Actress Nathalie Baye, known for her roles in “Downton Abbey” and “Catch Me If You Can,” has died.
She was 77 years old.
Baye died on April 17 in Paris from complications from Lewy body dementia, her family told Agence France-Presse.
Lewy body dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s. Protein deposits called Lewy bodies collect in the nerve cells in the brain and affect thinking, memory and movement, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Variety reported that she was born in 1948 in Mainneville, Normandy, and trained at the Conservatoire national supérieur d’art dramatique in Paris.
She got her start on the big screen in the 1980s and became a star in French movies, eventually earning four César Awards.
In the U.S., she had roles in the Emmy Award-winning television film, “And the Band Played On,” and was the mother of Leonardo DiCaprio in “Catch Me If You Can.”
Recently, she appeared in the film “Downton Abbey: A New Era,” released in 2022.
In all, she appeared in more than 80 films, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
French President Emmanuel Macron wrote a tribute to Baye on X, saying that she was a “constant presence in French cinema,” People magazine reported.
Nous aimions tant Nathalie Baye. Elle a accompagné par sa voix, ses sourires et sa pudeur ces dernières décennies du cinéma français, de Francois Truffaut à Tonie Marshall. Une comédienne avec qui nous avons aimé, rêvé, grandi. Nous pensons à sa famille et à ses proches. pic.twitter.com/7A3mug2aGP
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) April 18, 2026
Baye leaves behind her daughter, actress Laura Smet and her family, Variety reported.
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