**Gaby Basset (1902-2001)** was a French actress and an iconic figure of silent cinema and the transition to sound. Former wife of director Jean Renoir, she played key roles in many of his early masterpieces, helping to define the aesthetic of French poetic realism.

Known for her naturalness and spontaneity, Basset excelled at portraying ordinary women with lively, outspoken, and sometimes naive characters, often with a touch of mischief. Among her most memorable performances are Renoir's comedies *Boudu sauvé des eaux* (1932) and *Le Crime de Monsieur Lange* (1936), where she brought popular female characters to life with authenticity. Her ability to make even the most humble characters believable made her a distinctive presence in French cinema of the time. She continued her career in supporting roles until the 1960s.