These Actresses are a MUST SEE! … Even if you have never heard of them.
I feel very compelled to write about foreign actresses. Many I admire, some are colleagues, most are around my age. There is so much young female talent circling around France, my adopted home country. Someone had to write about it! So here is a list, and those to look out for in upcoming films, all coming from France-and hopefully to take the US by storm very soon.
5. Isild Le Besco (France). This young woman has it all. Beauty, grace, and a raw energy and eerie presence on the big screen. I first saw her with Emmanuelle Seigner in the French drama Back Stage and she is heartbreaking. Her big eyes, her ability to cry from the inner parts of her soul, make her effective, and she carried a talent on her shoulders that is certainly exciting.
4. Emmanuelle Devos (France). A winner at Cannes, and an Arnaud Desplechin leading lady, this classy French woman has it all. She is quirky, funny, and truly a character actress. A chamelion, and a charisma on the big screen. From starring opposite Vincent Cassel in Sur mes Levres, to last year’s Un conte de Noel, she is one of her own.
3. Ludivine Sagnier (France). You may know her as the young seductive woman from the English film Swimming Pool but this young girl has grown up. She is sexy, seductive, and lethal …and better yet–she sings. Check out her incredible voice in 8 Women, and in my personal favorite Les Chansons D’Amour (Love Songs, 2007). Having grown up into an adult before our eyes, she is always jumping to new and different, eccentric projects.
2. Clemence Poesey (France). Fun, exotic, fashionable, and flirty. She is an icon both on screen and off, and a new favorite among Belgian and French markets. You may have seen her in the American film In Bruges, but she has more up her sleeve, as well as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. She is rumored to return for Part 2. Let’s hope this is nothing short of true.
1. Melanie Laurent (France). What can NOT be said about this 26 year old newcomer? She is fierce, and announced to the American cinema go-ers that she is a force to be reckoned with by appearing as the French Jew hero “Shoshanna” in Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds. Not only did Melanie steal the film from both Pitt, and Tarantino-she stepped up and showed the world a strong young survivor, while having a blast on screen. This talented French actress is also a director, and debuted her short film De Moins en Moins earlier this year at Cannes. She is beautiful, smart, and will definitely be here to stay-on her terms only.
Melanie Laurent as Shoshanna Dreyfuss
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yyaaaayyyy clemence poesey – go harry potter! hahaha ;-)
and of course, gotta love melanie.