Nathalie Baye
Nathalie Marie Andrée Baye (July 6, 1948 – April 17, 2026) was a French film, television, and stage actress. She began her career in 1970 and has appeared in more than 80 films. A ten-time César Award nominee, her four wins were for Every Man for Himself (1980), Strange Affair (1981), La Balance (1982), and The Young Lieutenant (2005). Her other films include Day for Night (1973), Catch Me If You Can (2002), Tell No One (2006), and The Assistant (2015). In 2009, she was appointed a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. Baye was born in Mainneville, Eure, Normandy to Claude Baye and Denise Coustet, two painters. At 14, she joined a school of dance in Monaco. Three years later she went to the United States. On returning to France, she continued with dance but also registered for the Simon Course and was admitted to the Conservatoire, from where she graduated in 1972 with a second prize in comedy, dramatic comedy, and foreign theatre. Her second cinema appearance was in Two People (1973), directed by Robert Wise. She became better known as the script girl in Day for Night (La Nuit américaine, 1973) by François Truffaut. Throughout the 1970s, she played the good girlfriend or nice provincial girl in film and television. She won her first César, as best supporting artist, for Every Man for Himself (Sauve qui peut (la vie), 1980) directed by Jean-Luc Godard. There then followed The Return of Martin Guerre (Le Retour de Martin Guerre, 1982) and La Balance (also 1982). Baye won two more César Awards, Best Supporting Actress, for Strange Affair (Une étrange affaire, 1981), and Best Actress for La Balance, 1982). Her four-year relationship with Johnny Hallyday made them a celebrity couple and their daughter is Laura Smet, now an actress. After changing her image by playing a streetwalker in La Balance, she widened her scope with more obscure characters in J'ai épousé une ombre (1983) and En toute innocence (1988). In 1986, she returned to the theatre with an interpretation of Adriana Monti. In 1999, she was voted Best Supporting Actress at Venice Film Festival for Une liaison pornographique and starred in Vénus Beauté (Institut) (2000) by Tonie Marshall which won multiple César Awards including Best Film. She has worked with Claude Chabrol and Steven Spielberg. Source: Article "Nathalie Baye" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA.
Filmography
Jacques Villeret, drôlement tragique
as Self
Jacques Villeret, drôlement tragique
as Self
Jean-Pierre Léaud: The Child of Cinema
as Self - Actress
Jean-Pierre Léaud: The Child of Cinema
as Self - Actress
Mother Valley
as Hélène
Mother Valley
as Hélène
Godard Cinema
as Self
Godard Cinema
as Self
Godard by Godard
as Self (archive footage)
Godard by Godard
as Self (archive footage)
Nicole Garcia, actrice-cinéaste
as Self
Nicole Garcia, actrice-cinéaste
as Self
Alibi.com 2
as Mme Martin
Alibi.com 2
as Mme Martin
Sheila, toutes ces vies-là
as Self (archive footage)
Sheila, toutes ces vies-là
as Self (archive footage)
Downton Abbey: A New Era
as Mme de Montmirail
Downton Abbey: A New Era
as Mme de Montmirail
Le soir où j'ai reçu le César 2022
as Self
Le soir où j'ai reçu le César 2022
as Self
Bacri, comme un air de famille
as Self
Bacri, comme un air de famille
as Self
Haute Couture
as Esther
Haute Couture
as Esther
Him
as Mother
Him
as Mother
Sous le soleil de Pialat
as Self
Sous le soleil de Pialat
as Self
Conversation avec Nathalie Baye
as Self
Conversation avec Nathalie Baye
as Self
My Best Part
as Bernadette Meyer
My Best Part
as Bernadette Meyer
Soirée Pyjama
as Self - Guest
Soirée Pyjama
as Self - Guest
Thomas
as Anne Lancrey
Thomas
as Anne Lancrey
The Guardians
as Hortense Sandrail
The Guardians
as Hortense Sandrail
Médée
as The mother
Médée
as The mother
Alibi.com
as Marlène Martin
Alibi.com
as Marlène Martin
It's Only the End of the World
as Martine
It's Only the End of the World
as Martine
Xavier Dolan: Bound to Impossible
as Self
Xavier Dolan: Bound to Impossible
as Self
Moka
as Marlène
Moka
as Marlène
Préjudice
as Mother
Préjudice
as Mother
The Assistant
as Marie-France
The Assistant
as Marie-France
SK1
as Frédérique Pons
SK1
as Frédérique Pons
Les Enfoirés - Les Enfoirés en chœur de 1985 à aujourd'hui
Les Enfoirés - Les Enfoirés en chœur de 1985 à aujourd'hui
Lou!
