Audrey Tautou

Audrey Justine Tautou (French: [odʁɛ ʒystin totu] ⓘ; born 9 August 1976)[1] is a French actress.[2] She made her acting debut at age 18 on television, and her feature film debut in Venus Beauty Institute (1999), for which she received critical acclaim and won the César Award for Most Promising Actress.

Audrey Tautou
Tautou in 2015
Born
Audrey Justine Tautou

(1976-08-09) 9 August 1976
Beaumont, Puy-de-Dôme, France
Alma materCatholic University of Paris
Occupation(s)Actress, model
Years active1996–present

Tautou achieved international recognition for her lead role in the 2001 film Amélie, which was critically acclaimed and a major box-office success. She has since appeared in films in a range of genres, including the thrillers Dirty Pretty Things (2002) and The Da Vinci Code (2006), and the romantic comedy Priceless (2006). She was acclaimed for her role in the World War I drama A Very Long Engagement (2004), and for her portrayal of French fashion designer Coco Chanel in the biographical drama Coco avant Chanel (2009). She has been nominated three times for the César Award and twice for the BAFTA for Best Actress in a leading role. In June 2004, she became one of the few French actors invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).[3]

Tautou has modeled for Chanel, Montblanc, L'Oréal and many other companies.

Early life

Tautou was born in Beaumont and raised in Montluçon. Her father, Bernard Tautou, is a dental surgeon, and her mother Eveline Marie Laure (née Nuret) is a teacher.[1] She was named after actress Audrey Hepburn.[4] She showed an interest in acting at an early age and started her acting lessons at the Cours Florent,[5] where she learned English and Italian.

Acting career

1990s
Tautou at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival

In 1998, Tautou participated in "Jeunes Premiers" (The Young Debuts), a Star Search-like competition sponsored by Canal+, and won Best Young Actress at the 9th Béziers Festival of Young Actors. Tonie Marshall gave Tautou a role in her 1999 César-winning film Venus Beauty Institute (also known as Vénus beauté (institut)). In 2000, Tautou received the Prix Suzanne Bianchetti as her country's most promising young film actress.

2000s

In 2001, Tautou rose to international fame for her performance as the eccentric lead in the romantic comedy Amélie (original French title: Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain; English: The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain), a film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Written by Jeunet with Guillaume Laurant, it is a whimsical depiction of contemporary Parisian life, set in Montmartre, and tells the story of a shy waitress who decides to improve the lives of those around her while struggling with her own isolation. It was an international co-production between companies in France and Germany.

Amélie won Best Film at the European Film Awards; it won four César Awards (including Best Film and Best Director), two BAFTA Awards (including Best Original Screenplay), and was nominated for five Academy Awards. Grossing over $33 million in limited theatrical release, it is still the highest-grossing French-language film released in the United States.[6]

In 2002, Tautou appeared in the British thriller film Dirty Pretty Things directed by Stephen Frears and written by Steven Knight, a drama about two illegal immigrants in London. Produced by BBC Films and Celador Films, it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and won the 2003 British Independent Film Award for Best Independent British Film.

Tautou at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.

In 2004, Tautou starred in A Very Long Engagement, a romantic war film co-written and directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. It is a fictional tale about a young woman's desperate search for her fiancé who might have been killed in the Battle of the Somme during World War I. It was based on the 1991 novel of the same name by Sebastien Japrisot. In June, Tautou was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).[3]

In 2005, Tautou starred in her first full Hollywood production, opposite Tom Hanks, in the film version of Dan Brown's best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code, directed by Ron Howard and released in May 2006.

She starred alongside Gad Elmaleh in Pierre Salvadori's Hors de prix (Priceless), released 13 December 2006. It has been compared to Breakfast at Tiffany's.[7]

Tautou starred with Guillaume Canet in Claude Berri's Ensemble, c'est tout in 2007, an adaptation of the eponymous novel by Anna Gavalda.

2010s–present

Tautou played the lead role in the biopic of fashion designer Coco Chanel, titled Coco avant Chanel, and directed by Anne Fontaine.[8][9][10][11] Filming began in Paris in September 2008, and released in France on 22 April 2009. The script is partially based on Edmonde Charles-Roux's book "L'Irrégulière" ("The Non-Conformist"). Instead of releasing Coco Before Chanel in the United States itself, Warner Bros. let Sony Pictures Classics handle the release there.[12] The film grossed $6 million in the United States.[13][14]

Coco Before Chanel was nominated for four BAFTA Awards, three European Film Awards, six César Awards and the Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

In 2011, she appeared in Delicacy, a French romantic comedy-drama directed by David and Stéphane Foenkinos and based on the novel of the same name by David Foenkinos. David was nominated for the 2012 Best Writing (Adaptation) César Award and the film was nominated as Best Film.[15]

She appeared in the music video of "I Love Your Smile", a song by British singer-songwriter Charlie Winston.[16]

She was the host of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.[17]

She was a member of the jury of the 2015 Berlin Film Festival.[18] She appeared in the 2016 film The Odyssey as Simone Melchior Cousteau.

