Maïtena Doumenach was born in the seaside resort of Soulac-sur-Mer in the Gironde region of Aquitaine. As a child, she was raped by a neighbor at the age of three, leaving her unable to speak for a long time. This traumatic event led to a natural shyness that she worked hard to overcome as a youngster.
Marie Laforet was enrolled at the prestigious Lycée Jean-de-La-Fontaine when her family moved to Paris. She later took drama classes with actor/director Raymond Rouleau. At the age of twenty, she won a radio talent contest, which led to almost instant stardom.
Marie Laforet's early film career was marked by her roles in René Clément's thriller Purple Noon (1960) and the romantic comedy The Girl with the Golden Eyes (1961). She married the director of the latter, Jean-Gabriel Albicocco, and they divorced. She went on to marry four more times, with all of those marriages ending in divorce.
Marie Laforet's music career began when she sang the title song in the musical comedy Saint-Tropez Blues (1961). She went on to record romantic ballads and pop hits, including Apres Toi Qui Sait, Un amour qui s'est eteint, Les vendanges de l'amour, Viens Viens, and the haunting Tu Fait Semblant. She also recorded successful cover versions of Bob Dylan's Blowin' in the Wind, Simon & Garfunkel's The Sound of Silence, and The Rolling Stones' Paint It Black.
In the 1970s, Laforet revamped her style and repertoire, branching out into American and Eastern European folk music. She continued to act in films throughout the 1960s, often paired with seasoned box-office stars. Some of her notable roles include Angele in Dark Journey (1961),a prostitute in a love triangle with Louis Jourdan and Lilli Palmer; and a resourceful heroine outwitting international spies in Claude Chabrol's Blue Panther (1965).
Marie Laforet eventually retired from screen acting in 2010 and died on November 2, 2019, at the age of 80.
