Date of Birth
17 November 1966, Paris, France
Birth Name
Sophie Dani?le Sylvie Maupu
Height
5' 8" (1.73 m)
Sophie Marceau (French pronunciation: [sɔfi maʁso]; born 17 November 1966) is a French actress, who has appeared in 35 films. During her teens, Marceau achieved popularity by her debut films La Boum (1980) and La Boum 2 (1982), for which she received a C?sar Award for Most Promising Actress. In addition to her French language films, she has worked in international films such as Braveheart (1995) and as a Bond Girl in The World Is Not Enough (1999).
Marceau was born Sophie Dani?le Sylvie Maupu in Paris, France, the second child of Simone (n?e Morisset), a shop assistant, and Beno?t Maupu, a truck driver. The family lived a working-class existence that left Marceau with generally fond memories of childhood. During the week, she helped at the family restaurant. She spent weekends with her family in La Cabane, a small house in Vert-le-Petit in the department Essonne. Her parents divorced when she was nine.
In February 1980, Marceau and her mother came across a model agency looking for teenagers. Marceau had photos taken at the agency but did not think anything would come of it. At the same time, Fran?oise Menidrey, the casting director forClaude Pinoteau's La Boum (1980), asked modeling agencies to recommend a new teenager for the project. After viewing the rushes, Alain Poir?, the director of theGaumont Film Company, signed Marceau to a long-term contract. La Boum was a hit not only in France, where 4.5 million tickets were sold, but several other European countries and Japan.
In 1981, Marceau made her singing debut with French singer Fran?ois Val?ry on "Dream in Blue," written by Delano?.
In 1982, at the age of 16, Marceau bought back her contract with Gaumont for one million French francs4. She borrowed most of the money. After starring in the sequel film La Boum 2 in 1982, Marceau focused on more dramatic roles, including Fort Saganne (co-starring G?rard Depardieu and Catherine Deneuve) and Joyeuse P?ques(Happy Easter) in 1984, L'Amour Braque and Police in 1985, and Descente aux Enfers(Descent Into Hell) in 1986. In 1988, she starred in L'Etudiante (The Student) andChouans!. That year, Marceau was named Best Romantic Actress at the International Festival of Romantic Movies for her role in Chouans.5
In 1989, she starred in Mes nuits sont plus belles que vos jours (My Nights are more Beautiful than your Days), which was directed by her long-time boyfriend Andrzej Zulawski. In 1990, she starred in Pacific Palisades and La Note Bleue, her third film directed by her companion. In 1991, she ventured into the theater in Eurydice, which earned Marceau the Moliere Award for Best Female Newcomer.
Marceau began making less-dramatic films, such as the comedy Fanfan in 1993 andLa Fille de D'Artagnan in 1994 both popular in Europe and abroad. That year, she returned to the theatre as Eliza Dolittle in Pygmalion.
Marceau achieved international recognition in 1995 as Princess Isabelle in Mel Gibson's Braveheart. That year, she was part of an ensemble of international actors in the French film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni and Wim Wenders, Beyond the Clouds.
In 1997, she continued with William Nicholson's Firelight, filmed in England, V?ra Belmont's Marquise, filmed in France, and Bernard Rose's Anna Karenina.
She played Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999). She became a villainessBond girl by playing Elektra King in The World Is Not Enough (1999).
Marceau teamed up again with her then-boyfriend Andrzej Zulawski to film La Fid?lit?in 2000.
Marceau had a 17 year relationship with director Andrzej Żuławski, who is 26 years her senior. Their son Vincent was born in June 1995. In 2001, Marceau separated from Zulawski and became involved with producer Jim Lemley and later gave birth to her second child, Juliette, born in London in 2002. Since 2007 she has been dating actor Christopher Lambert.
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