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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'', but being traumatised by a rape scene and hounded by unsavoury publicity negatively affected her subsequent career. Although
Michelangelo Antonioni Michelangelo Antonioni (, ; 29 September 1912 – 30 July 2007) was an Italian filmmaker. He is best known for directing his "trilogy on modernity and its discontents"—''L'Avventura'' (1960), ''La Notte'' (1961), and ''L'Eclisse'' (1962 ...
'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 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 Michel Schneider (28 May 1944 – 21 July 2022) was a French writer, musicologist, énarque, senior official, and psychoanalyst. He was the father of journalist and writer Vanessa Schneider and of François Schneider, history teacher. He was a ...
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 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, who was greatly impressed by Schneider, and introduced her to the William Morris Agency. 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, suc ...
's '' Hellé'' (1972); '' The Old Maid'' (''La Vieille Fille'') (1972) with Philippe Noiret; '' Dear Parents'' (''Cari genitori'') (1973) opposite Florinda Bolkan and Catherine Spaak; and ''
Dance of Love ''Dance of Love'' is the tenth studio album by Canadian musician Dan Hill, released in 1991. Its two singles, "I Fall All Over Again" and "Hold Me Now" were both top 30 hits on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary chart, peaking at numbers 7 ...
'' (1973), based on a play by Arthur Schnitzler. (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.)


''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'' (1972), directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. 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, 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 ...
'', 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 in the well-received
Michelangelo Antonioni Michelangelo Antonioni (, ; 29 September 1912 – 30 July 2007) was an Italian filmmaker. He is best known for directing his "trilogy on modernity and its discontents"—''L'Avventura'' (1960), ''La Notte'' (1961), and ''L'Eclisse'' (1962 ...
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'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 cine ...
(as with ''The Passenger'' and ''Dear Parents'') and also featuring Robert Vaughn, Vic Morrow, and Sydne Rome, 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 Americans in the United States, Native American Indian reservation, reservation in the United States. It occupies portions of northeastern Arizona, northwe ...
) 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, 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, 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, in the infamous, pornographic, multi-million dollar '' Penthouse'' 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 Germani ...
''; 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 a ...
, who had appeared in the director's previous film '' Salon Kitty''. Around the same time, Schneider agreed to star in Luis Buñuel'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's ...
'' (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. 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 Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...
''; 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. 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'' (1976, with a young
Gérard Depardieu Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu, CQ (, , ; born 27 December 1948) is a French actor, filmmaker, businessman and vineyard owner since 1989 who is one of the most prolific thespians in film history having completed over 250 films since 1967 al ...
), and three consciously feministic works: the Italian production '' I Belong to Me'' (''Io Sono Mia'') (1978, with Stefania Sandrelli); 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, 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'', directed by Nouchka van Brakel, 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 n ...
who is married to and has children with Peter Faber. Towards the end of the decade, famed arthouse director Jacques Rivette 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, 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 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, '' Mama Dracula'' (1980), which received universally negative reviews from critics. The same year, she performed alongside Klaus Kinski 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 s ...
'' (''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 ...
'', 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'' (or '' A Crime of Honour'') with a young David Suchet of '' Agatha Christie's Poirot'' 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 ''Bunker Palace Hôtel'' is a 1989 French post-apocalyptic film by comics artist Enki Bilal. Plot In the imaginary dictatorship of a futuristic world, rebellion has broken out. The men in power scramble to the 'Bunker Palace Hotel', a safehouse b ...
'' (1989) with three other legends of French cinema: Jean-Louis Trintignant, 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 Go ...
(the latter of which was Schneider's obsessive filmmaker fiancé in ''Last Tango in Paris''.)


Personal life

In 1974, Schneider came out as bisexual. 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 Germani ...
'' (reportedly due to its pornographic content, saying "I am an actress, not a prostitute!") and checked herself into a mental hospital 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,
overdoses A drug overdose (overdose or OD) is the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities much greater than are recommended.
, 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 ...
'', 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 Bertrand Blier (; born 14 March 1939) is a French film director and writer. His 1978 film '' Get Out Your Handkerchiefs'' won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 51st Academy Awards. He is the son of famous French actor Bernar ...
, Christine Boisson, Claudia Cardinale, Alain Delon, and Andréa Ferreol, her partner Maria Pia Almadio, half-siblings
Fiona Fiona is a feminine given name. The name is associated with the Gaelic traditions of Ireland and Scotland (through the poetry of James Macpherson), but has also become popular in England.. It can be considered either a Latinised form of the Gae ...
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 crematorium, and her ashes were to be scattered at sea at the foot of the Rock of the Virgin in
Biarritz Biarritz ( , , , ; Basque also ; oc, Biàrritz ) is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located from the border with Spa ...
, 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 Chevalier, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, for her contributions to the arts by 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 Banga may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Banga'' (album), a 2012 album by Patti Smith * A song by Ali Shaheed Muhammad from the 2004 album '' Shaheedullah and Stereotypes'' * The name of Pontius Pilate's dog in Mikhail Bulgakov's novel ' ...
'' 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

* * *
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