Film star dies after being found unconscious in swimming pool

The sudden loss of French actress Nadia Farès has left a deep sense of shock across the film and television world, as colleagues, fans, and loved ones come to terms with a life cut short.

She was 57.

According to reports, Farès was found unconscious in a swimming pool at a private gym in Paris on April 11. She had suffered cardiac arrest and was later hospitalized at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, where she fell into a coma. Days later, on April 17, she passed away.

Authorities have opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death, though early indications suggest no evidence of foul play.

Born in Morocco, Farès built a career that quietly but powerfully crossed borders. Her breakout role came in the 2000 thriller The Crimson Rivers, directed by Mathieu Kassovitz, where her presence on screen helped introduce her to an international audience. From there, she continued to take on a wide range of roles, including appearances in War and the horror film Storm Warning, each performance marked by intensity and emotional depth.

Her work extended beyond cinema. On television, she reached new audiences through Marseille, where she starred alongside Gérard Depardieu between 2016 and 2018, contributing to one of the platform’s early French-language productions.

Behind the scenes, Farès had been preparing for a new chapter. She was reportedly set to begin filming an action-comedy in September 2026—her first project not only as an actress, but also as a director and screenwriter. It was a creative step forward that now remains unfinished.

Her daughters, Cylia and Shana Chasman, confirmed her passing in a statement to AFP, expressing both public and deeply personal grief.

“It is with immense sadness that we announce the passing of Nadia Farès this Friday. France has lost a great artist, but for us, it is above all a mother we have just lost.”

In the days following her death, tributes began to reflect not only her career, but the private life that meant the most to those closest to her.

In a message shared on social media, her daughter Cylia described a loss that went far beyond public recognition.

“It pains me to say goodbye, but mama, I will make you so proud. I am so happy that we got even closer than we were before in your last few months. You understood me better than anyone and I don’t know how I will recover.”

She continued, recalling the bond they shared:

“You were so loved and you were my role model… You were not only an amazing mom but my best friend. I love you, please watch over me.”

Farès had previously spoken about her health struggles, including undergoing brain surgery in 2007 after being diagnosed with an aneurysm—something she once described as “a ticking time bomb.” She had also undergone multiple heart surgeries, details that now add a quieter layer of context to her sudden passing.

For many, her death is a reminder of how quickly life can shift, even for those who seem strong and established. For the industry, it marks the loss of a performer who carried depth into every role. And for her family, it is something far more personal—the absence of a mother, a guide, and a constant presence.

While investigations continue, what remains certain is the impact she leaves behind: not only through her work on screen, but through the lives she shaped away from it.

In the words of her daughter, it is not just a public loss, but a deeply human one—felt most in the quiet spaces where her voice, her presence, and her love once lived.