The Best 15 French Actresses of All Time

She became internationally famous following her role in “And God Created Woman” in 1956, directed by Roger Vadim.

Her other renowned films, such as "Contempt" (1963), "Viva Maria!" (1965), "The Truth" (1960), and "Love on a Pillow" (1962), have not only left an indelible mark on the film industry but also contributed significantly to the cultural fabric of France and beyond.

Brigitte Bardot, known for her acting prowess, contributed significantly to animal rights and welfare.

Her career in the entertainment industry spans over six decades.

She's one of the most enduring figures in French cinema.

Her most famous films include "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" (1964), "Belle de Jour" (1967), "Repulsion" (1965), "Indochine" (1992), and "The Last Metro" (1980).

She rose to fame in "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," the incredible French New Wave film by director Jacques Demy, in which her talent and beauty were obvious.

Her most famous films include "The Piano Teacher" (2001), "Elle" (2016), "La Cérémonie" (1995), "White Material" (2009), and "Amour" (2012).

She's a true icon, having received more nominations for the César Awards than any other actress.

Her talent and dedication have earned her 2 César Awards for Best Actress, in 1996 for "La Cérémonie" and in 2017 for "Elle".

In addition to cinema, she's also a famous and successful actress on stage and TV.

She first rose to fame for her work with the French New Wave director François Truffaut.

Her most famous roles include "La Femme d'à côté" (1981), "8 Women" (2002), "Callas Forever" (2002), and "Love Songs" (2007).

Still, with a career spanning decades, she has appeared in many other great films. She has also had a successful stage career.

Juliette Binoche was born on 9th March 1964 in Paris. Her appearance in "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" in 1988 gained international recognition and acclaim.

Her other famous films include "Three Colors: Blue" (1993), "The English Patient" (1996), "Chocolat" (2000), and "Clouds of Sils Maria" (2014).

She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “The English Patient”.

Born on 17th November 1966 in Paris, Sophie Marceau gained fame as a teenager in her role in "La Boum".

Her other famous films include "Braveheart" (1995), "The World Is Not Enough" (1999), "Fanfan" (1993), and "L'étudiante" (1988).

Beyond acting, she's also a director and writer. She wrote and directed 2002's “Speak to Me of Love”.

She's a hugely popular actress in France and several Asian countries.

She's often referred to as France's favourite actress.

Julie Delpy is a French and American actress born on 21st December 1969.

She was discovered and cast in Détective by the film director Jean-Luc Godard.

She gained international recognition for her role in “Before Sunrise” (1995) and the subsequent sequels “Before Sunset” (2004) and “Before Midnight” (2013).

She's not just an actress but also a multi-talented artist. In addition to acting, she writes, directs, and composes music.

Born on 21st July 1971, Charlotte Lucy Gainsbourg is the daughter of French singer Serge Gainsbourg and the English actress Jane Birkin. She was born in London, England.

As the child of two stars, Charlotte Gainsbourg was always famous.

Still, she gained recognition as an actress in her teenage years for her award-winning role in "L'Effrontée" in 1985.

She's most famous for appearing in films like "La Vie en Rose" (2007), "Inception" (2010), "Rust and Bone" (2012), "The Dark Knight Rises" (2012), and "Two Days, One Night" (2014).

Cotillard was the first actress to win an Academy Award for a French-language performance, which she won for “La Vie en Rose”.

She also won the BAFTA, César Award, Golden Globe, and Lumières Award for best actress for her role in "La Vie en Rose".

In addition to “Amélie” (2001), which is often considered one of the most beloved French Films, she was also famously in films like "The Da Vinci Code" (2006), "A Very Long Engagement" (2004), "Coco Before Chanel" (2009), "Priceless" (2006).

She also starred alongside the great French actor Romain Duris in “L'Auberge Espagnole” and the subsequent sequels.

She was named “Audrey” after Audrey Hepburn.

Eva Green is famous around the world for roles in English-language films like “Kingdom of Heaven” (2005) and the James Bond film “Casino Royale” (2006).

She's also famous for films like "The Dreamers" (2003), "300: Rise of an Empire" (2014), "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" (2016) and the TV series "Penny Dreadful".

She was born 6th July, 1980, in Paris. She has a twin sister named Joy.

Born on 1st July 1985 in Paris, Léa Seydoux is famous for films like "Blue Is the Warmest Color" (2013), "Spectre" (2015), "The Grand Budapest Hotel" (2014), "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol" (2011), "No Time to Die" (2021).

“Blue Is the Warmest Color” won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, which helped launch Seydoux's career.

Her grandfather is the chairman of the French film production and distribution company Pathé, which has existed since the dawn of French cinema.

Adèle Haenel was born on 11th February 1989 in Paris.

She became famous for her role in "Water Lilies" (2007) and earned a César Award nomination.

She's also famous for roles in films like "Portrait of a Lady on Fire" (2019), "The Unknown Girl" (2016), "120 BPM (Beats per Minute)" (2017), "Love at First Fight" (2014), and "House of Tolerance" (2011).

She famously left the César Awards in 2020 in protest against Roman Polanski winning the Best Director award.

Adèle Exarchopoulos was born 22nd Novermber, 1993, in Paris. She's also famous for her appearance in "Blue is the Warmest Color" and has won several awards.

She was 19 when she won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, becoming the youngest actress to win the Palme d'Or.

Her other famous films include "The Anarchists" (2015), "Down by Love" (2016), "Racer and the Jailbird" (2017), and "Sibyl" (2019).

Emma Mackey is a British and French actress born in Le Mans, France.

She grew up in France, and once she finished school, she moved to England to attend university, graduating in 2016.

She's famous for roles in the Netflix TV Series “Sex Education” and films like "Death on the Nile" (2022), "Eiffel" (2021), "Emily" (2022), "The Winter Lake" (2020).

She's often compared to Margot Robbie because of the two actresses' similar appearances. She even starred in "Barbie" with Margot Robbie in 2023.

Joseph

Joseph is a French and Spanish to English translator, copywriter, and all-round language enthusiast.

While very subjective, Catherine Deneuve is often cited as the the quintessential classic French actress.

The James Bond films have a tendency to choose French bond girls. In total, there have been 9 French Bond girls.

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