
Nathalie Baye
Known for Acting · 140 credits
- Born
- 1948-07-06
- Died
- 2026-04-17
- Place of birth
- Mainneville, Eure, France
- Also known as
- 나탈리 베이 · Натали Бей · Натали Бай · ナタリー・バイ · Natalie Baye · Nathalie Marie Andrée Baye
Biography
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.
Known For
TV Shows (21)

Champs-Elysées
1982
as Self

Vivement dimanche
1998
as Self

Sacrée soirée
1987
as Self

Spécial cinéma
1974
as Self

Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
1975
as Self

Le Grand Échiquier
1972
as Self

Bonsoir bonsoir!
2019
as Self

Victoires de la musique
1985
as Self

Call My Agent!
2015
as Self

Téléthon
1987
as Self

Les Cinq Dernières Minutes
1958
as Gisèle

On n'est pas couché
2006
as Self - Guest

Cérémonie des César
1976
as Self - Presenter / Self - President

Il était une fois Champs-Élysées
2022
as Self (archive footage)
Matin Bonheur
1987
as Self
Club social
2008
as Self

Criminal: France
2019
as Caroline Solal

Nox
2018
as Catherine Susini

Spin
2012
as Anne Visage

Cinéma 16
1975
as Fabienne

L’enfant des lumières
2002
as la comtesse Diane de Breyves
Movies (119)

Catch Me If You Can
2002
as Paula Abagnale

Beau Pere
1981
as Charlotte

Downton Abbey: A New Era
2022
as Mme de Montmirail

Tell No One
2006
as Elysabeth Feldman

Alibi.com
2017
as Marlène Martin

Laurence Anyways
2012
as Julienne Alia

An Affair of Love
1999
as Her

It's Only the End of the World
2016
as Martine

The Slap
1974
as Christine Abeillé

The Green Room
1978
as Cecilia Mandel

The Last Woman
1976
as la fille aux cerises

Day for Night
1973
as Joelle, the Script Girl

Visage
2009
as Nathalie

Alibi.com 2
2023
as Mme Martin

And the Band Played On
1993
as Dr. Françoise Barre

Les Enfoirés - Les Enfoirés en chœur de 1985 à aujourd'hui
2014

The Return of Martin Guerre
1982
as Bertrande de Rols

France Boutique
2003
as Sofia

Marie-Octobre
2008
as Marie-Hélène Dumoulin / Marie-Octobre

Madame Sourdis
1979
as Adèle Sourdis

Feelings
2003
as Carole

Paparazzi
1998
as Nicole, de l'agence Magma

My Son
2006
as Mother / La mère

The Man Who Loved Women
1977
as Martine Desdoits

A Week's Vacation
1980
as Laurence Cuers

A Day in the Life of French Cinema
2002
as Self

Our Story
1984
as Donatienne Pouget / Marie-Thérèse Chatelard / Geneviève Avranche

C'est La Vie
1990
as Lena

Moka
2016
as Marlène

My Best Part
2020
as Bernadette Meyer

François Truffaut, une autobiographie
2004
as Self

Venus Beauty Institute
1999
as Angèle Piana

Beautiful Lies
2010
as Mady

SK1
2015
as Frédérique Pons

Every Man for Himself
1980
as Denise Rimbaud

Absolutely Fabulous
2001
as Patricia 'Patsy' Laroche

The Guardians
2017
as Hortense Sandrail

Jean-Pierre Léaud: The Child of Cinema
2024
as Self - Actress

Mado
1976
as Catherine

Xavier Dolan: Bound to Impossible
2016
as Self

La Balance
1982
as Nicole Danet

Barnie's Minor Annoyances
2001
as Lucie

Préjudice
2015
as Mother

Small World
2010
as Elisabeth Senn

Food of Love
1997
as Michele

The Machine
1994
as Marie Lacroix

The Flower of Evil
2003
as Anne Charpin-Vasseur

Godard Cinema
2023
as Self

Faustine and the Beautiful Summer
1972
as Giselle

Haute Couture
2021
as Esther

Rive droite, rive gauche
1984
as Sacha Vernakis

Him
2021
as Mother

Lou!
2014
as Jeanne (La grand-mère)

