The most beautiful French actresses of the 20th and 21st centuries. The most famous French actresses

At the end of 1895 in France, in the Paris cafe on the Boulevard of the Capuchins, the world cinema was born. The ancestors were the Lumiere brothers, the younger - the inventor, the elder - a great organizer. At first French cinema surprised spectators with stunt films, practically devoid of script. And only after the Second World War, cinema began to form as an art. There were directors, screenwriters, French actors and French actresses. Jeanne Moreau, Catherine Deneuve, Brigitte Bardot, Annie Girardeau - with these actresses began a real French cinema.

Start

The names of French actresses were mentioned in newspapers and magazines, they were all heard. People were looking forward to the release of a new film with a favorite in the title role. Journalists created special headings in their editions, in which already well-known French actresses gave lengthy interviews, thereby gaining popularity. Throughout France new huge cinema halls were being built, film studios appeared one after another, competition was already taking place between them. The most beautiful French actresses were invited to the main roles, and the performers of the roles of the second plan also tried to show their talent and appeal to the public.

Development

Cinema of France literally before our eyes became a powerful industry, with huge financial resources. All without exception, French actresses of the 20th century experienced the effect of material incentives, when the directors tried to win over to their side the most successful movie stars. The stakes grew, fees were reviewed on the go, and film studios even sometimes crashed if the new film did not give enough box office, and this happened quite often. Currently, French actresses of the 21st century, such as Vanessa Parady, Audrey Tautou, Marion Cotillard, Letizia Casta, try to play roles in intellectual films. Far in the past, the desire of the actress to immediately achieve commercial success, today the creative component of the stars of modern cinema is becoming more often. French actresses are rarely removed in other countries, as they are not always satisfied with the level of direction in foreign studios.

Brigitte Bardot

Brigitte Bardot (full name Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot) for a long time was considered a European sex symbol, the analogue of American film actress Marilyn Monroe. In 1952, Bridget starred in her first role, which went unnoticed both for criticism and for the public. The success of the young actress waited after the release in 1956 of the film "And God Created a Woman." The director of the painting was the husband of Bridget, director Roger Vadim, for whom she married when she was 18 years old. The film made a real sensation with its provocative frankness, but was banned from showing by the Catholic Church because of erotic scenes. From the subsequent works of the actress, the most famous role of Babette in the picture "Babette goes to war," the hairstyle of the heroine has become the limit of dreams for hundreds of thousands of girls all over the world. On the account of Bridget about 50 films, she starred in Hollywood, in the film "Sweet Brigitte", paired with Jimmy Stewart. In 1973, at the age of 40, the actress announced her retirement and engaged in the noble cause of animal rescue.

Annie Girardot

Annie Girardot, the most popular movie actress of the 50-60s of the 20th century. In her youth she dreamed of becoming a nurse, but the desire to sing and play on stage was stronger. Annie entered the conservatory. After graduation, in 1954, the girl was invited to the "Comedie Francaise", and after a while the famous director Jean Cocteau suggested Annie a role in the play "Typewriter". The debut of Girardot surpassed all expectations, and she was declared the best dramatic actress of all post-war time. Then began a career in film, but this did not please the directorate of Comedy Francaise, in which the actress was still working. Girardot offered a lucrative contract, but she still left the theater. The peak of the glory of the young actress came in the late 50's, and in 1960, Annie played the role of Nadia in the film "Rocco and his brothers," where Renato Salvatore was also employed, who later became her husband. Exactly 10 years later, in 1970, Annie Girardot received the title of the most popular actress of French cinema after appearing on the screen of the stunning drama "Die to Love".

