Biography
Possessing a unique blend of innocence and sexuality, the alarmingly pretty, almond-eyed Virginie Ledoyen has delivered performances every bit as striking as her good looks and has arguably become the preeminent French actress of her generation. Along the way she has drawn comparisons to the likes of Jeanne Moreau, Brigitte Bardot, Isabelle Adjani and Sophie Marceau and seems poised to make her mark in English-language films as well. A model …
Career Milestones
| Appeared in several television commercials as a child | ||
| Raised in Paris | ||
1979 | Began modeling as a toddler at age two (date approximate) | |
1987 | At age nine, made stage acting debut in "L'affaire du courrier de Lyon" (date approximate) | |
1987 | Film debut, "The Exploits of a Young Don Juan" | |
1991 | Had supporting role in "Le Voleur d'enfants/The Children Thief" | |
1991 | Played the title role of "Mima", a sweet 12-year-old who sees the men who take her grandfather away to kill him | |
1992 | Directed by Marcel Carne in uncompleted "Mouche", put on hold in fall of the year due to bad weather and production insurance problems owing to the director's age and failing health | |
1993 | Acted with Jacqueline Bisset and Jean-Hugues Anglade in "Les Marmottes/The Groundhogs" | |
1993 | Appeared in the French telefilm "La Regle de l'homme" | |
1994 | Breakthrough role in "L'Eau froid/Cold Water", directed by Olivier Assayas | |
1994 | Initial collaboration with Benoit Jacquot, the French TV miniseries "La Vie de Marianne", adapted from the unfinished novel by 18th Century French writer Marivaux | |
1995 | Co-starred in Claude Chabrol's "La Ceremonie", alongside Isabelle Huppert and Sandrine Bonnaire | |
1995 | Had title role in Jacquot's "La Fille seule/A Single Girl"; received 1996 Cesar Award nomination as most promising young actress | |
1996 | Acted in Edward Yang's "Mahjong" | |
1997 | Appeared again in title role of Jacquot's "Marianne", a 90-minute distillation from the helmer's 1994 miniseries | |
1998 | Made American film debut as a young mother who gives her son up for adoption in the Merchant Ivory production "A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries"; first English-language role | |
1998 | Reteamed with Assayas for fine ensemble pic, "Late August, Early September" | |
1998 | Starred opposite Guillaume Canet (as her bartender boyfriend) in "En Plain coeur/In All Innocence", a remake of the 1958 Brigitte Bardot film "En cas de malheur"; played the Bardot role of a young thief who has an affair with her lawyer | |
1998 | Starred opposite Mathieu Demy in "Jeanne and the Perfect Guy", a musical recalling those directed by Demy's father Jacques (particularly "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" 1964 and "The Young Girls of Rochefort" 1967); earned Paris Film Festival Best Actress Award | |
1999 | Attended Cannes as a representative of L'Oreal, one of the official partners of the festival; also a member of the jury to select the best short film | |
1999 | Signed by L'Oreal as a commercial spokesperson | |
2000 | Acted in French miniseries version of "Les Miserables", starring Gerard Depardieu and John Malkovich; aired in USA on Fox Family Channel in January 2001 | |
2000 | Reteamed with Canet to play a couple who encounter a traveler (Leonardo DiCaprio) in the triangular love story "The Beach", adapted from the cult novel by Alex Garland | |
2002 | Appeared in Francois Ozon's "8 Femmes" | |
2003 | Appeared in "Bon voyage" with Gérard Depardieu | |
2007 | Appeared in the child trafficking drama, "Holly" | |
2007 | Co-starred with Daniel Auteuil in Francis Veber's "The Valet" | |