Juliette Binoche facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Juliette Binoche
Binoche at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival
Born	(1964-03-09) 9 March 1964 (age 61) Paris, France
Other names	"La Binoche"
Alma mater	Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1983–present
Partner(s)	André Halle (1992–1995) Benoît Magimel (1998–2003)
Children	2
Relatives	Léon Binoche (great-uncle)
Awards	Full list
Signature

Juliette Binoche (born March 9, 1964) is a famous French actress. She has acted in over 60 movies, both in French and English. She has won many important awards for her work. These include an Academy Award (also known as an Oscar), a British Academy Film Award (BAFTA), and a César Award.

Juliette Binoche became well-known by working with talented directors. She starred in Rendez-vous (1985), which made her a big star in France. She won the Volpi Cup and a César Award for Best Actress for her role in Three Colours: Blue (1993). She also won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her part in The English Patient (1996).

Later, she was nominated for an Oscar for her role in the romantic movie Chocolat (2000). In 2010, she won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress for her work in Certified Copy. Since then, she has appeared in many other films. Some of these include Clouds of Sils Maria (2014) and High Life (2018).

Besides movies, Binoche has also performed on stage. She was nominated for a Tony Award for her role in the play Betrayal in 2000. In 2008, she toured the world with a modern dance show called in-i. She created this show with dancer Akram Khan.

Early Life and Acting Start

Juliette Binoche was born in Paris, France. Her father, Jean-Marie Binoche, was a director, actor, and sculptor. Her mother, Monique Yvette Stalens, was a teacher, director, and actress. Her mother was born in Częstochowa, Poland. Juliette's grandparents on her mother's side were actors too. They were held in Auschwitz by the German Nazis during World War II.

When Juliette was four, her parents divorced. She and her sister, Marion, went to live at a boarding school. During their teenage years, they spent holidays with their grandmother. Juliette has said that not seeing her parents often affected her deeply.

Juliette was not very interested in school. In her teens, she started acting in school plays. At age seventeen, she directed and starred in a student play called Exit the King. She studied acting at a famous school, the Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique. But she left soon after because she didn't like the way they taught.

In the early 1980s, she found an agent and joined a theater group. She toured France, Belgium, and Switzerland using the name "Juliette Adrienne." She also started taking acting lessons. Her first professional acting job was a small part in a TV series in 1983. After that, she got a small role in the movie Liberty Belle (1983). This experience made her want to be a film actress.

Becoming a Star (1984–1991)

Binoche in 1985

Juliette Binoche quickly became a well-known actress in France. In 1983, she tried out for a main role in Jean-Luc Godard's film Hail Mary. She spent six months on the movie set. She also had supporting roles in other French films. Her role in Les Nanas was her biggest part yet.

She gained more attention in Jacques Doillon's movie Family Life. She played a strong-willed teenage step-daughter. Doillon was so impressed with her that he changed the character's age for her.

In 1985, Binoche became a leading actress in Rendez-vous by André Téchiné. The film was a big hit at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival. Binoche became a favorite at the festival. One critic called it "Juliette Binoche's career-defining performance."

In 1986, she was nominated for her first César Award for her role in Rendez-vous. Later that year, she starred in Mauvais Sang with Michel Piccoli. This film was very successful. It earned Binoche her second César nomination. She said she "discovered the camera" while making this movie.

In 1986, Binoche started filming The Unbearable Lightness of Being. This was her first English-speaking role. The movie was a global success. It was set during the USSR's invasion of Prague in 1968. Binoche played Tereza, a young and innocent woman. She said her English was limited then, so she used a French translation to understand her role.

After this success, Binoche chose to return to France. In 1988, she starred in Un tour de manège. She also performed in a play called The Seagull in Paris.

Later, she began working on Les Amants du Pont-Neuf. This film took three years to finish because of many problems. When it finally came out in 1991, it was a big success. Binoche won a European Film Award and her third César nomination. In the movie, she played an artist living on a famous Parisian bridge. The paintings in the film were her own work. She also designed the French poster for the movie.

