Mimieux was a Los Angeles native who was discovered while she was horseback riding through the Hollywood Hills (via The Hollywood Reporter). She was cast in films from a young age, making eight before she was old enough to legally drink in the United States. While most of her films featured the young and beautiful blonde dressed in bathing suits, she became a cult figure with her role in sci-fi films.
If you’re not familiar with Mimieux, that was intentional on her end. She rarely made public appearances or spoke with the press. In 1979 she told The Washington Post in a rare interview, “I decided I didn’t want to have a totally public life.” There are some people, she said, “who believe that a camera steals a little part of your soul, and in a way, I think that’s true about living your private life in public. It takes something away from your relationships, it cheapens them.”
When she wasn’t acting, she was working as a writer and entrepreneur (via People). She was a Jill of all trades, working selling Haitian products, studying archaeology, and even dabbling in real estate. She worked hard to be more than just an actress.
Mimieux’s death was confirmed by her family representative, who said the Golden Globe-nominated actress passed away peacefully in her sleep.
