# Nathalie Baye death and tributes

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/nathalie-baye-death-and-tributes
> Updated: 2026-08-21T13:59:43.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 4.

French actress Nathalie Baye died in mid‑April 2026 at age 77 after a battle with Lewy‑body disease. Her funeral on 24 April in Paris attracted around 400 attendees, including prominent cultural figures, and prompted public condolences from leaders such as President Emmanuel Macron and filmmaker Steven Spielberg.

In the months following her death, Baye’s daughter, actress and singer Laura Smet, shared several tributes on Instagram. On 4 August 2026, Smet posted a photo of her mother with the message, ‘Maman, tu me manques tellement.’ During this period, Smet also shared reflections on the healing power of nature while in the French Alps and expressed support for firefighters battling wildfires in the Gironde region.

In August 2026, the city of Angoulême honored Baye’s legacy, a city where she was a frequent attendee and former jury president of the Francophone Film Festival. On 20 August, the square in front of the CGR cinema was officially inaugurated as ‘Place Nathalie-Baye’ in a ceremony led by Smet and local officials. 

As part of the 19th edition of the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival (24–29 August), the city also hosted a photographic exhibition at Espace Franquin featuring works by Tony Frank, Carole Bellaïche, and Luc Roux. Additionally, the festival included a retrospective of Baye’s filmography, featuring eleven works including Steven Spielberg’s ‘Catch Me If You Can’.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-21: Angoulême Film Festival honors Nathalie Baye

The Angoulême Francophone Film Festival is honoring late actress Nathalie Baye with a film retrospective and the inauguration of a square named in her memory by her daughter, Laura Smet.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/angoulme-film-festival-honors-nathalie-baye

### 2026-08-10: Angoulême to name square after actress Nathalie Baye

Angoulême will inaugurate a square named after the late French actress Nathalie Baye on August 20, 2026, featuring a ceremony with her daughter Laura Smet and a dedicated photographic exhibition.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/angoulme-to-name-square-after-actress-nathalie-baye

### 2026-08-04: Laura Smet honors late mother Nathalie Baye with Instagram tribute

Laura Smet posted an emotional Instagram tribute to her mother, actress Nathalie Baye, three months after her death, and later shared summer photos from the Savoie Alps amid recent Gironde wildfires.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/laura-smet-honors-late-mother-nathalie-baye-with-instagram-tribute

### 2026-07-22: Nathalie Baye's death sparks moving tributes from daughter Laura Smet

Actress Nathalie Baye died on 17 April 2026; daughter Laura Smet posted tearful tributes and seeks hypnotherapy, while a Paris funeral drew many celebrities and public figures.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/nathalie-bayes-death-sparks-moving-tributes-from-daughter-laura-smet

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