Mélanie Laurent was born on February 21, 1983, in Paris, France. Her father, Alain Laurent, is a voice-over actor, and her mother, Annick, is a ballet dancer. She grew up in a family with artistic inclinations, which influenced her early exposure to the performing arts.
Laurent’s acting career began in 1999 after an encounter with Gérard Depardieu on a film set where she was visiting. He offered her a small role in the film “Un pont entre deux rives.” This marked the beginning of her professional acting career.
She gained early recognition in French cinema with roles in films such as “Ceci est mon corps” (2001) and “Je vais bien, ne t’en fais pas” (2006), for which she won the César Award for Most Promising Actress.
Laurent’s international breakthrough came with her role as Shosanna Dreyfus in Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” (2009). This performance garnered critical acclaim and broadened her exposure to global audiences.
Selected filmography:
In addition to acting, Laurent has also pursued a career in directing. She directed her first short film, “De moins en moins,” in 2008. Her feature directorial debut was