Romy Schneider was the German-born actress whose dramatic role as Empress Elisabeth of Austria in Sissi made her a screen legend. However, the real drama unfolded in her anguished life.
1. Her Life Was All Drama
Romy Schneider catapulted to international fame and critical acclaim for her portrayal of Empress Elisabeth of Austria in . But, behind the glitzy veil of the silver screen, Schneider’s life was full of tragedies.
From her early run-ins with the Führer to her doomed marriages and tumultuous love affairs, Schneider led a life of anguish—including one tragic accident she simply couldn’t overcome.
2. Her Mother Was A Film Legend
Rosemarie Magdalena Albach was born to become a screen legend. Born in September of 1938 in Vienna, Austria, her father was Wolf Albach-Retty, a prominent actor in Vienna's Volkstheater. Likewise, her mother was Magda Schneider, who had become a star of opulent German musicals. But she was born into troubling and dangerous times.
ECHO OF CINEMA, Wikimedia Commons
3. She Was Close To The Führer
Just six months before Schneider was born, the Third Reich had annexed Austria into the empire. From her childhood home, she was able to see the fearsome Führer’s favorite holiday getaway, Obersalzberg. There are even reports that the Führer regularly hosted Magda and Wolf Schneider. Her family had some questionable ties.
Sunset Boulevard, Getty Images
4. Her Mother Had A Dangerous Affair
According to reports from the time, Schneider’s mother, Magda, was the Führer’s favorite actress. And, apparently, he had no problem demonstrating his “admiration”. Schneider later claimed that her mother had, in fact, carried on an affair with the dreaded Führer. It’s little wonder, then, that her happy family home soon came crashing down.
Erma-Film, Sissi -The Young Empress(1956)
5. Her Parents Sent Her Away
At just one month old, Schneider’s parents, too preoccupied with their acting careers, sent her away. She spent the first years of her life with her grandparents, Franz Xaver and Maria Schneider. She grew up at Mariengrund—their estate in the country. By the time she was seven years old, her parents had divorced. But she would do anything to escape her lonely life.
Wilhelm Willinger, Wikimedia Commons
6. She Had To Become An Actress—Had To
Scheider went on to attend a private boarding school where she discovered a way to escape her nightmarishly lonely life: acting. She often performed in her school’s stage productions and wrote in her diary: "If it were up to me, I would immediately become an actress. ... Every time I see a nice movie, my first thoughts are about the idea: I definitely have to become an actress. Yes! I have to!"
She would get her wish sooner than she imagined.
7. Her Mother Remarried A Monster
During one of her summer holidays, Schneider moved to Cologne to live with her mother. By that time, her mother knew that she wanted to become an actress and had taken her under her wing. But, the elder Schneider had also remarried to the entrepreneur and restauranteur Hans Herbert Blatzheim. It turned out to be a dangerous time for Schneider.
8. Her Stepfather Was Interested In Her
By the time Magda Schneider had remarried, Romy Schneider was a teenager, already hinting at the effortless beauty she would become. Decades later, she made a shocking confession to the journalist Alice Schwarzer about this time in her life. Schneider revealed that her stepfather had taken a twisted interest in her.
Pretty soon, the entire world would as well.
Sunset Boulevard, Getty Images
9. She Made Her Debut
In 1953, at just 15 years old, Romy Schneider’s dream finally came true: She became a screen actress. The budding star made her film debut in When the White Lilacs Bloom Again alongside none other than her already-famous mother, Magda. Even though her mother had the lead role, Schneider would be the one who stole the spotlight.
Berolina, When the White Lilacs Bloom Again (1953)
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10. She Stepped Into The Spotlight
The following year, Schneider landed the role of a young Queen Victoria in 1954’s Mädchenjahre einer Königin (The Story of Vickie). The technicolor masterpiece turned out to be a vehicle for the 16-year-old Schneider. When the film premiered in theaters across the US and Europe, American posters hailed the young starlet as the “Most Exciting New Star!”
Bigger things were just around the corner.
Erma-Film, The Story of Vickie (1954)
11. She Landed The Role Of A Lifetime
In 1955, at just 17 years old and a few years after her film debut, Schneider landed the role that would define her career: Empress Elisabeth of Austria. The 1955 romantic biopic Sissi and its two sequels, Sissi – The Young Empress in 1956 and Sissi – Fateful Years of an Empress in 1957 turned Schneider into a sensation.
But she could not escape her mother’s daunting shadow.
12. She Couldn’t Escape Her Mother
Even as she became the leading actress in German cinema, Schneider could not escape her mother and stepfather’s control. In all three films of the Sissi trilogy, Magda portrayed Schneider’s on-screen mother, Ludovika. Worse yet, her stepfather was her agent, making him way too close for comfort. But she was about to strike out on her own.
Unfortunately, a life of treacherous romances lay ahead.