as Jeanne (La grand-mère)
Lou!
as Jeanne (La grand-mère)
Queens of the Ring
as Colette
Queens of the Ring
as Colette
Laurence Anyways
as Julienne Alia
Laurence Anyways
as Julienne Alia
Bon vent Claude Goretta
as Self
Bon vent Claude Goretta
as Self
Bye Bye
as Cécile
Bye Bye
as Cécile
Hitler in Hollywood
as Nathalie Baye
Hitler in Hollywood
as Nathalie Baye
Small World
as Elisabeth Senn
Small World
as Elisabeth Senn
Beautiful Lies
as Mady
Beautiful Lies
as Mady
The Great Restaurant
as Une cliente du restaurant
The Great Restaurant
as Une cliente du restaurant
Together Is Too Much
as Marie-France
Together Is Too Much
as Marie-France
Visage
as Nathalie
Visage
as Nathalie
God's Offices
as Anne
God's Offices
as Anne
Marie-Octobre
as Marie-Hélène Dumoulin / Marie-Octobre
Marie-Octobre
as Marie-Hélène Dumoulin / Marie-Octobre
A French Gigolo
as Judith
A French Gigolo
as Judith
Off and Running
as Irène Montier-Duval
Off and Running
as Irène Montier-Duval
The Price to Pay
as Odile Ménard
The Price to Pay
as Odile Ménard
Acteur
as Camille
Acteur
as Camille
Michou d'Auber
as Gisèle
Michou d'Auber
as Gisèle
Tell No One
as Elysabeth Feldman
Tell No One
as Elysabeth Feldman
La Californie
as Maguy
La Californie
as Maguy
My Son
as Mother / La mère
My Son
as Mother / La mère
The Young Lieutenant
as Commandant Vaudieu
The Young Lieutenant
as Commandant Vaudieu
One Stays, the Other Leaves
as Fanny
One Stays, the Other Leaves
as Fanny
François Truffaut, une autobiographie
as Self
François Truffaut, une autobiographie
as Self
I've Been Waiting So Long
as Jeanne
I've Been Waiting So Long
as Jeanne
France Boutique
as Sofia
France Boutique
as Sofia
Feelings
as Carole
Feelings
as Carole
The Flower of Evil
as Anne Charpin-Vasseur
The Flower of Evil
as Anne Charpin-Vasseur
Catch Me If You Can
as Paula Abagnale
Catch Me If You Can
as Paula Abagnale
A Day in the Life of French Cinema
as Self
A Day in the Life of French Cinema
as Self
Absolutely Fabulous
as Patricia 'Patsy' Laroche
Absolutely Fabulous
as Patricia 'Patsy' Laroche
Barnie's Minor Annoyances
as Lucie
Barnie's Minor Annoyances
as Lucie
To Mathieu
as Claire
To Mathieu
as Claire
Tomorrow's Another Day
as Sophie
Tomorrow's Another Day
as Sophie
An Affair of Love
as Her
An Affair of Love
as Her
Venus Beauty Institute
as Angèle Piana
Venus Beauty Institute
as Angèle Piana
Beware of My Love
as Muriel
Beware of My Love
as Muriel
Paparazzi
as Nicole, de l'agence Magma
Paparazzi
as Nicole, de l'agence Magma
Food of Love
as Michele
Food of Love
as Michele
Enfants de salaud
as Sophie
Enfants de salaud
as Sophie
Les Enfoirés 1996 - La Soirée des Enfoirés
Les Enfoirés 1996 - La Soirée des Enfoirés
François Truffaut: The Man Who Loved Cinema - The Wild Child
as Self
François Truffaut: The Man Who Loved Cinema - The Wild Child
as Self
François Truffaut: The Man Who Loved Cinema - Love & Death
as Self
François Truffaut: The Man Who Loved Cinema - Love & Death
as Self
The Machine
as Marie Lacroix
The Machine
as Marie Lacroix
And the Band Played On
as Dr. Françoise Barre
And the Band Played On
as Dr. Françoise Barre
Mensonge
as Emma
Mensonge
as Emma
François Truffaut: Stolen Portraits
as Self
François Truffaut: Stolen Portraits
as Self
Les contes sauvages
