Laura Smet protected by her mother before her death: these provisions taken to avoid an inheritance war

Just like Catherine Laborde, Nathalie Baye was taken by Lewy body disease, a neurodegenerative condition she had been battling for several years now. On Friday, April 24, 2026, her loved ones will be able to pay their last respects during her funeral, which will be held at 10 am at the Saint-Sulpice church in Paris. Laura Smet, the actress’s only daughter, will of course be there to accompany her mother to her final resting place. A moment of deep sadness and contemplation that unfortunately will not fail to remind her of the burial of her father, Johnny Hallyday, who passed away in 2017.

But will the aftermath unfold in the same way? Indeed, after her father’s death, the 42-year-old actress and singer had to fight to have a say in the monumental inheritance of her famous father. A merciless war waged against her stepmother Laeticia Hallyday, who, to everyone’s surprise, was entrusted with the singer’s entire estate and artist’s rights.

Nathalie Baye, a mother hen to the end

Powerless, Nathalie Baye could only watch as her daughter was disinherited. David Hallyday, Laura Smet’s half-brother and also disinherited, was at the time involved in the legal battle alongside his sister as a co-plaintiff. On her part, in order to avoid any misunderstanding and unnecessary conflict, Nathalie Baye took care to do everything by the book before her passing. Dominique Besnehard, a close friend of Nathalie Baye and Laura Smet’s godfather, was present on the set of C à Vous on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 to discuss the precautions taken by the actress. “Nathalie has always been there to protect her,” he assured.

According to information from our colleagues at Closer, Nathalie Baye put in place various measures to avoid any inheritance conflict with her daughter. Initially, the fact that she remained domiciled in France guaranteed Laura Smet’s status as a reserved heir. Furthermore, she took the time to draft a genuine will and subscribe to nominative life insurances to prevent any administrative hurdles.

Nathalie Baye carefully planned her succession

Thanks to all these precautions, the succession of the 77-year-old actress should unfold simply and smoothly. A relief for Laura Smet who could have faced further difficulties with her famous mother’s blended family. Unlike the Taulier who made his will under American laws, Nathalie Baye made sure to remain under French laws that guarantee a minimum share of the estate to an only child. For Laura Smet, it remains to bid a dignified farewell to her mother…