Sylvette Herry, known professionally as Miou-Miou, was born on February 22, 1950, in the vibrant city of Paris, France. Her father, a gendarme, and her mother, a saleswoman, instilled in her a strong sense of hard work and dedication from a young age.
Growing up, Miou-Miou helped her mother at her fruit and vegetable stand at a street market, where she was spotted by actor-director Romain Bouteille. He invited her to work at the Café de la Gare, a popular Parisian theatre, where she began as a cleaning lady, then became a dresser, and eventually an actress.
The nickname "Miou-Miou" was given to her by Coluche, who was impressed by her kind, quiet, and clean nature, reminiscent of a kitty.
In 1971, Miou-Miou made her film debut in "La vie sentimentale de Georges le tueur" (The Sentimental Life of George Le Tueur). This marked the beginning of her romantic involvement with fellow actor Patrick Dewaere, with whom she had a daughter, Angèle Herry-Leclerc, in 1974. Unfortunately, their relationship ended a few years later, after working together on several films. Their relationship was portrayed in the film "F... comme Fairbanks" (1976),and later documented in the documentary "Patrick Dewaere" (1992).
Throughout her career, Miou-Miou has been an unconventional personality in French cinema. She once refused to accept the César Award for Best Actress, which she won for her role in "Memoirs of a French Whore" (1979),citing her belief that artists should not compete against each other. This gesture did not affect her career, and she was nominated for the César Award nine times.
Some of her most notable works include collaborations with Gérard Depardieu in "Going Places" (1974),"Tell Her That I Love Her" (1977),"Ménage" (1986),and "Germinal" (1993),an adaptation of the novel by Émile Zola.
