Genevieve Gilles

{{short description|French actress}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Genevieve Gilles

| image = Genevieve Gilles Mike Connors Mannix 1973.JPG

| caption = Gilles with Mike Connors in Mannix, 1973

| birth_name = Geneviève Gillaizeau

| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1946}}

| birth_place = Paris, France

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation = Actress

| years_active = 1969–1973

}}

Geneviève Gilles (born Geneviève Gillaizeau; 1946) is a French-Romanian actress. Having acted in one film and three 1980s era sitcoms, she is best known for being the mistress of film producer Darryl F. Zanuck from 1965 to 1973, and for later suing Zanuck's estate in 1980.

In 1965, Gillaizeau met American film producer Darryl F. Zanuck, of whom she was his mistress from 1965 to 1973.{{cite journal |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/23/books/one-mogul-s-family.html |title=One Mogul's Family |first=Diane |last=Jacobs |journal=The New York Times Book Review |volume=94 |date=July 23, 1989 |page=xxv}} Gillaizeau, who was 19 years old at the time, later said she found the 63-year-old Zanuck irresistible. She was quoted in 1980 as stating "... his age didn't bother me. He was wonderful, very powerful and smart. About sex, he was like Picasso, I think."{{cite journal |url=https://people.com/archive/in-darryl-zanucks-last-drama-a-forgotten-french-lover-sues-for-15-million-vol-14-no-2/|title=In Darryl Zanuck's Last Drama, a Forgotten French Lover Sues for $15 Million |first=Martha |last=Smilgis |journal=People |date=July 14, 1980 |issn=0093-7673}}

Gilles' only film, as the lead in Hello-Goodbye (1970), was created and written by Zanuck, and was the first production he personally supervised since The Longest Day (1962).Blume, Mary (1969-12-07). "Darryl F. Zanuck in Paris---the Last Film Tycoon". Los Angeles Times. p. c36 Zanuck had a long history of trying to turn his European mistresses into film stars{{snd}}he had previously done this with Bella Darvi (The Egyptian), Juliette Gréco (The Sun Also Rises) and Irina Demick (The Longest Day).Buchwald, Art (1962-07-14). "Zanuck Vs. Greco: Four-Year Friendship Egomania Ambitious Girls". The Washington Post and Times-Herald. p. D31

In 1980, Gilles filed a $15 million claim against the estate of Darryl F. Zanuck, claiming that Zanuck's son, Richard, influenced his father to remove her from his final will in October 1973.{{cite magazine|magazine=Variety|date=July 2, 1980|page=2|title=Actress Sues Zanuck Estate and Richard}} Darryl F. Zanuck had died in 1979,{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/f563f3438d234370ab400893daf427e7 |title=People in the News |work=Associated Press News |date=February 26, 1988}} and was residing with his wife Virginia at the time. Zanuck family members countersued.{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/da28f7fc1b4899b9305a76e8b75d4cbc |title=Zanuck's Daughter Files $10 Million Suit Against Father's Former Mistress |work=Associated Press |date=October 23, 1986}} Zanuck's will was settled on January 8, 1988, after Gilles provided that her claim on the estate would be given to Yeshiva University in New York. The university received a $50,000 payment.