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Macha Méril

Macha Méril

Actor, also producer · Born September 3, 1940 (86) · Rabat, French Protectorate in Morocco [now Morocco]

Princess Maria-Magdalena Vladimirovna Gagarina (born 3 September 1940), known by her stage name Macha Méril, is a French actress and writer. Méril is descended by her father from the Russian princely house Gagarin and by her mother from a Ukrainian noble family. She appeared in 125 films between 1959 and 2012, including films directed by Jean-Luc Godard (A Married Woman / Une femme mariée), Luis Buñuel (Belle de jour), and Rainer Werner Fassbinder (Chinese Roulette). She also appeared in the Quebec television series Lance et Compte. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Helga Ulmann in Dario Argento's Deep Red and in Aldo Lado's Night Train Murders (1975). Description above from the Wikipedia article Macha Méril,licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 3, 1940 (86)
From
Rabat, French Protectorate in Morocco [now Morocco]
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
31 on MovieCove · 104 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 28% in 30 days

What are Macha Méril's films like?

Across their 30 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Drama13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Horror movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
23%
Bonds
21%
Survival
20%
Morality
11%
Society
9%
Power
9%
Ideas
5%
Romantic love10 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 30 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 11 · Serious 1 · Dark 18

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 15 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 7

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 6 · Charged 13 · Intense 11

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 16 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 16 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 6

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 14 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 12 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 4

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 11 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 14

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 18 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 7

Roles they play

5 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 5 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 5
Hero
1 of 5
Herald
1 of 5
Shadow
1 of 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
16
Melancholic
16
Dread
5
Warm
5
Absurd
6
Other
26

How their films linger

Haunting12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet12
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous6
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Macha Méril's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 8 of their 31 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Macha Méril's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

104 credits, 31 with a MovieCove page; 25 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Les Boules de Noël (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Simone

  • Enquête parallèle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 4 episodes · as Colette Chaperot

  • The Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France Solidarity concert for Ukraine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Actor

  • Michel Legrand, enchanted music (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Actor

  • Un monde, un regard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • La Dernière Partie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Louise

  • Belle belle belle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Lili

  • The Unexpected Child (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Christine

  • Albatros, The Film Adventure Of The White Russians In Paris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as (voice)

  • Mr. Stein Goes Online(2017)

    as Marie

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Alliances rouge sang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Béatrice

  • La Trouvaille de Juliette (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Juliette

  • Against Their Will(2012)

    as Alice Fabre (old)

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Happiness Never Comes Alone(2012)

    as Fanfan Keller

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • À dix minutes des naturistes(2012)

    as Suzy Dulac, tante de Patrick

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Seasons of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Henriette Marcenat

  • The Nights of Alice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Bettina

  • René Bousquet ou le grand arrangement (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Évelyne Baylet

  • Mademoiselle Gigi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Mamita

  • Clochemerle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Baroness Alphonsine de Courtebiche

  • Bel-Ami (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Mme Madeleine Forestier / Mme du Roy de Cantel

  • Belle grand mère, La Trattoria (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Joséphine, dite « Babou »

  • Méditerranée (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 5 episodes · as Carla Valbonne

  • Le sciamane (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Claudia's mother

  • Belle Grand-Mère (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Babou

  • A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries(1998)

    as Madame Beauvier

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Joséphine, Guardian Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Tania

  • A Crucial Test (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Catherine

  • Délit mineur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Madeleine

  • To Remember (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Narrator

  • Berlin '39 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Madame Vic

  • L'éternel mari (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Claudia

  • Le Don (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Margherita

  • Double Vision (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Mrs. Perfect

  • Fish Soup (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Caterina

  • Meeting Venus(1991)

    as Miss Malikoff

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • A Simple Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as La vedova del Roccella

  • The Cocottes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Mme Rose

  • Le Retour d'Arsène Lupin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Tatiana

  • La Vouivre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as La rodinet

  • Duet for One(1986)

    as Anya

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Lance et Compte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 13 episodes · as Maroussia Lambert

  • Follow My Gaze (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as La femme à l'ouvre boîte

  • Vagabond(1985)

    as Madame Landier

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Colette (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 3 episodes · as Colette

  • Les rois du gag(1985)

    as Jacqueline

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Au nom de tous les miens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 8 episodes · as Mère de Martin

