Nathalie Baye and Laura Smet: this bond between mother and daughter that has overcome every challenge

On Friday evening, Nathalie Baye passed away at the age of 77 after battling Lewy body disease. She leaves behind her daughter, Laura Smet.

“I do not like to invade the life of my daughter and her husband. I find it unbearable for the mother who is always there and meddling in everything. From the moment our child has reached adulthood and has their own life, it must be respected,” Nathalie Baye confided about her daughter, Laura Smet, to Madame Figaro in 2021. Despite not overwhelming the life of her child with Johnny Hallyday from 1983, it does not prevent her from maintaining an unwavering bond with her. This Friday night, this relationship had to overcome a new obstacle. As announced by her family to AFP, Nathalie Baye passed away at the age of 77.

She was suffering from Lewy body disease, a neurodegenerative condition that can be mistaken for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. While Laura Smet had seen her mother’s health deteriorate in recent months, she surely holds beautiful memories with her close to heart. The two women have often been seen together on red carpets or at various events. “We are very close. I have a warm and quite complicit relationship with her. However, I have never acted like a buddy mother,” explained the actress of Just the End of the World by Xavier Dolan to Télé 7 Jours in 2015.

Nathalie Baye took her role as a mother very seriously, considering it a unique opportunity. “Having a child is discovering a love we were unaware of until then; there is something unique about it. And if we want to do things right, not everything is easy in parenting, but the difficulty is interesting,” said the actress of Venus Beauty (Institute) to Madame Figaro in 2021. On her part, Laura Smet has always appreciated the attention her mother has given her from a young age.

“She always prepared my outfit for the next day to go to school. A conservative outfit, obviously, like Benetton style,” confided David Hallyday’s half-sister in an issue of Gala published last January. She has always admired her mother, considering her a courageous woman who could not be broken. “I remember seeing her cry for the first time when I was 10 years old. It shook me, because I was convinced that nothing could touch her,” explained Laura Smet in Elle in 2018.

The late actress remained by her daughter’s side even during the most difficult times. From adolescence when tensions could arise, to the deep depression Laura Smet suffered in 2007. “There were trials, but Laura overcame them,” said Nathalie Baye in Le Journal du Dimanche in 2022, adding that “the end of adolescence was difficult”. Indeed, when she turned eighteen, David Hallyday’s half-sister was engulfed by the nightlife, staying out late and consuming illicit substances.

She slowly spiraled until being admitted to the Sainte-Anne hospital psych ward at 24. “If we do not want these moments, then we should not have children,” affirmed Nathalie Baye to JDD. “Laura is happy and structured today. The bad memories of adolescence are forgotten. The greatest gift we can give a child is trust: I never doubted her.” While the actress was present for her daughter during the worst times, there is no doubt that this support was mutual.