Jane Mallory Birkin OBE (born 14 December 1946)
[allmusic Biography]is an English-born French
actress,
singer,
Baby Boomer and
film director.
Birkin was born in
London,
England to David Birkin, a
Royal Navy lieutenant-commander and
World War II espionage operative, and
Judy Campbell, an actress in
Noel Coward musicals. Birkin's brother is the screenwriter/director
Andrew Birkin. First cousin of her father was
Freda Dudley Ward, a mistress of
Edward VIII while he was
Prince of Wales.
Career
Birkin emerged in the
Swinging London scene of the 1960s, starring as one of the models in the 1966 film
Blowup.
[ In "Blowup," Birkin had the distinction of being the first actress to show pubic hair in a mainstream British movie.] In 1968, Birkin auditioned in France for the lead female role in
Slogan. Though she did not speak French, she won the role. She co-starred with
Serge Gainsbourg, and duetted with him on the film's theme song — the first of many collaborations between the two.