as Narrator (voice)
Les contes sauvages
as Narrator (voice)
The Voice
as Lorraine
The Voice
as Lorraine
From Time to Time
as Madame de Pompadour
From Time to Time
as Madame de Pompadour
The Man Inside
as Christine
The Man Inside
as Christine
Every Other Weekend
as Camille Valmont
Every Other Weekend
as Camille Valmont
C'est La Vie
as Lena
C'est La Vie
as Lena
Massacre Play
as Bella
Massacre Play
as Bella
No Harm Intended
as Catherine Duchêne
No Harm Intended
as Catherine Duchêne
Engagements of the Heart
as Alice
Engagements of the Heart
as Alice
Honeymoon
as Cécile Carline
Honeymoon
as Cécile Carline
Beethoven's Nephew
as Leonore
Beethoven's Nephew
as Leonore
Detective
as Françoise Chenal
Detective
as Françoise Chenal
Rive droite, rive gauche
as Sacha Vernakis
Rive droite, rive gauche
as Sacha Vernakis
Our Story
as Donatienne Pouget / Marie-Thérèse Chatelard / Geneviève Avranche
Our Story
as Donatienne Pouget / Marie-Thérèse Chatelard / Geneviève Avranche
I Married a Shadow
as Hélène
I Married a Shadow
as Hélène
La Balance
as Nicole Danet
La Balance
as Nicole Danet
The Return of Martin Guerre
as Bertrande de Rols
The Return of Martin Guerre
as Bertrande de Rols
Short Memory
as Judith Mesnil
Short Memory
as Judith Mesnil
Strange Affair
as Nina Coline
Strange Affair
as Nina Coline
The Red Shade
as Anna
The Red Shade
as Anna
Beau Pere
as Charlotte
Beau Pere
as Charlotte
Voyage à travers un film (Sauve qui peut (la vie))
as Self
Voyage à travers un film (Sauve qui peut (la vie))
as Self
Sauve la vie (qui peut)
as Self (archive footage)
Sauve la vie (qui peut)
as Self (archive footage)
La provinciale
as Christine Delumet
La provinciale
as Christine Delumet
Every Man for Himself
as Denise Rimbaud
Every Man for Himself
as Denise Rimbaud
A Week's Vacation
as Laurence Cuers
A Week's Vacation
as Laurence Cuers
Rat Race
as Brigitte Ozendron
Rat Race
as Brigitte Ozendron
Madame Sourdis
as Adèle Sourdis
Madame Sourdis
as Adèle Sourdis
Scénario de 'Sauve qui peut la vie'
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Scénario de 'Sauve qui peut la vie'
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Mon Premier Amour
as Fabienne
Mon Premier Amour
as Fabienne
The Green Room
as Cecilia Mandel
The Green Room
as Cecilia Mandel
Monsieur Papa
as Janine
Monsieur Papa
as Janine
The Man Who Loved Women
as Martine Desdoits
The Man Who Loved Women
as Martine Desdoits
Solemn Communion
as Jeanne Vanderberghe
Solemn Communion
as Jeanne Vanderberghe
Mado
as Catherine
Mado
as Catherine
The Honeymoon Trip
as Sophie
The Honeymoon Trip
as Sophie
The Last Woman
as la fille aux cerises
The Last Woman
as la fille aux cerises
Fill 'er Up with Super
as Charlotte
Fill 'er Up with Super
as Charlotte
Esquisse d'une jeune femme sens dessus dessous
as Fabienne Veyrier, the young woman
Esquisse d'une jeune femme sens dessus dessous
as Fabienne Veyrier, the young woman
Un jour, la fête
as Julie
Un jour, la fête
as Julie
The Slap
as Christine Abeillé
The Slap
as Christine Abeillé
The Mouth Agape
as Nathalie
The Mouth Agape
as Nathalie
L'Inconnu
L'Inconnu
Day for Night
as Joelle, the Script Girl
Day for Night
as Joelle, the Script Girl
Faustine and the Beautiful Summer
as Giselle
Faustine and the Beautiful Summer
as Giselle