(born 1950)

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French actress

Sylvette Hery; Paris 1950

Miou-Miou rose to prominence alongside Gerard Depardieu and Patrick Dewaere in Bertrand Blier's Les Valseuses/Going Places (1973). Her first acting experience was in the cafe-theatre. From this libertarian tradition, she emerged as the strong but vulnerable independent woman of Yves Boisset's La Femme flic/Female Cop (1980), Diane Kurys' Coup de foudre/Entre Nous/At First Sight (1983) and Jacques Renard's Blanche el Marie (1985, a wartime story).

It is a measure of her talent that she overcame the limitations of the comic nickname provided by Coluche to play moving dramatic parts, often using her erotic potential, as in Daniel Duval's La Derobade (1979), Michel Deville's La Lectrice, 1988, and Louis Malle's Milou en Mai, 1989.

She has also appeared in many comedies, such as those of Georges Lautner and Patrice Leconte.

Miou-Miou has supported feminist projects like Claire Simon's Scenes de menage (1991) but her limited room for manoeuvre in French popular cinema is illustrated by her humiliatingly misogynist role in Blier's successful Tenue de soiree/Menage/Evening Dress (1986).

One of her best roles in the 1990s is as the heroic mother of Germinal (1993).

Had a daughter, Jeanne, with her former companion, famous singer Julien Clerc.

Had a daughter, Angele, with French actor Patrick Dewaere, in 1974.