Maria Schneider, the French actress who appeared opposite Marlon Brando in “Last Tango in Paris,” the 1972 movie whose strong sexual content stirred international controversy, has died. She was 58.

Schneider died in Paris on Thursday after a long illness.

The X-rated film, which critic Pauline Kael called “a landmark in movie history” and which critic Roger Ebert said was “one of the great emotional experiences of our time,” was banned in a number of countries for its sexuality and nudity.

Looking back on her career in the 2006 interview with the Sunday Independent, Schneider said that in retrospect, she would not have made “Last Tango in Paris.”