By this time, Binoche was seen as one of the best French actresses of her time. However, the long filming of Les Amants du Pont-Neuf made her miss out on several international movie roles. She then decided to focus on an international career outside France.

International Success (1992–2000)

Binoche at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival

In the 1990s, Juliette Binoche starred in many successful international films. She gained much praise and won awards. Her acting style changed from a playful young woman to a more serious and emotional presence. Critics noted her strong, quiet way of showing sadness. She even called her characters from this time her "sorrowful sisters."

After Les Amants du Pont-Neuf, Binoche moved to London. There, she filmed Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights and Damage in 1992. These films helped her become more famous worldwide. However, they were also challenging. Her casting in Wuthering Heights caused some controversy in the British press. They were surprised that a French actress was playing a classic English role. The film got bad reviews, and Binoche refused to promote it.

Damage, directed by Louis Malle, was also difficult to make. Despite the challenges, Binoche received her fourth César nomination for her performance.

In 1993, she starred in Krzysztof Kieślowski's Three Colours: Blue. This film brought her huge critical acclaim. It is the first part of a trilogy inspired by French ideals. Binoche played a woman who loses her husband and daughter in a car accident. She tries to cope by cutting herself off from everything. Three Colours: Blue premiered at the 1993 Venice Film Festival. Binoche won the Best Actress Prize there. She also won a César Award for Best Actress and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Binoche made small appearances in the other two films of the trilogy, Three Colours: White and Three Colours: Red. Around this time, she turned down roles in Jurassic Park and Schindler's List. After Three Colors: Blue, Binoche took a break and had her son, Raphaël, in September 1993.

In 1995, Binoche returned to movies in The Horseman on the Roof. This was the most expensive French film at the time. It was a box office success worldwide. Binoche was again nominated for a César for Best Actress. This role, as a romantic heroine, influenced her future roles. In 1996, she tried a comedy role in A Couch in New York, but it was not successful.

Her next role in The English Patient made her an international movie star. The film, based on a novel, was a global hit. Binoche said filming in Tuscany and Rome was one of her happiest experiences. The movie won nine Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actress for Juliette Binoche. She became the second French actress to win an Oscar.

After this, Binoche returned to France for Lucie Aubrac. However, she left the film due to disagreements with the director. Next, she reunited with director André Téchiné for Alice et Martin (1998). The film was praised by critics in the UK.

Binoche then starred in Children of the Century (1999). She played the 19th-century French writer George Sand. The next year, 2000, was busy for Binoche. She appeared in four different roles. In La Veuve de Saint-Pierre (2000), she was nominated for a César. She also appeared in Michael Haneke's Code Unknown, which was critically acclaimed.

Later that year, Binoche made her debut on Broadway in the play Betrayal. She was nominated for a Tony Award for this role. Back on screen, she was the main character in Chocolat. For this role, Binoche won a European Film Award and was nominated for an Academy Award and a BAFTA. Chocolat was a worldwide hit.

From 1995 to 2000, Binoche was the face of the perfume Poème by Lancôme. By the end of this period, some critics wondered if she was being cast too often as a sad, romantic character.

New Challenges (2001–2006)

Juliette Binoche and Jean Reno at Cannes, 2002

After Chocolat, Juliette Binoche was a top movie star. But she wanted to try different kinds of roles. In 2002, she returned to French cinema in a surprising role. She played a quirky beautician in Jet Lag with Jean Reno. The film was a hit in France. Binoche was nominated for another César for Best Actress.

In a more serious role, Binoche went to South Africa for John Boorman's In My Country (2004). This film looked at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission after Apartheid ended. Although the film got mixed reviews, Binoche loved working on it. Her sister, Marion Stalens, made a documentary about the film's making.

Next, Binoche worked with Michael Haneke again for Caché (2005). This film was very successful. Haneke won Best Director at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. Binoche was nominated for a European Film Award. The movie is about a Parisian couple who receive mysterious videotapes. Caché was later named one of the best films of the 2000s.

