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French actress and singer Danielle Darrieux holds up a prop gold record at the Paris Saint-Maurice studios Image Credit: AP

Danielle Darrieux, a prolific French actress whose movie and theatre career spanned eight decades, has died. She was 100.

One of France’s best-loved actresses, Darrieux appeared in dozens of plays and more than 100 films during her long career.

Generations of French moviegoers watched her mature from a precocious, fresh-faced teen — Darrieux made her on-screen debut at age 14 — into a radiant nonagenarian starring in films into her 90s.

With her expressive face and liquid eyes, Darrieux was a favourite of French directors including legends like Claude Chabrol, Jacques Demy and Andre Techine.