13. She Had A French Connection
By 1957, Schneider was finally ready to strike out on her own and escape the clutches of her mother and stepfather. Unfortunately, that also meant escaping the German film industry. Capitalizing on her international fame, Schneider traveled to France where she could land roles that paid her better money. 1958’s Christine was Schneider's first French film.
It would also be the beginning of her first torrid (and tormented) love affair.
14. She Chose Her Co-Stars
Film director Pierre Gaspard-Huit had selected Schneider for the lead role in his 1958 film Christine. But, based on the fame and acclaim that she had attained following the Sissi trilogy, the director allowed Schneider to select her male counterpart for the film. For reasons that maybe only Schneider herself knew, she selected the relatively unknown French actor Alain Delon.
It was not exactly a perfect pairing.
15. She Had A Bad Taste In Her Mouth
Christine’s producers arranged for Schneider and Delon to meet for the first time at Paris’s Orly airport in front of an eager press. However, instead of the warm welcome they were hoping for, Schneider gave Delon a frosty reception. She was not impressed with the actor at all. It probably didn't help that neither of them could speak each other's language.
The feeling, unfortunately, was mutual.
16. She Made People Vomit
While Schneider quietly wrestled with the belief that her new co-star was a total bore, Delon was no fan of hers either. The relatively unknown (but unquestionably dreamy) French actor reportedly found his co-star unattractive. But, as the cameras started rolling on the set of Christine, both actors would change their tune.
17. She Was Half Of A “Mythic Couple”
Two months after their initially frosty meeting, Schneider and Delon began filming Christine. At first, the two of them butt heads. However, as the film reels rolled, so did Schneider and Delon. Before long, the two had fallen madly in love with each other and became Europe’s couple mythique. Not everything, however, was as it seemed.
18. Her Engagement Caused A Stir
Once the media caught wind of Schneider and Delon’s relationship, they went into a frenzy. Suddenly, Schneider’s mother and stepfather reemerged and organized an official engagement celebration in front of the international press. As the couple celebrated their “engagement," the media dubbed the pair the “fiancés of Europe”.
However, their dramatic love story was just beginning.
ullstein bild Dtl., Getty Images
19. She Collapsed From Overwork
Despite the intense public interest in their relationship, Schneider and Delon refused to set a date for their nuptials. Schneider’s official story was that her film schedule was simply too full to make time for a wedding. And she wasn’t wrong. After a five-year-long engagement and full filming schedule, she was completely burnt out—and landed herself in the hospital.
Somehow, that wasn’t even close to her rock bottom.
20. She Had A Long Engagement
For the five long years of their engagement, Schneider and Delon had been living together. To the outside world, they seemed like the perfect couple. They were young, beautiful, talented, and famous. They even starred alongside each other on screen. But, behind the scenes, not everything was as it seemed. Their storied romance was about to implode.
picture alliance, Getty Images
21. Her Fiancé Left Without Explanation
After five years together, this picture-perfect couple's romance came to a resounding end. Delon abandoned Schneider in the worst way imaginable. He allegedly left nothing behind but a single note: “I’m sorry. I know I would have made you unhappy. I’m leaving for Mexico with Nathalie. I wish you all the best!”
Just like that, Europe’s most celebrated couple broke up, and, more importantly, Schneider’s world came crashing down.
Keystone-France / Gamma-Keystone, Wikimedia Commons
22. She Fell Into A Pit Of Despair
In response to the sudden and devastating end to her engagement with Delon, Schneider took drastic and dramatic action. According to reports from the time, the devastated young megastar slashed her own wrists in a state of absolute despair. Thankfully, she survived the ordeal—but only to set herself up for even more heartbreak in the future.
Unknown author, Wikimedia Commons
23. She Moved On At Last
It took Schneider three long years to mend the pieces of her broken heart—but, finally, in July 1966, she managed to move on. Schneider married the German film director Harry Meyen who, decades earlier, had been a prisoner of the Third Reich at the Neuengamme concentration camp. The marriage seemed a bit sudden.
picture alliance, Getty Images
24. She Might Have Been A Homewrecker
Later that same year, Schneider gave birth to her first child, David, and the family moved to Berlin. Curiously, however, Schneider’s new husband, Meyen, had only gotten a divorce from his first wife earlier that year, raising the specter that Schneider had been a homewrecker. Funny enough, one of her ex-lovers was about to try and do the same to her.
Rino Petrosino, Wikimedia Commons
25. Her Old Flame Returned
In 1969, French film director Jacques Deray cast Schneider’s former fiancé Alain Delon as the lead in La Piscine. Delon, planting the seeds of a romantic comeback, then insisted that Deray cast Schneider for the role of his romantic interest in the steamy drama film. Once Schneider read the script, she agreed to the role, unaware that she was walking into Delon’s trap.
