Marie-Pierre Castel

Marie-Pierre Yvonne Tricot (5 February 1949 – 10 February 2013), known professionally as Marie-Pierre Castel, or Pony Tricot, was a French actress. She became notable for her collaboration with Jean Rollin, appearing in a number of his films, including, La vampire nue (1970), Le frisson des vampires (1970), Requiem pour un vampire (1971), and Lèvres de sang (1975).

Castel started her career working in the beauty industry, as a barber, before deciding on acting as a career choice. She made her screen debut in 1970, when she was cast in Jean Rollin's La vampire nue, appearing alongside her twin sister, Catherine, in the first of several roles which she would appear with her sister. The sisters were credited under their own surname of Tricot for their debut roles, but were subsequently known under the pseudonym name of 'Castel', a surname of their relatives. This was followed by more collaborations with Rollin, including Le frisson des vampires, and, in her first leading role, Requiem pour un Vampire, which is perhaps her most notable performance. Both films were intended to feature Catherine, but when she fell pregnant, Rollin decided on Marie-Pierre as a casting decision.

Castel would continue to appear in a number of Rollin's films, such as, the comedy, Tout le monde il en a deux, and one of his most successful works, Lèvres de sang, which starred Jean-Loup Philippe and Annie Belle. Castel accepted work in several of Rollin's pornographic films, when the director was facing financial difficulty at the time while trying to make up the budget for his intended projects, turning to the adult film industry as a viable option; featuring in Phantasmes, Douces pénétrations, Introductions and in her final collaboration with Rollin, Suce moi vampire, which was an extended pornographic version of Lèvres de sang, with the hardcore scenes shot and inserted into the film in 1976.

She has also worked with directors, Jean-Marie Pallardy and Bernard Launois. Her final acting appearance was in the 1977 Francis Girod film, René la canne, starring Gérard Depardieu, Sylvia Kristel and Michel Piccoli.

Castel died on 10 February 2013 in Nîmes, France, five days after her 64th birthday. The cause of her death was not specified.