Anouk Aimée is an illustrious and accomplished French actress who made her debut in 1947 as a young adult. She is widely recognized and celebrated for her exceptional performances in movies such as A Man and A Woman (1966) and A Leap in the Dark (1980). Until 1959, when she made her Hollywood breakthrough with The Journey, Aimée had only appeared in a series of European melodramas. Her remarkable contributions to Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (1960) and Lola (1961) also helped to cement her status as a global superstar in the entertainment industry.
The talented actress is single at the moment but has been married and divorced four times. She is a mother of one, thanks to her 3 years long marriage to actor and musical producer Pierre Barouh.
Intriguing Facts About The Actress You Should Know
1. She was born into a family of entertainers
Anouk Aimée was born on 27 April 1932 in Paris, France to Henri Murray and Geneviève Sorya. Her father was Jewish, while her mother was Catholic. Anouk was raised Catholic but she decided to convert to Judaism when she became an adult.
She had her early education at l’École De La Rue Milton, in Paris; École de Barbezieux; Pensionnat de Bandol; and Institution de Megève. She also studied dance at Marseille Opera.
Meanwhile, Anouk’s parents were both actors. Her mother, Geneviève Sorya was popularly known for her works in The End of the Day, and The Man of the Hour (1937).
2. Anouk Aimée used her mother’s maiden name as a child to escape the Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup
Although Anouk Aimée was born in Paris, France, her parents had to send her to Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire so that she would escape the Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup. The Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup was a mass arrest of Jewish families by French police and gendarmes at the behest of the German authorities, that took place in Paris on 16 and 17 July 1942. According to records of the Préfecture de Police, 13,152 Jews were arrested at that time, including over 4,000 children.
Anouk had to live in Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire for the rest of the period of the war using her mother’s maiden name, Durand, instead of her Jewish name Dreyfus.
3. She began her career at the age of 14
Anouk Aimée made a screen career from what some sources describe as an ‘accident.’ It all started when she met Director Henri Calef while walking down the rue Colisée in the eighth arrondissement in Paris with her mother. She was aged 14 at that time. Luckily for her, Henri Calef stopped her and asked if she wanted to be in a movie. She obliged and immediately clinched a role in the movie, La Maison sous la mer (1947).
After her career debut, the actress decided to hone her skills by studying theatre in England, after which she studied dramatic art and dance.
5. Aimée has been married and divorced four times
Aimée has had a successful entertainment career but this cannot be said of her relationships as she has been married and divorced 4 times. Her first marriage was with Edouard Zimmermann and it lasted for just 1 year. (1949 to 1950).
She later moved on with Ethiopian-born Greek filmmaker, Nico Papatakis in 1951. The pair had a daughter named Manuella Papatakis together before settling for a divorce in 1954.
After her divorce from Nico, she married actor and musical producer Pierre Barouh in 1966. However, the pair separated in 1969. Aimée’s fourth and last marriage was to English actor, Albert Finey in 1970. Their marriage lasted 8 years and ended with a divorce in 1978.
6. Her daughter is also an actress
Born on September 15, 1951, Manuella Papatakis is Aimée’s only child with her second husband, Nico Papatakis. She also shares the same entertainment career passions as her parents. At the moment, Manuella is known to have starred in movies like Second Chance (1976), To kalokairi tis Mideias (1989), and Death and the Maiden (1994).
7. The French actress has an impressive career record
Anouk Aimée’s career spans over 7 decades and her impressive performances over the years have made her gain worldwide prominence. Among other honors, she was the first actor to receive an Oscar nomination for a French-language performance of A Man and A Woman in 1966. She also won the 1961 ‘Étoile de Cristal’ for Best Actress for her performance in La Dolce Vita (1960). Her other honors are:
- 1967 – Oscar Nominee for Best Actress in a Leading Role (A Man and a Woman)
- 1968 – Winner, BAFTA Film Award for Best Foreign Actress (Lola)
- 1980 – Winner, Best Actress (A Leap in the Dark)
- 2002 – Winner,
- 2003 – Winner, Honorary Golden Berlin Bear
8. She is an Animal Rights Activist
Away from her career, Aimée is an active environmentalist and animal rights spokesperson. She’s a member of the Jane Goodall Institute in France and has collaborated with the institute to advance the conservation of animals and the natural world.
9. How Rich is She?
Anouk Aimée is widely mentioned to be worth about $20 million. She has made her fortunes from her entertainment career of about 77 years.
10. Aimée’s last screen appearance was in 2019
Aimée has established an impressive screen career and has remained a strong sensation for her fans since she made her debut. However, her screen appearance has significantly declined since the 2000s. She last appeared in The Best Years of a Life (2019).
