César Award Cesar, César or Cèsar may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''César'' (film), a 1936 film directed by Marcel Pagnol * ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt * César Award, a French film award Places * Cesar, Portugal * C ...

Lumières Award The Lumières Award (french: Lumières de la presse internationale) is a French film award presented by the ''Académie des Lumières'' to honor the best in the French language, French-speaking cinema of the previous year. The awards ceremony is ...

Inglourious Basterds ''Inglourious Basterds'' is a 2009 war film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, starring Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, Diane Kruger, Daniel Brühl, Til Schweiger and Mélanie Laurent. The film tells an alter ...

Operation Finale ''Operation Finale'' is a 2018 American historical drama film directed by Chris Weitz from a screenplay by Matthew Orton about a 1960 clandestine operation by Israeli commandos to capture former SS officer Adolf Eichmann, and transport him to ...

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

Gérard Depardieu Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu, CQ (, , ; born 27 December 1948) is a French actor, filmmaker, businessman and vineyard owner since 1989 who is one of the most prolific thespians in film history having completed over 250 films since 1967 alm ...

Dikkenek ''Dikkenek'' is a 2006 Franco-Belgian comedy film directed by Olivier Van Hoofstadt. It has attained cult status in France and Belgium because of its Belgian-type humor. It follows the life of different characters for a few days under the pretens ...

Don't Worry, I'm Fine ''Don't Worry, I'm Fine'' (french: Je vais bien, ne t'en fais pas) is a 2006 French drama film directed by Philippe Lioret based on the 2000 novel of the same name by Olivier Adam. Plot Lili, a 19-year-old, returns from holidays and learns that he ...

César Award for Most Promising Actress The César Award for Most Promising Actress (french: César du meilleur espoir féminin) is one of the César Awards, presented annually by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma to recognize the outstanding breakthrough performance of a ...

Prix Romy Schneider The Prix Romy Schneider (Romy Schneider Award) is awarded annually to a young and upcoming actress working in the French film industry. It is named after the actress Romy Schneider (1938–1982). The prize is awarded by a jury each year in Paris ...

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, Black comedy, dark humor, