Maria Schneider

Cast

Born

March 27, 1952 · Paris, France

Died

February 3, 2011

Birth name

Maria Hélène Schneider

Maria Schneider was a French actress. At age 19 she became famous for Bernardo Bertolucci's film Last Tango in Paris (1972), and later Michelangelo Antonioni's The Passenger (1975). As a teenager, she adored films, going to the cinema up to four times a week. She left home at 15 after an argument with her mother and went to Paris, where she made her stage acting debut that same year. Her film debut was an uncredited role in The Christmas Tree (1969). In Last Tango in Paris she performed several nude scenes. After the film's release she decided never to work nude again. In early 1976, she abandoned the film set of Caligula (1979) and was replaced by Teresa Ann Savoy. She and Marlon Brando remained friends until his death. Schneider died of breast cancer on 3 February 2011 at age 58.