Juliette Binoche

French actress, dancer, and painter, born to Monique Stalens, a French-Polish comedian and teacher, and to Jean-Marie Binoche, sculptor and mime artist with a Brazilian origin. She was the sweet, sensual leading lady and 1996 Oscar-winning French actress of "The English Patient." In October 1997 she was ranked in the Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time list by Empire magazine in the United Kingdom and she was chosen by "People" magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World. Juliette has been onscreen from 1984 in "Rendezvous." As she has a greater interest in making films that are meaningful to her than in making money, her contract as an elegant model with Lancôme cosmetics gives her the financial freedom of choice. Her films include "Alice and Martin" in 1997 followed by "The Assumption of the Virgin," 1998, up to some 90 movies by then. Juliette is the daughter of theatre director Jean-Marie Binoche and actress Monique Stalens. Her parents divorced when she was four and the girl was sent to boarding school. Although she hated being sent away, she said it taught her independence and how to act; the stage was her home from the time she was a child. At 13 she took acting classes and was soon staging her own productions in an experimental Parisian high school. She took a job in a Paris department store while trying out for screen roles, getting an occasional line or two, before Andre Techine saw her screen test and was struck by "the irrational light that her face held." She entered a long relationship with Leos Carax and did two films with him. Carax was described as her Pygmalion, making her over for her work, having her lose weight, take singing and dancing lessons, read good literature and improve her vocal tone. She completed "Three Colours: Blue" in 1993, considered by many to be her best role. In September 1995 she replaced Isabella Rosselini as the new image of beauty representing Lancôme cosmetics. Her stage work has included Chekhov's "The Seagull," 1988, and "Naked," a London production in 1998. While married to professional scuba diver Andre Halle, they lived in a 19th century home in southwest Paris. Her leisure activities include painting and gardening along with mothering their son Raphael, born 2September 1993. By the turn of the century, Binoche was romantically involved with actor Benoit Magimel, living in the suburbs of Paris with her son and their baby daughter Hana, born 16 December 1999. Her 2000 film, "Chocolat" was nominated for the Oscar on 14 March 2001. Link to Wikipedia biography