Public image and modelling career

Tautou began modelling at a very young age, taking modelling courses and other activities, and has modelled for magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire in many countries, and many others.[2]

Tautou was named in 2009 as the next spokesmodel for Chanel No. 5, replacing Nicole Kidman. She was directed in the advertisement by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, with whom she worked on Amélie and A Very Long Engagement. The advertisement was released in 2009 to coincide with release of Coco before Chanel.[19] She has also become the face of L'Oreal and Montblanc and several other ad campaigns.[20]

Tautou over the years has been declared a fashionista and icon by the press, appearing in many magazines, fashion, beauty, and culture. She has attended major fashion week events around the world as well as smaller events. The press sometimes refers to her as "The Chanel Muse".[2]

Personal life

Tautou studied at the Institut Catholique de Paris.[21] A churchgoer when young, she has stated that she is "not officially" Catholic.[22]

She says she considers France her base, where she plans to focus her career, rather than in the United States. She told Stevie Wong of The Straits Times, "I am, at the end of the day, a French actress. I am not saying I will never shoot an English-language movie again, but my home, my community, my career is rooted in France. I would never move to Los Angeles."[23]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1999 Venus Beauty Institute Marie Cabourg Film Festival Award for Female Revelation
César Award for Most Promising Actress
Lumières Award for Most Promising Actress
SACD Award for Best Actress
Triste à mourir Caro Short film
2000 Épouse-moi Marie-Ange
Pretty Devils Anne-Sophie Original title: Voyou, voyelles
Le Libertin Julie d'Holbach
Happenstance Irène Original title: Le Battement d'ailes du papillon
2001 Amélie Amélie Poulain Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Performer
Lumières Award for Best Actress
Sant Jordi Award for Best Actress
Nominated – Audience award for Best Actress
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
Nominated – César Award for Best Actress
Nominated – Empire Award for Best Actress
Nominated – European Film Award for Best Actress
Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actress
Nominated – Phoenix Film Critics Society for Best Actress
Nominated – Phoenix Film Critics Society for Best Newcomer
Nominated – Online Film Critics Society for Best Actress
Nominated – Vancouver Film Critics Circle for Best Actress
God Is Great and I'm Not Michèle Original title: Dieu est grand, je suis toute petite
2002 He Loves Me... He Loves Me Not Angélique Original title: À la folie... pas du tout
L'Auberge espagnole Martine Other titles: The Spanish Apartment and Pot Luck
Dirty Pretty Things Senay Gelik Nominated – European Film Award People's Choice Award for Best Actress
2003 Les Marins perdus Lalla
Not on the Lips Huguette Verberie Original title: Pas sur la bouche
Happy End Val Chipzik
2004 A Very Long Engagement Mathilde Nominated – César Award for Best Actress
Nominated – European Film Award for Best Actress
Nominated – European Film Award People's Choice Award for Best Actress
2005 Russian Dolls Martine Original title: Les Poupées russes
2006 The Da Vinci Code Sophie Neveu
Priceless Irène NRJ Ciné Award (shared with Gad Elmaleh) for Best Kiss
2007 Hunting and Gathering Camille Fauque Original title: Ensemble, c'est tout
2009 Coco Before Chanel Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
Nominated – César Award for Best Actress
Nominated – Lumières Award for Best Actress
2010 De vrais mensonges Emilie Dandrieux Other titles: Beautiful Lies and Full Treatment
2011 Delicacy Nathalie Kerr Original title: La délicatesse
2012 Headwinds Sarah Anderen
Thérèse Desqueyroux Thérèse Desqueyroux
2013 Mood Indigo Chloé Original title: L'Écume des jours
Chinese Puzzle Martine Original title: Casse-tête chinois
2015 Microbe & Gasoline Marie-Thérèse Guéret Original title: Microbe et Gasoil
Eternity Valentine
2016 The Odyssey Simone Melchior Nominated – Globes de Cristal Award for Best Actress
Open at Night Nawel
2017 Santa & Cie Wanda Claus
2018
The Trouble With You Agnès Nominated – César Award for Best Supporting Actress
2019 The Jesus Rolls Marie

