Maïwenn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maïwenn
Maïwenn in 2011
Born	Maïwenn Le Besco (1976-04-17) 17 April 1976 (age 49) Les Lilas, France
Other names	Ouin-Ouin
Citizenship	France Algeria
Occupation	Actress writer director
Years active	1981–present
Spouse(s)	Luc Besson ​ ​ (m. 1992; div. 1997)​ Jean-Yves Le Fur ​ ​ (m. 2002; div. 2004)​
Children	2; including Shanna Besson and Diego Le Fur
Parent(s)	Catherine Belkhodja (mother)
Relatives	Isild Le Besco (sister) Jowan Le Besco (brother)

Maïwenn Aurélia Nedjma Le Besco, known simply as Maïwenn, is a talented French actress and filmmaker. She was born on April 17, 1976. She has starred in many movies and also writes and directs her own films.

Maïwenn's Early Life

Maïwenn Le Besco was born in Les Lilas, France. Her mother, Catherine Belkhodja, is an artist, and her father, Patrick Le Besco, is a linguist. Maïwenn has shared that her experiences growing up, particularly with her parents, influenced some of her films, like Pardonnez-moi (2006) and Polisse (2011).

She has a diverse background, with family roots in Brittany, Vietnam, France, and Algeria. Her Algerian heritage comes from her mother's side. Maïwenn also holds Algerian citizenship. She explained that she got Algerian nationality to honor her grandparents. Her mother encouraged her to start acting at a very young age. Maïwenn later talked about this experience in her one-woman shows.

Her Career in Film

Maïwenn started acting when she was a child. She appeared in several films as a young actress. One notable role was in the 1983 film One Deadly Summer.

Acting Roles

After getting married and having her daughter in 1993, Maïwenn took a break from acting. During this time, she had a small role in Luc Besson's film Léon (1994). She was credited as 'Ouin-Ouin' in that movie. She also helped make the "making-of" video for the film.

One of Maïwenn's most famous international roles was as the alien Diva Plavalaguna in Besson's movie The Fifth Element (1997). After her marriage ended, Maïwenn moved back to France. She began performing as a stand-up comedian. Her comedy shows helped her get back into the movie business.

She appeared in several important movies, including the horror film High Tension (2003). In this film, she starred alongside Cécile de France. By 2003, she decided she wanted to try directing films herself. She was inspired by director Claude Lelouch's way of making movies. She learned from him that directors can be flexible and use real-life moments in their films.

Directing and Writing

In 2006, Maïwenn wrote and directed her first full-length movie, Pardonnez-moi. It was a drama about a family. She also acted in the film. This movie earned her nominations for awards, including the César Award for Best First Feature Film.

Her second film was All About Actresses (2009). In this movie, she played herself making a documentary. Maïwenn became known around the world when her third film, Polisse (2011), won the Jury Prize at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. All three of these early films show Maïwenn with a camera. This shows her childhood interest in filming and telling stories within stories.

Maïwenn's 2015 film Mon roi was chosen to compete for the top award, the Palme d'Or, at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. In 2020, she co-wrote, directed, and starred in DNA. This film was an Official Selection for the 2020 Cannes Film Festival, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her 2023 film, Jeanne du Barry, was her first historical film. She co-wrote, directed, and starred in it. The movie is about the life of Madame du Barry and features Johnny Depp as Louis XV. It opened the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and was very successful in France.

Personal Life

Maïwenn met film director Luc Besson when she was young. They later had a daughter named Shanna in 1993. The 1994 film Léon: The Professional was partly based on her relationship with Besson. Maïwenn and Besson later separated.

Maïwenn was married to Jean-Yves Le Fur from 2002 to 2004. He was a magazine publisher and businessman. They had a son named Diego in July 2003. Diego later acted in Maïwenn's film Jeanne du Barry, playing a young Louis XVI. Jean-Yves Le Fur passed away in April 2024. Maïwenn shared that he was a very important person in her life and the father of her son.

Filmography

Maïwenn in 2009 at the Deauville American Film Festival.

As an Actress

On Television

As a Director, Writer, and Producer

Theatrical Work

• 2003 : Café de la Gare : Le pois chiche (The Chickpea)

Other Mentions

A character named Philomela in the musical play Cannes Confidentiel (2024) was inspired by Maïwenn. The play starts with a quote from Maïwenn.

See also

In Spanish: Maïwenn para niños