A French Gigolo
2008
as Judith

I've Been Waiting So Long
2004
as Jeanne

I Married a Shadow
1983
as Hélène

Detective
1985
as Françoise Chenal

Mother Valley
2023
as Hélène

The Young Lieutenant
2005
as Commandant Vaudieu

The Assistant
2015
as Marie-France

Scénario de 'Sauve qui peut la vie'
1979
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Monsieur Papa
1977
as Janine

Les Enfoirés 1996 - La Soirée des Enfoirés
1996

God's Offices
2008
as Anne

La Californie
2006
as Maguy

Off and Running
2008
as Irène Montier-Duval

Massacre Play
1989
as Bella

The Man Inside
1990
as Christine

Un jour, la fête
1975
as Julie

To Mathieu
2001
as Claire

Tomorrow's Another Day
2000
as Sophie

Honeymoon
1985
as Cécile Carline

François Truffaut: Stolen Portraits
1993
as Self

Godard by Godard
2023
as Self (archive footage)

No Harm Intended
1988
as Catherine Duchêne

Fill 'er Up with Super
1976
as Charlotte

Strange Affair
1981
as Nina Coline

Hitler in Hollywood
2011
as Nathalie Baye

Bacri, comme un air de famille
2022
as Self

Beware of My Love
1998
as Muriel

Beethoven's Nephew
1985
as Leonore

Sheila, toutes ces vies-là
2022
as Self (archive footage)

Rat Race
1980
as Brigitte Ozendron

Médée
2017
as The mother

Sous le soleil de Pialat
2021
as Self

La provinciale
1981
as Christine Delumet

Solemn Communion
1977
as Jeanne Vanderberghe

Michou d'Auber
2007
as Gisèle

Voyage à travers un film (Sauve qui peut (la vie))
1981
as Self

Queens of the Ring
2013
as Colette

Le soir où j'ai reçu le César 2022
2022
as Self

One Stays, the Other Leaves
2005
as Fanny

Together Is Too Much
2010
as Marie-France
Esquisse d'une jeune femme sens dessus dessous
1975
as Fabienne Veyrier, the young woman

The Great Restaurant
2010
as Une cliente du restaurant

The Honeymoon Trip
1976
as Sophie

The Red Shade
1981
as Anna

The Mouth Agape
1974
as Nathalie

The Price to Pay
2007
as Odile Ménard

From Time to Time
1992
as Madame de Pompadour

Mon Premier Amour
1978
as Fabienne

Nicole Garcia, actrice-cinéaste
2023
as Self

The Voice
1992
as Lorraine

Short Memory
1982
as Judith Mesnil

Enfants de salaud
1996
as Sophie
Acteur
2007
as Camille

L'Inconnu
1973

François Truffaut: The Man Who Loved Cinema - The Wild Child
1996
as Self

Mensonge
1993
as Emma

Bon vent Claude Goretta
2011
as Self

Soirée Pyjama
2019
as Self - Guest

Engagements of the Heart
1987
as Alice

Every Other Weekend
1990
as Camille Valmont

Sauve la vie (qui peut)
1981
as Self (archive footage)

Jacques Villeret, drôlement tragique
2025
as Self

François Truffaut: The Man Who Loved Cinema - Love & Death
1996
as Self

Thomas
2018
as Anne Lancrey

Conversation avec Nathalie Baye
2021
as Self

Les contes sauvages
1993
as Narrator (voice)
About 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 Mainnevill… With 140 credits spanning from 1958 to 2025, Nathalie Baye has appeared in 119 films and 21 TV shows.
Fans searching for Nathalie Baye movies, Nathalie Baye filmography, or the latest projects starring Nathalie Baye can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Nathalie Baye Movies
- Catch Me If You Can (2002) — as Paula Abagnale
- Beau Pere (1981) — as Charlotte
- Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) — as Mme de Montmirail
- Tell No One (2006) — as Elysabeth Feldman
- Alibi.com (2017) — as Marlène Martin
Where to Watch Nathalie Baye Films
Most Nathalie Baye movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Nathalie Baye, check our movies catalogue and browse page.