Downton Abbey and Catch Me If You Can star Nathalie Baye has tragically died at the age of 77. As reported by People, this comes after a tragic dementia diagnosis.
Nathalie Baye reportedly passed away at her Paris home, according to the Agence France-Presse. A translated post on social media reads, "French multi-César-winning actress Nathalie Baye has died at the age of 77 at her Paris home from Lewy body disease, her family announced to AFP on Saturday."
The French actress was best known in the English-speaking world as having starred in Catch Me If You Can as Paula Abagnale, Frank Jr.'s mother, and Downton Abbey: The New Era in 2022, as the Marquise de Montmirai. But her roles in the French-speaking world were even more extensive. She won several César awards, which are the French equivalent of an Oscar. She is considered by many to be the greatest French actress of all time.
On her IMDB page, she explained the methodology behind her acting. "I try to do things which I would like to go and see at the cinema. My starting point isn't my character, but the project as a whole. A film is an adventure, a script, a director, casting, a variety of things."
Videos by Wide Open Country
Tributes Have Poured in for the 'Downton Abbey' Actress
Tributes from fans and contemporaries alike have poured in for the Downton Abbey star.
French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to her on social media, writing, "We loved Nathalie Baye so much. With her voice, her smile, and her grace, she has been a constant presence in French cinema over the past few decades, from François Truffaut to Tonie Marshall." He added that she was "an actress with whom we have loved, dreamed and grown up [with]."
Fans have also shared their condolences with the Downton Abbey star. One commenter wrote, "Sad- beautiful lady- RIP" with another writing, "What a lovely lady, rest in peace. Lewy Body is a cruel disease, may they someday find a cure."
According to the Mayo Clinic, lewy body dementia is a type of dementia that is caused by misfolded proteins. It affects the parts of the brain involved in thinking, memory, and movement.
May Nathalie Baye rest in peace. What a tragic loss.