  • The Chicks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Françoise

  • Les fauves(1984)

    as Sylvia

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Le Grand Carnaval (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Mme Armande Labrouche

  • For Those I Loved(1983)

    as Martin's Mother

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Deadly Circuit(1983)

    as Madeleine Beauvoir

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Le Crime d'amour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Jeanne Bontemps / Odette Dumont

  • L'Apprentissage de la ville (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Luc's mother

  • Le bonheur des tristes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Madeleine

  • Le rose di Danzica (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 3 episodes · as Elvira

  • Stepfather(1981)

    as la Maîtresse de maison

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Bolero(1981)

    as Magda Kremer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Tender Cousins(1980)

    as Mère de Julien

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • La promessa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 2 episodes · as Signora Heller

  • Le rose di Danzica (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Elvira von Lehner

  • Morte a passo di valzer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 3 episodes · as Lady Flora Drayton

  • Night of The Flowers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Macha

  • Rock 'n Roll (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Annalisa

  • Ridendo e scherzando (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Susy

  • Robert et Robert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Agathe

  • Tanto va la gatta al lardo... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Vera

  • Va voir maman, papa travaille(1978)

    as Marianne

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • A Second Hand Lady(1977)

    as Clelia, la madre di Simona

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Emmenez-moi au Ritz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Barbara

  • Ride bene... chi ride ultimo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as principessa Esmeralda Benti Contini

  • Chinese Roulette(1976)

    as Traunitz

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Pasión (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Bianca

  • Perdutamente tuo... mi firmo Macaluso Carmelo fu Giuseppe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as baronessa Valeria Lamia

  • Peccatori di provincia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Vincenzina Lo Curcio

  • Son tornate a fiorire le rose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Linda De Simone

  • Il registratore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Ms. Collins

  • The Man of the Winds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Anna

  • Last Stop on the Night Train(1975)

    as The Lady on the Train

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Last Day of School Before Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Egle

  • Deep Red(1975)

    as Helga Ulmann

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Amore mio non farmi male (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Linda De Simone

  • Chinese in Paris(1974)

    as Madeleine

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • We Won't Grow Old Together(1972)

    as Françoise

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • We Are All in Temporary Liberty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Gisella, wife of Mario De Rossi

  • Conjugal Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Leda

  • Pigsty(1969)

    Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Don't Play with Martians (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Maryvonne Guéguen

  • Au pan coupé(1967)

    Producer · as Jeanne Delaître

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Belle de Jour(1967)

    as Renée

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Horizon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Elisa

  • The Defector(1966)

    as Frieda Hoffmann

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Oil Prince(1965)

    as Lizzy

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • A Married Woman(1964)

    as Charlotte

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • The Little Misses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Caroline

  • Anatomy of a Marriage: My Days with Françoise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Nicole

  • Anatomy of a Marriage: My Days with Jean-Marc (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Nicole

  • Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?(1963)

    as Jacqueline Edwards

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Sweet and Sour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    as La striptisiste

  • Love on a Pillow(1962)

    as Raphaële

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Sign of the Lion(1962)

    as La Blonde du 14 Juillet (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Adorable Liar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Sophie

  • The Dow Hour of Great Mysteries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Countess Janine St. Alyre

  • The Itchy Palm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Yvette

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 104 titles from 1960 to 2024; peak year 1985.

Biggest box office

Happiness Never Comes Alone (2012)

$17M worldwide

Highest rated

Vagabond (1985)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

Stepfather (1981)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19602024

Peak 1985 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 3 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting103 of 104: 102 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score62ndProducing2 of 104: 1 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1960s18 · 17 acting · 2 crew1970s27 · acting1980s21 · acting1990s14 · acting2000s7 · acting2010s10 · acting2020s7 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 8% of 24 roles
62728287

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Macha Méril's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 62nd percentile, the median of all 31; across their 30 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Approval · how many liked their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Reach · how many have seen their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Midcredits score across 31 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up11
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 31 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Universally Panned1
  • Crowd Pleaser16
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

A Second Hand Lady (1977)

59th percentile spread · 44% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Vagabond (1985)

Midcredits 95th · 83% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 24 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Macha Méril's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 39 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles31–68 · median 52 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 30 · mildMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 39 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 47 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Macha Méril work with?

People who share at least 2 of Macha Méril's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Michel Serrault shares the most, 4.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles