MOREAU, JEANNE

born Jan. 23, 1928, Paris actress best known for her multifaceted performances in French New Wave films of the 1950s and '60s. Moreau studied at the Conservatoire Nationale d'Art Dramatique and became at 20 years of age the youngest member of the Comdie-Franaise. Le Dernier Amour (1949; The Last Love) marked her film debut, but Ascenseur pour l'chafaud (1957; Elevator to the Scaffold; released as Frantic, 1961) and Les Amants (1958; The Lovers) brought her international fame as the embodiment of feminine mystery. Her performances as alienated modern women in Moderato cantabile (1960) and La notte (1961; The Night) and as the volatile, enigmatic Catherine of Jules et Jim (1961) established her as a remarkable actress and compelling screen presence. Notable later films included Le Procs (1962; The Trial), Le Journal d'une femme de chambre (1964; Diary of a Chambermaid), Campanadas a Medianoche (1966; Falstaff, or Chimes at Midnight), and Nathalie Granger (1972). She also turned to directing, most notably with L'Adolescente (1979; The Adolescent), which starred Simone Signoret.