona Gélin, Fiona and Manuel Gélin, and her uncle Georges Schneider. Delon read a tribute from
Brigitte Bardot Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a former French actress, singer and model. Famous for portraying sexually emancipated characters with hedonistic lifestyles, she was one of the ...
. Schneider was cremated afterwards at Père Lachaise Cemetery, Père Lachaise crematorium, and her ashes were to be scattered at sea at the foot of the :File:Le rocher de la Vierge.JPG, Rock of the Virgin in Biarritz, according to her last wishes.


Legacy and honours

In 2001, Schneider was the guest of honor at the 23rd Festival Créteil Films de Femmes. In a master class at the festival, she called film "a tracing of memory", and said that women must be recognized as actors and directors. She also brought attention to the importance of assisting senior French actors who become unemployed and impoverished. Schneider was chosen the same year as vice-president of , an organization in Paris that supports senior French actors and directors. According to Schneider, Marcel Carné, director of ''Children of Paradise'' (1945) and one of the most important directors of the late 1930s, would have died in poverty but for La Roue Tourne supporting him for the last 10 years of his life. On 1 July 2010, Schneider was awarded the medal of Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Chevalier, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, for her contributions to the arts by Minister of Culture (France), Minister of Culture and Communication, Frédéric Mitterrand. He had acted with her in Jacques Rivette's film, ''Merry-Go-Round'' (1981). After Schneider's death, Patti Smith released a song on her 2012 album ''Banga (album), Banga'' called "Maria", which was dedicated both to the actress and nostalgic memories of the 1970s. In 2018, her cousin Vanessa Schneider published ''Tu t'appelais Maria Schneider'', a book about her.


Filmography


Films


TV series


References


External links

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Website dedicated to Maria Schneider

Maria Schneider Filmography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schneider, Maria 1952 births 2011 deaths 20th-century French actresses 21st-century French actresses Actresses from Paris Bisexual actresses Deaths from breast cancer Deaths from cancer in France Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres French film actresses French people of Romanian descent French television actresses LGBT actors from France