26. She Still Had Chemistry
During filming on La Piscine, Delon made his move. Years after abandoning Schneider without explanation, he made repeated attempts to win the actress back—even though she had a child with another man. But, no matter what he did or said, Schneider rebuffed all of his efforts. Nevertheless, there was still undeniable chemistry between the two—and it showed.
27. She Caused Too Much Grief
Schneider and Delon’s complicated romantic history created unforgettable chemistry on the set of La Piscine. However, in a 2011 interview, Delon would make a devastating statement. Given Schneider’s ultimate, anguished fate, Delon confessed that he could not rewatch La Piscine, calling his memories of Schneider and their time together difficult to revisit.
28. She Found Her “Hero”
Schneider might have been able to rebuff Delon’s advances during and after filming La Piscine, but she wasn’t exactly faithful in her marriage to Meyen. Years later, Schneider’s biographers revealed that she had carried on an affair with her The Hero co-star, Richard Harris. And he was not the only one—not by any stretch of the imagination.
29. She Had Numerous Lovers
Throughout her career and marriages, Schneider allegedly had numerous affairs. Various sources claim Schneider had affairs with everyone from politicians like the German chancellor Willy Brandt to American entertainers like Sammy Davis Jr. Other alleged lovers included Luis Miguel Dominguín, Oswalt Kolle, Giovanni Volpi, and Bruno Ganz…to name a few.
There was, however, one steady relationship in her life.
30. She Revisited An Old Friend
Even as her career advanced, Schneider could never escape the role that had catapulted her to fame: Sissi. In 1973, when the film director Luchino Visconti wanted to make a film about King Ludwig II of Bavaria, he could only think about one person to portray Sissi, Ludwig II’s cousin: Schneider. But getting her to step back into the role would not be easy.
31. Her Roles Stuck To Her
At first, Schneider was reluctant to reprise the role of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. She lamented, “Sissi sticks to me just like oatmeal”. Eventually, however, she agreed to the role as it was an older, more “cynical and disillusioned” version of the character. The role of Sissi and all of her personal traumas prepared her for what lay ahead.
32. She Won The French Oscar
The following year, in 1974, Schneider followed up her more mature interpretation of Sissi with an even more definitive role. She starred in That Most Important Thing: Love (French title: L'important c'est d'aimer) and won her first César Award, the French equivalent of an Academy Award. While she considered it to be her best work, an even more dramatic role lay ahead.
Rizzoli Film, That Most Important Thing: Love (1975)
33. Her Roles Hit Close To Home
1975’s WWII thriller The Old Gun pushed Schneider to her emotional breaking point. Because of her parents’ close association with the Führer, a visceral scene involving flamethrowing captives left her seriously disturbed. Years later, Schneider confessed that she was not acting during that scene; she felt that she had become her character.
In a blow to Schneider, however, German theaters didn’t show the controversial scene. However, when it came to upsetting German audiences, this wasn't the first time she'd rocked the boat.
L.C.J Editions & Productions, The Old Gun (1975)
34. She Made A Shocking Confession
Back in 1971, Schneider had shocked the post-WWII German government with a provocative proclamation. Along with 28 other women, she appeared on the cover of a German magazine under a banner that read “We've had abortions!”
The emotive confession caused a stir, given that abortion was against the law at the time, but Schneider never publicly revealed anything else about the affair.
L.C.J Editions & Productions, The Old Gun (1975)
35. Her Ex-Husband Hanged Himself
After nine years of marriage, Schneider and Meyen parted ways. This time, however, Schneider wasn’t the one harming herself. Meyen suffered from depression because of the ordeals he had suffered at the Neuengamme concentration camp. Four years after their divorce, Schneider received devastating news: her ex-husband and the father of her son had hanged himself.
None of her relationships would ever be the same.
picture alliance, Getty Images
36. Her Co-Star Couldn’t Stand Her
Schneider wasn't always the easiest actor to deal with on set. In his biography, the director Robert Enrico who had directed Schneider on the set of a 1975 film, dished some inside gossip about the anguished star. He alleged that Schneider had a tough time tolerating her co-star Philippe Noiret whom she found to be ill-mannered.
However, Noiret had good reason for disapproving of Schneider.
L.C.J Editions & Productions, The Old Gun (1975)
37. She Was Always Late
Between her numerous affairs and crumbling marriage, it’s a wonder that Schneider managed to make any films at all. But, according to Noiret, she barely did. The reason that Noiret couldn’t stand Schneider was because she was chronically late to set, leaving her castmates and the crew waiting on her. Some of her other co-stars, however, couldn’t get enough of her.
L.C.J Editions & Productions, The Old Gun (1975)
38. She Got On The Last Train With Trintignant
Working on a film set with Schneider was anything but boring. Allegedly, the actress became extremely interested in her The Last Train co-star, Jean-Louis Trintignant. The details about their alleged romance are scarce—except for how it ended. According to Vanity Fair, once their affair was over, Schneider fell into a deep, substance-fueled depression.
