Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Zouzou

Zouzou (born November 29, 1943 in Blida, Algeria - real name is Danièle Ciarlet) is a model, actress, singer and icon of the 60s and early 70s mostly known for her beauty and for her lead role in Éric Rohmer's Love in the afternoon.

Discovered at age 16 by then young design artist Jean-Paul Goude, she briefly modelled for Yves Saint Laurent, and, as a tireless night-clubber, is better known, in the mid-60s, under the nickname "Zouzou la twisteuse". Shortly after that, she was romantically involved with Rolling Stones member Brian Jones, whom she followed around the world. She was also a good friend of John Lennon and George Harrison and was photographed by Richard Avedon and Helmut Newton, got to meet Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol and most of all, Jack Nicholson who was, along with Marianne Faithfull, very... faithful friends. She also recorded two EPs as a singer at the end of the 60s, and a duet with Dani, another French 60s icon. After a few roles in underground and experimental French films (under the direction of Philippe Garrel or Yves Lagrange), she got a cinematographic breakthrough in 1972 with Eric Rohmer's L'amour l'après-midi, and developed an international career as an actress, a career which unfortunately, and progressively, slowed down because of her addiction to heroin. She spent seven years on the Cariibean Island of Saint Barthélémy so as to shape up, but her return to Paris, in the mid-80s, was followed by two jail incarcerations due to mild drug dealings. In the mid-90s, she was drug free at last, and, to get a fresh start, she sold the newspapers "La rue" and "Le réverbère" (the equivalent of British "The Big Issue") in the Parisian metro. In November 2003, an autobiography entitled "Zouzou jusqu'à l'aube" ("Zouzou until Dawn") was released, where she told with an ultimate honesty the extreme ups and downs of her incredible life. A compilation of all her songs was also released, and a documentary, "Zouzou l'héroïne", told in images the fate of probably one of the most beautiful woman of the world, revered as the "female Marlon Brando" when she burst into the Parisian scene, more than 40 years ago.

Zouzou - Tu fais partie du passé
Zouzou -J'avais rêvé
Zouzou - Petit garçon

Buy CD
Official website

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Sofie
What an interesting post this is and a very sad story too.
I had seen pictures of Zouzou from old Ep covers and heard a couple of her songs and though of course I couldn't help but notice that she was very beautiful I knew nothing about her life.
Thanks for this information and the songs,I really enjoyed them.
YEYEOHYEAH

Anonymous said...

your blog is sooo fabulous, and so is zouzou!!!

thanks! :)

Alan said...

I like the songs she made with Jacques Dutronc, a pity she didn't made some more. The cover of this record is fantastic :)

I'm trying to remember wich role she played in "L'amour l'après-midi", got to see it again.

Unknown said...

First of all: sorry for my poor english writing (i'm form Brazil).

Does anyone knows if the ZOUZOU that sang in german in 1989 Eurovision contest (and released a single) is the same Zouzou???

I can't find information anywhere!!!

Thanks