Marianne Faithfull, Iconic Singer, Songwriter, Actress, Dies at 78

Marianne Faithfull, the celebrated singer, songwriter, and actress whose career spanned over five decades, has died at the age of 78, CNN reports.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull. Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family. She will be dearly missed,” the statement read.

Faithfull rose to fame in the 1960s with hits such as “As Tears Go By,” a song written by The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, the latter of whom she famously dated. Discovered at a London party in 1964 by The Rolling Stones’ manager Andrew Loog Oldham, the then 16-year-old Faithfull quickly became a prominent figure in the burgeoning music scene.

Beyond her music career, Faithfull also had notable roles as an actress, including appearances in the 1968 film “Girl on a Motorcycle” and the 1969 production of “Hamlet,” among others.

However, the end of the 1960s marked the beginning of a long and difficult battle with drug addiction, which Faithfull struggled with for years. Despite these challenges, she mounted a series of creative comebacks in the subsequent decades, cementing her status as a resilient and enduring artist.

In 2020, it was announced that actress Lucy Boynton, known for her role in “Bohemian Rhapsody,” would portray Faithfull in a biopic about her life. Faithfull had expressed her excitement at the project, stating she was “delighted that my story is finally being made with my dream team.”

In 2021, during the COVID-19 lockdown, Faithfull penned a new album. It was also during this period that she battled a severe COVID-19 infection.