Yvonne Furneaux, the acclaimed actress known for her roles in iconic films such as Le Amiche, La Dolce Vita, and Repulsion, has passed away at the age of 98. She died on July 5 at her residence in North Hampton, New Hampshire, due to complications from a stroke.
One of Furneaux's notable performances was in Michelangelo Antonioni’s Le Amiche (1955), where she portrayed a vindictive socialite. She also starred in Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita (1960) as Emma, the fiancée of Marcello Mastroianni's character, and in Roman Polanski’s Repulsion (1965) as the older sister of Catherine Deneuve's troubled character.
Born Elisabeth Yvonne Scatcherd on May 11, 1926, in France to British parents, Furneaux later moved to England. She studied at St. Hilda's College and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 1951. Her acting career began on stage in productions like Macbeth and The Taming of the Shrew before transitioning to film.
Throughout her career, Furneaux appeared in a variety of European films, including Italian, French, German, and Spanish productions. She worked alongside renowned actors such as Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in the Hammer horror film The Mummy (1959).
Despite her reservations about certain projects, Furneaux approached her work with dedication and professionalism. She believed in giving her best performance regardless of the film's genre or perceived quality.
Yvonne Furneaux was married to French cinematographer Jacques Natteau from 1962 until his passing in 2007. She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Leiva.