Catherine Deneuve

Catherine Deneuve is a cult film actress of the sixties of the last century. Love and recognition of the public to her brought the role of Genevieve in the film "Cherbourg umbrellas", created by director Jacques Demi in 1964. The musical melodrama did not leave the screen for a long time, and Catherine Deneuve suddenly became a movie star. The film won the Golden Palm Award at the Cannes Film Festival. Then Catherine played the main role in the film by Roman Polansky "Disgust". In 1967, Deneuve survived a terrible tragedy - in a car accident her elder sister Françoise Dorleac died, also a movie actress. Sisters together starred in the musical "Girls from Rochefort." The popularity of Catherine Deneuve grew, she was literally showered with invitations from American producers. However, the Frenchwoman was not in a hurry to accept tempting offers from Hollywood. But many other famous French actresses did not refuse touring overseas. The personal life of the actress was closely related to only two men. This is the director Roger Vadim and the actor of Italian cinema Marcello Mastroianni, from whom Deneuve has two children, Christian's son and daughter Kiara Mastroianni.

Michel Mercier

Film actress Michel Mercier (full name Joslin Ivonna Rene Mercier) is the idol of millions. Her fame was brought by the role of Angelica in the multi-part film, based on the novel of the four Golons. As a child, Michelle was fond of dancing, and so seriously that at the age of eighteen she was admitted to the ballet troupe of the Opera Theater in Nice. However, the success of the young ballerina was not accompanied, and the girl began to learn acting skills. Beautiful appearance and natural charm did their job, and Michel soon made her debut in the film "Turn of the Hand" - an action-sensitive detective. Then came the roles in several films that were not successful. And in 1964 came the starry hour of a young beautiful actress, she was invited to the role of Angelica. During the period from 1964 to 1968, five films on Angelica appeared on the screen. These are "Angelica, Marquis of Angels", "Magnificent Angelica", "Angelica and the King", "Indomitable Angelica" and "Angelica and the Sultan". In the Soviet box office, some of these films underwent ruthless censorship with the removal of whole episodes, since it was impossible in the State Committee for Goskino to show frankly erotic scenes.

Fanny Ardan

One of the most popular actresses of French cinema, Fanny Ardan (Fanny Marguerite Judit Ardan), was born in the city of Saumur on the coast of the Loire. The childhood of the future movie star has passed in usual games and employment at school. Then the young Fanny entered the University of Provence and after a successful graduation she received a diploma in political science. But the girl's soul was already drawn to theatrical art. At the university, Fanny studied at the courses of actors, and this played a decisive role in her future destiny. In 1974, a debut took place on the theatrical stage, and in 1979 the young actress played her first role in the cinema. Just two years later, Fanny Ardan played the main role in the psychological drama, the movie "The Neighbor". The deeply tragic plot of the film allowed the actress to fully reveal her dramatic talent. Not all French actresses have such abilities. On the set of the film, Ardan became close with the director Francois Truffaut, the result of this love affair was the birth of Josephine's daughter. The creative statistics of film actress Fanny Ardan includes more than 60 films with her participation. A good knowledge of English opened the French movie star to Hollywood, where she starred in several films.

Audrey Tothou

French film actress Audrey Tautou grew up in a family of doctors. Her main childhood passion was biology, the girl spent hours fiddling with butterflies and bugs. When Audrey grew up, her parents sent her to the theater studio, and after graduating from the Lyceum, they organized a course at the Paris Theater School. The future movie star successfully mastered the piano, and soon decided to devote herself entirely to filmmaking. Audrey made her debut in the television movie "The Heart of the Target". Then she starred in serials, where she had to be content with secondary roles. The world famous actress received after the release of the film "Amelie" in which she played the main role.

Sophie Marceau

Sophie Marceau, a French film actress and singer, is at the top of all possible ratings that characterize young talents. In the movie, Sophie made her debut at age 14, when she was chosen from among many thousands of contenders for a role in the movie "Boom." The picture was a resounding success, and the girl instantly became famous. From now on the whole life of the young actress was devoted to cinema. Simultaneously with work on the set, Sophie Marceau tried herself in vocal art. She even released a solo album with her songs, which, however, failed miserably. And today Sophie, like other French actresses, is entirely devoted only to cinematography.