Her son, Mark Davis, confirmed she died of natural causes on December 11 at a Los Angeles medical center.
Born Maj-Britt Wilkens on March 22, 1934, near Stockholm, Britt began her acting career after being discovered in the early 1950s by Italian filmmakers. She made her film debut in Italy and gained recognition in European cinema before appearing in King Vidor’s War and Peace (1956), which brought her to the attention of 20th Century Fox.After moving to Hollywood, Britt was cast opposite major stars, including Robert Mitchum in The Hunters and Marlon Brando in The Young Lions. Her breakthrough came in 1959 when she starred in the remake of The Blue Angel, earning widespread attention and a Life magazine cover.
In 1960, Britt married entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. after converting to Judaism. Their interracial marriage sparked intense backlash at a time when such unions were illegal in parts of the U.S. The controversy led to harassment, death threats, and the loss of Britt’s studio contract, effectively ending her film career.
She later stepped away from acting to focus on family life. Britt and Davis divorced in 1968, after which she briefly returned to television and film. In her later years, she lived quietly in California, remembered both for her screen work and for the courage she showed in challenging social barriers.