Binoche's next film was Bee Season (2005), where she starred with Richard Gere. This film was not a box office success. She then appeared in Mary (2005), a film about faith. It won an award at the 2005 Venice Film Festival.

In 2006, Binoche was in a short film called Place des Victoires as part of the movie Paris, je t'aime. This film was popular worldwide. In September 2006, she launched A Few Days in September. This thriller was criticized for how it handled the events of September 11, 2001. Binoche also said she believed government agencies knew about the attacks beforehand.

She then went to the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival for Breaking and Entering. This was her second film with director Anthony Minghella. Binoche played a Bosnian refugee in London. She visited Sarajevo to prepare for the role. Although Binoche was praised for her acting, the film did not do well.

At the start of the 2000s, Binoche struggled to find roles that were different from her sad, emotional characters. Despite the success of Caché, other big films like In My Country and Breaking and Entering did not do well. Binoche was looking for new directions in her career.

Diverse Roles and Awards (2007–2012)

Binoche at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival

The year 2007 marked a busy time for Juliette Binoche. She took on many different roles in acclaimed international movies. This gave her career new energy. She moved beyond the types of roles she had played earlier.

The Cannes Film Festival saw the premiere of Flight of the Red Balloon (2007). This film was made by Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien. It was well-received by critics. The movie is about a single mother trying to balance her life and career. Binoche was honored with the Maureen O'Hara Award in 2010. This award celebrates women who have achieved great things in film.

Disengagement by Amos Gitai premiered at the 2007 Venice Film Festival. This political drama was praised by critics. However, it was controversial in Israel.

In a different kind of role, Binoche starred in the Disney romantic comedy Dan in Real Life (2007) with Steve Carell. The film was a commercial success in the US and worldwide. It tells the story of a widowed man who falls for his brother's new girlfriend.

Back in France, Binoche had success with Paris, directed by Cédric Klapisch. This film was a tribute to the French capital. It was one of the most successful French films internationally. Binoche and Klapisch had first met on a film set in 1986.

Also in France, Summer Hours (2008) was a critically acclaimed film. It tells the story of three siblings dealing with their mother's art collection after she dies. The film appeared on many "Top 10 lists" in the US.

In 2008, Binoche starred in a dance show called in-i. She created it with choreographer Akram Khan. The show toured the world. A book of her paintings, Portraits in Eyes, was also published. It included portraits of her characters and directors she had worked with.

In 2009, Binoche began working on Certified Copy with director Abbas Kiarostami. The film was shown at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. Binoche won the Best Actress Award at the festival for her performance. This made her the first actress to win the "best actress triple crown" at major European film festivals.

The film's release in the UK was overshadowed by negative comments from French actor Gérard Depardieu. He said Binoche had "nothing – absolutely nothing." Binoche responded by saying she didn't understand his "violence." Certified Copy was also banned in Iran due to Binoche's clothing in the film.

David Cronenberg, Robert Pattinson and Juliette Binoche at the premiere of Cosmopolis at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival

After Certified Copy, Binoche had a small role in The Son of No One (2011). This film did not receive good reviews. In 2010, she started work on Elles for Polish director Małgorzata Szumowska. She also starred in Another Woman's Life (2012). In this film, her character wakes up to find 15 years have passed.

In 2011, Binoche was cast in David Cronenberg's film Cosmopolis (2012) with Robert Pattinson. She played a New York art dealer. The film received mixed reviews. In August 2012, her film An Open Heart was released in France. It tells the story of two surgeons in an intense relationship.

Recent Work (2013–Present)

Binoche promoting Clouds of Sils Maria at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival

In 2013, Juliette Binoche starred in Camille Claudel 1915. She played the French artist Camille Claudel, who spent 30 years in a mental asylum. Binoche received great praise for her performance.

After this, she filmed A Thousand Times Good Night, where she played a war photographer. She also starred in the romantic drama Words and Pictures with Clive Owen. In May 2014, she appeared in Gareth Edwards's Godzilla.