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1996 Cœur de cible TV movie
1997 La Vérité est un vilain défaut The telephone operator TV movie
Les Cordier, juge et flic Léa TV movie, episode: "Le Crime d'à côté"
1998 La Vieille Barrière A girl in the district TV movie
Bébés boum Elsa TV movie
Chaos technique Lisa TV movie
Julie Lescaut Tracy TV movie, episode: "Bal masqué"
1999 Le Boiteux Blandine Piancet TV movie, episode: "Baby blues"

Theatre
Year Show Role Notes
2010 A Doll's House Nora Théâtre de la Madeleine
2011 Tour

National honours

References
  1. Age sources
    • "Audrey Tautou". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 22 August 2008. born Aug. 9, 1976, Beaumont, Auvergne, France
    • "TAUTOU Audrey". Les Gens du Cinema. Retrieved 17 April 2013. Lieu: BEAUMONT (63-France); Naissance: 9 août 1976; Reférence: Extrait de naissance n° 6672/1976 [translation: Location: BEAUMONT (63-France); Born: 9 August 1976; Reference: Birth Certificate No. 6672/1976]
    • Willsher, Kim (14 April 2013). "Audrey Tautou: how the French learned to love the star of Amélie". The Observer. Retrieved 17 April 2013. Born August 1976. Her father was a dental surgeon, her mother a teacher. She was raised in Montluçon, a town in central France.
    • "A propos de quelques ÉLÈVES CÉLÈBRES..." [About some famous students...]. Collège Jules Ferry Montlucon. Archived from the original on 30 October 2004. née en 1976, élève de 1987 à 1991 [translation: born in 1976, a student from 1987 to 1991]
    • Kangasniemi, Sanna (25 October 2013). "Ainaisesti ujo pariisitar". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). No. Friday supplement Nyt. Helsinki. pp. 10–11. Archived from the original on 28 October 2013. Sitten hän vastaa. Syntymävuosi on 1976. 'Mutta pitäisin parempana, jos kirjoittaisitte 1978. Voisitteko kirjoittaa 1978? Kerron teille totuuden ja pyydän teitä valehtelemaan.' [Then she replies. The birth year is 1976. 'But I would prefer if you wrote 1978. Could you write 1978? I tell you the truth, and ask you to lie'].
  2. "Audrey Tautou, sabia discreción Juan Ignacio Francia". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 7 June 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  3. "Latest Academy News". Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 10 September 2014. Archived from the original on 11 June 2007.
  4. Willsher, Kim (14 April 2013). "Audrey Tautou: how the French learned to love the star of Amelie". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 April 2021. her father, a dental surgeon, and mother, a teacher – who named her after Audrey Hepburn
  5. Les florentins qui font la réputation de notre école, Cours Florent, retrieved 28 October 2009
  6. "Foreign Language Movies at the Box Office". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  7. ""Priceless" romance tale". The Washington Times. 4 April 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  8. Reynolds, Simon (27 August 2008). "Warner Bros. backs Chanel biopic". Digital Spy.
  9. "Audrey Tautou". IMDb.
  10. "Coco avant Chanel". 22 April 2009 – via IMDb.
  11. "Audrey Tautou: The New Coco Chanel". Movie-dvd-releases.com. 3 September 2008. Archived from the original on 20 May 2009. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  12. Jaafar, Ali (17 April 2009). "Hollywood biz without borders". Variety.
  13. "Coco Before Chanel". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  14. Tobias, Scott (19 November 2004). "Foreign affairs". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 3 July 2009. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  15. "Palmarès 2012 - 37 ème cérémonie des César". Academie-cinema.org. Archived from the original on 22 January 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  16. "Audrey Tautou's in music video for Charlie Winston", BBC News, 17 February 2010
  17. "Cannes Film Festival 2013: Audrey Tautou to host opening ceremony". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  18. "Prizes of the International Jury". www.berlinale.de.
  19. Snead, Elizabeth (5 May 2008), "Is it a bird or a plane? Sarah Jessica Parker won't save the Costume Gala?", Los Angeles Times, archived from the original on 10 May 2008, retrieved 21 May 2008
  20. "Sabia discrección: Audrey Tautou – Levante-EMV". Ocio.levante-emv.com. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  21. "Audrey Tautou rêve d’ailleurs" 9 August 2011, Culture-match, Paris Match (in French)
  22. "Tautou dismisses Da Vinci controversy". Actress Archives.com. UGO Entertainment. 11 May 2006. Archived from the original on 24 February 2007.
  23. Wong, Stevie (28 May 2006). "From Amelie to Sophie". The Straits Times. Singapore: The Star Online eCentral. Archived from the original on 29 May 2012.
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