French actress Jeanne Moreau, star of Jules et Jim, dies aged 89

Jeanne Moreau on the set of Eve (1961) - AFP
Jeanne Moreau on the set of Eve (1961) - AFP

French actress Jeanne Moreau, who shot to fame in Jules et Jim and starred in some of the most critically-acclaimed films of the 20th century, has died aged 89, her agent said Monday.

The actress, whose husky voice and show-stopping beauty captivated cinema audiences, was found dead at her home in Paris, the district's mayor told AFP.

Jeanne Moreau in 1987 - Credit:  AFP
Jeanne Moreau in 1987 Credit: AFP

Having made her name in Francois Truffaut's Jules et Jim, his 1962 story of a love triangle, Moreau had a prolific career and appeared in films well into her eighties.

She won France's equivalent of an Oscar, a Cesar, for best actress in 1992 for The Old Lady Who Walked in the Sea.

A scene from Jules et Jim
A scene from Jules et Jim

Paying tribute to her, President Emmanuel Macron said Moreau had "embodied cinema" and she was a free spirit who "always rebelled against the established order".

Culture stars who have died in 2017
Culture stars who have died in 2017