Maria Schneider

Maria Schneider died on Thursday, February 3, 2011, at the age of 58. Born on Thursday, March 27, 1952, in Paris, Ile-de-France, France, she was French and Caucasian. She began acting in 1969 and stayed active until 2008, spanning 39 years.

Her breakout role came in Last Tango in Paris, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, which made her a worldwide star at just 20 years old. The film included a scene of sexual violence that became infamous; Schneider later revealed she felt "almost raped" during filming and suffered emotional distress as a result. The scene, which used butter as a lubricant, was added nearly at the last minute by Marlon Brando and approved by Bertolucci, and Schneider was not fully informed of its nature. After the film's success, she openly declared her bisexuality. She identified as bisexual.

Schneider was slim, with brown hair and brown eyes, and stood 5'6" tall. She had natural breasts and performed full nudity in her work. Her career spanned four decades, leaving a complex legacy in cinema.