In recent days, the French film industry has been discussing not only the tragic death of Nadia Farès, but also a family story that always stayed a bit in the shadow of her on-screen roles. The actress passed away at the age of 57 after spending several days in a coma—she was found unconscious in the swimming pool of a private club in Paris. It was her daughters, Celia and Shana Chassman, who announced the loss, emphasizing that for them she was first and foremost a mother, not a star. According to Divinity, the tragedy was caused by a heart attack, after which Farès remained underwater for several minutes. Despite doctors’ efforts, they were unable to save the actress.
A Family Choice
At the heart of this story is not just Nadia herself, but also her relationship with American producer Steve Chasman. Their romance began on a film set in France in the early 2000s, when fate brought them together on a project related to the ‘Transporter’ franchise. According to the actress, everything happened quickly: they were engaged after three weeks, and three weeks later came the news of her pregnancy. Chasman, a lawyer by training and a successful producer, became for Farès not just a partner but also the person for whom she decided to move to the United States. For several years, the family lived between Los Angeles and Paris, and Farès put her career on hold for the sake of her daughters. She admitted she wanted to be present, not watch her children grow up from afar. This choice defined her life for many years. Four years ago, the couple separated, but their bond through their children remained unbreakable.
Daughters in the Spotlight
The death of their mother was not only a personal tragedy for Celia and Shana, but also the moment when their own lives came under intense public scrutiny. The older sister, Shana, born in 2002, is active on Instagram, sharing not only personal photos but also music videos—she sings, plays guitar, and experiments with songwriting. Her audience is not very large yet, but interest in her work is growing. The younger sister, Celia, was born in 2005 and has already become a significant figure in the digital space: hundreds of thousands of followers keep up with her fashion looks, travels, and vintage-style aesthetics. In recent years, she has become a true digital creator, collaborating with brands and documenting her life on social media.
Roots and path to cinema
The story of Nadia Farès is not only about family, but also about searching for herself between different cultures. Born in Marrakech in 1968 to a family with Moroccan and Armenian roots, she moved to France as a child. She grew up in Nice and then moved to Paris to pursue an acting career. Her first successes came in the 1990s: film and television roles gradually made her a visible figure on the French screen. Later, Farès reached the international stage, but after the birth of her daughters, she stepped away from her profession for several years. It was only in the 2010s that she returned to filming, although her health no longer allowed her to work at the same pace. In recent years, the actress has openly discussed the surgeries she underwent—including on her heart and after a brain aneurysm. Despite this, she never lost her desire to remain in the profession.
Family stories in focus
The subject of family dramas and personal trials of celebrities is increasingly discussed in Spanish and European media. Not long ago, attention was drawn to the story of Lydia Lozano, whose husband was in serious condition after a rare spinal infection— details of the family’s fight for Lozano’s husband’s health also sparked a wave of support and sympathy. In Nadia Farès’ case, the public once again saw how, behind the facade of success and fame, real human dramas are hidden, where the choice between career and family becomes not just a topic for interviews, but a matter of life and memory.