There was only one bright spot in her life.
20th Century, The Last Train (1973)
39. She Remarried Her Secretary
Following her divorce from Meyen, Schneider had taken custody of their son, David, and promptly remarried. This time, she tied the knot to her private secretary, Daniel Biasini. For once, Schneider managed to keep the details of her love life out of the tabloids, except for the news about the birth of her second child, Sarah.
There would not, however, be a happily ever after.
40. She Had Another Divorce
Schneider’s hopes of finding lasting love once again fell apart. She split from Biasini in 1981, six years after they exchanged their vows. However, her son David, from her first marriage to Meyen, looked to Biasini as a father figure and was devastated by the divorce. Schneider, not wanting to cause the boy any more grief after his real father’s hanging, let him stay close to Biasini.
But as we'll soon see, this turned out to be a fatal mistake.
41. She Broke Her Leg
Schneider’s last film, 1982’s The Passerby, was a drama-filled production. At first, Schneider broke her leg in an undisclosed accident. Her injury caused the producers to shut down filming until she was well enough to continue. But, just as soon as she recovered from that injury, her years of substance use and depression caught up with her.
Elephant Production, The Passerby (1982)
42. She Needed Surgery
Schneider recovered from her broken leg…then fell ill again. The actress caused the producers of The Passerby to shut down production once more when she had to undergo a mysterious kidney surgery. Tragically, as she was recovering from this latest setback, she suffered one last tragedy from which she would never be able to recover.
Elephant Production, The Passerby (1982)
43. Her Son Suffered A Terrible Accident
In 1981, Schneider’s son and the only bright spot in her increasingly gloomy life, David, was visiting his step-grandparents. While attempting to hoist himself over their spiked iron gate, the 14-year-old boy suffered a tragic accident. He punctured his femoral artery and, sadly, bled out from the injury. Even more devastating was Schneider’s final memory of her son.
Elephant Production, The Passerby (1982)
44. She Didn’t Get To Say A Proper Goodbye
Biographer Bernard Pascuito made a dark revelation about this already grisly chapter in Schneider’s life. According to Pascuito, a few days before David’s accident, Schneider had argued with her son. “They had a terrible scene,” he explained, “because he [David] didn't want to go on holiday with her and Laurent Pétrin, her new partner”.
Tragically, Schneider might have lost David even if he had survived.
45. She Sent Her Son Away
Pascuito made another absolutely heart-wrenching revelation about Schneider’s relationship with her son. Allegedly, according to Pascuito, David had asked Schneider if he could live with his stepfather, Biasini. Reluctantly, Schneider had agreed to the arrangement, hoping that he might eventually have a change of heart. Sadly, he never did.
And it was more than Schneider could bear.
46. She Finished The Film
Against the odds, Simone Signoret (with whom Schneider may have had an affair) convinced the devastated actress to complete filming on The Passerby. But one thing was obvious to everyone: Schneider would never be the same after the loss of her son. She fell into a deep depression and doubled down on her heavy drinking.
She would not outlive her son for long.
Elephant Production, The Passerby (1982)
47. Her Partner Found Her Lifeless Body
On a tragic day in May 1982, Schneider's new partner, Laurent Pétin, made a sorrowful discovery. At their Paris apartment, he found her lifeless body at her desk. She had collapsed in the chair. What's more? There was an ominously suggestive empty bottle in close proximity to her.
The scene was a heartbreaking end to a life filled with sorrow—particularly given the mysterious details.
Iberia Airlines, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
48. She Was Writing One Last Message
When Pétin discovered Schneider’s limp, lifeless body, he observed something odd. Schneider had been in the process of writing a letter. She had addressed the letter to a women’s magazine, with the intention of canceling an upcoming interview. Her words, scrawled on the page, trailed off mid-sentence, a chilling reflection of the sudden and tragic end to her life.
49. Her Demise Was A Tragic Accident
Even though the circumstances of her sudden passing looked suspicious, the coroner ruled that she had succumbed to a heart attack. The fatal condition was, in all likelihood, an accident, brought on by a toxic cocktail of pills and hooch. However, others suggested that her kidney surgery may have damaged her heart.
The suddenness of her passing at just 43 stunned her fans but seemed the only possible end to the tragic life of one of Europe’s most beloved actresses.
ℍenry Salomé, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
50. She Was Just An Unhappy Woman
In one of her last interviews, Schneider made a statement that left her fans devastated. Despite the rarefied heights her career had attained, from the Sissi trilogy to her award-winning turn in Une histoire simple, she was still a deeply lonely and anguished woman. “I'm just an unhappy 42-year-old woman,” she said, “and my name is Romy Schneider”.
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