Cécile de France (French: [sesil fʁɑ̃s]; born 17 July 1975) is a Belgian actress. After achieving success in French cinema hits such as L'Art (délicat) de la séduction (2001) and Irène (2002), she gained international attention for her lead roles in High Tension (2003) and Hereafter (2010).

Cécile de France
Cécile de France at the 2018 Berlinale
Born (1975-07-17) 17 July 1975 (age 48)
Namur, Belgium
OccupationActress
Years active1997–present
Spouse
Guillaume Siron
(m. 2006)
Children2

Life and career edit

Born in Namur, she left Belgium at the age of 17 to go to Paris where she studied theatre for two years with actor Jean Paul Denizon, assistant to British director Peter Brook. She then spent three years (1995–98) at the acting academy ENSATT (École Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Techniques du Théâtre) in the Département Comédie first at the Rue Blanche in Paris, then in Lyon. She was discovered by the agent Dominique Besnehard and appeared in French hit films such as L'Art (délicat) de la séduction (2001) and Irène (2002).

Her international breakthrough came with the horror film High Tension (2003, UK title: Switchblade Romance, US title: High Tension). She caught the eye of Hollywood producers and soon landed her first major role in a US feature, Around the World in 80 Days (2004), in which she starred alongside Jackie Chan and Steve Coogan.

She won two César Awards for Most Promising Actress in L'Auberge espagnole (2002), and Best Supporting Actress in Les Poupées russes (2005).

In 2014, she hosted the 39th César Awards ceremony.

She was selected to be on the jury for the Cinéfondation and short films sections of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.[1] She was also selected to be on the jury for the main competition section of the 68th Berlin International Film Festival.[2]

She has two children, Lino and Joy, with musician Guillaume Siron.[3]

In 2019, she was cast in Wes Anderson's film The French Dispatch.

Filmography edit

 
Cécile de France at the 2016 César Awards

Film edit

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Regarde-moi (en face) Dune
2001 Toutes les nuits The Prostitute
L'Art (délicat) de la séduction Laure
2002 L'Auberge Espagnole Isabelle
Irene Irène
A+ Pollux Pollux Lesiak
2003 I, Cesar Samantha
Kaena: The Prophecy Kaena Voice
High Tension Marie
2004 Around the World in 80 Days Monique La Roche
La Confiance règne Chrystèle Burrel
2005 Russian Dolls Isabelle
2006 Avenue Montaigne Jessica
When I Was a Singer Marion
The Colonel Lieutenant Galois
Bad Faith Clara Breitmann
2007 Snow White: The Sequel Snow White / Sleeping Beauty / Cinderella Voice
Gone for a Dance Blanche
Hand of the Headless Man Eva Sanders
A Secret Tania Stirn / Grimbert
2008 Mesrine Jeanne Schneider
2009 Sister Smile Jeanine Deckers
2010 Gardiens de l'ordre Julie
Hereafter Marie LeLay
2011 The Kid with a Bike Samantha
A Butterfly Kiss Alice
Cars 2 Sally Carrera Voice (French dubbed)
2012 Superstar Fleur Arnaud
2013 Chinese Puzzle Isabelle
2014 Möbius Alice
2015 En équilibre Florence Kernel
Summertime Carole
2016 The Jungle Book Raksha French voice
Le Voyage de Fanny Madame Forman
Term Life Lucy
2017 Django Louise De Klerk
Ôtez-moi d'un doute Anna
2018 Dolphin Reef The Narrator French voice
Mademoiselle de Joncquières Madame De La Pommeraye
2019 Rebelles Sandra
Un monde plus grand [fr] Corine
2021 The French Dispatch Mrs. B
Lost Illusions Louise de Bargeton
Peaceful Eugénie
2023 Bonnard, Pierre and Marthe Marthe Bonnard

Short film edit

Year Film
1997 Tous nos voeux de bonheur
2000 The Last Dream
Bon appétit !
2001 Le Mariage en papier
2002 Loup !
3 jours, 3 euros
Il était une femme
2003 Nervous Breakdown
2004 La Nuit du 6 au 7
Les Calamars n'écoutent plus la radi
2008 D'une vie à l'autre

Television edit

Year Title Role Notes
1991 Cas de divorce Gabrielle Clément
1999 The Judge Is a Woman Anna
2001 Nana Christine Television film
2003 Petits mythes urbains The Woman
2007 La parure Mathilde Loisel
2011 Hard Herself
2014 Hidden Kingdoms Narrator (French dubbed) Documentary TV series
2015 Call My Agent! Herself TV series (1 Episode)
2016 The Young Pope Sofia Season 1
2019 The New Pope Sofia Season 2
2023 The Swarm Dr. Cécile Roche
Greek Salad Isabelle 2 episodes

Theatre edit

  • 1996 : Dormez je le veux by Georges Feydeau, directed by Benoît Blampain
  • 1996 : Une palette rouge sang by Valeria Moretti, directed by Jean Paul Denizon
  • 1996 : Le songe d'une nuit d'été by William Shakespeare, directed by Pierre Pradinas
  • 1997 : Variations Strindberg-Feydeau, directed by Nada Strancar
  • 1998 : Pour nous, directed by Serguei Issayev
  • 1998 : Tu serais un ange tombé du ciel exprès pour nous by N. Sadour and A. Vampilov
  • 1999, 2000 : Electre, by Sophocle, directed by Claudia Stavisky
  • 1999 : Le baladin du monde occidental de John Millington Synge, directed by Philippe Delaigue
  • 2001 : Mademoiselle Julie by August Strindberg, directed by Gwenaël Morin
  • 2001 : SC35C, by Jean-Michel Frère

Awards and nominations edit

Year Award Category Work Result
2000 Festival du Court Métrage de Bruxelles Acting Award Won
2002 César Award Most Promising Actress L'Auberge Espagnole Won
Lumières Award Most Promising Actress Won
2003 Sitges Film Festival Best Actress High Tension Won
Shooting Stars Award Won
2005 César Award Best Supporting Actress Russian Dolls Won
Prix Romy Schneider Won
2007 Swann d'Or Best Actress Avenue Montaigne Won
César Award Best Actress Nominated
Globes de Cristal Award Best Actress Nominated
César Award Best Actress When I Was a Singer Nominated
Bayard d'Or Award Best Actress Hand of the Headless Man Won
2008 César Award Best Actress A Secret Nominated
Globes de Cristal Award Best Actress Won
2009 Magritte Award Best Actress Sister Smile Nominated
2010 Saturn Award Best Actress Hereafter Nominated
2011 European Film Award Best Actress The Kid with a Bike Nominated
Magritte Award Best Actress Nominated
2016 César Award Best Actress Summertime Nominated
2018 Magritte Award Best Actress Just to Be Sure Nominated
2019 Magritte Award Best Actress Mademoiselle de Joncquières Nominated
2020 Magritte Award Best Actress A Bigger World Nominated

References edit

  1. ^ "The Cinéfondation and Short Films Jury". Cannes Film Festival. 7 May 2015. Archived from the original on 19 May 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  2. ^ "The International Jury 2018". 6 February 2018. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Cécile de France en toute sincérité : L'orgasme à jouer, c'est terrible !". PurePeople. 4 February 2013.

External links edit