In August 2013, Binoche reunited with Olivier Assayas for Clouds of Sils Maria. The film was written especially for her. It also starred Kristen Stewart. The movie premiered at Cannes in 2014.

In 2015, Binoche performed on stage in a new English version of Antigone. The play toured internationally, including London and New York. Binoche also narrated a documentary called Talking about Rose. It was about a soldier from Chad named Rose Lokissim.

In 2016, Binoche worked with Bruno Dumont again for the comedy film Slack Bay. This film was a popular success in France. She also made a special appearance in Polina, danser sa vie (2016). She played a choreographer who inspires a ballerina to explore modern dance. In 2017, she performed the autobiographical writings of singer Barbara.

Telle mère, telle fille (Like Mother, Like Daughter) (2017) is a comedy. Binoche plays a 47-year-old woman who gets pregnant at the same time as her daughter. She also appeared as herself in an episode of the TV show Dix Pour Cent (Call My Agent).

Binoche had a supporting role in the movie Ghost in the Shell (2017). She played Dr. Ouelet, a scientist. In May 2017, Un Beau Soleil Intérieur (Let the Sunshine In) premiered. Binoche played a middle-aged Parisian artist looking for true love. The film was successful worldwide.

Binoche attending the Málaga French Film Festival in October 2024

After that, Binoche appeared in Vision (2018). She also reunited with Claire Denis for High Life (2018) and Olivier Assayas for Doubles Vies (2019).

In 2024, Juliette Binoche was chosen to be the President of the European Film Academy. She replaced Polish director Agnieszka Holland.

Personal Life

Juliette Binoche has two children. Her son, Raphaël, was born in 1993. His father is André Halle, a scuba diver. Her daughter, Hana, was born in 1999. Hana's father is actor Benoît Magimel. Binoche and Magimel starred together in the 1999 film Children of the Century and the 2023 film The Taste of Things.

Her sister, Marion Stalens, is a professional photographer and documentary director. Marion has made documentaries about Juliette's work and life. Marion is married to theater director Pierre Pradinas. Juliette's half-brother, Camille Humeau, born in 1978, is a musician.

Helping Others

Since 1992, Binoche has supported the French charity Enfants d'Asie. This charity helps children in Cambodia. She is a godmother to five Cambodian orphans through this charity. She also helped fund a children's home in Battambang.

Since 2000, she has been involved with Reporters Without Borders. This group helps journalists around the world. In 2002, she helped organize an event where French stars took photos with disposable cameras. These photos were then sold to raise money.

Views and Activism

Binoche in one of the Very Large Telescope enclosures

Juliette Binoche has often spoken out about social and political issues. In 2006, she joined a protest to support journalists who had been kidnapped in Baghdad.

She supported José Bové in the 2007 French presidential election. She has said she did not agree with the government at that time.

In 2010, Binoche and other French celebrities joined a group called Réseau Éducation Sans Frontières (RESF). They supported undocumented workers in France.

Binoche also signed a petition in 2010. It protested the arrest of people, including journalists, in Iran. These people were protesting the re-election of Iran's president.

At the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, Binoche spoke out against the arrest of Iranian director Jafar Panahi. She used her Best Actress award speech to highlight his situation. Many believe her actions helped lead to his release on bail. She continued to support him after he was sentenced to jail and banned from filmmaking.

In 2018, she wrote an article in the newspaper Le Monde. She said she had helped migrants in need and would continue to do so. She also signed a letter calling for action against climate change and biodiversity loss.

In 2019, at the Berlin International Film Festival, Binoche spoke about Harvey Weinstein. She said he was a great producer and that justice should take its course.

Selected Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Documentaries

Awards and Honors

Juliette Binoche has won many important awards for her acting. Some of her major wins include:

• Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for The English Patient (1996)
• BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress for The English Patient (1996)
• César Award for Best Actress for Three Colours: Blue (1993)
• Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival for Three Colours: Blue (1993)
• Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress for Certified Copy (2010)
• European Film Award for Best Actress for Certified Copy (2010)

Images for kids

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  Juliette Binoche's signature

See also

In Spanish: Juliette Binoche para niños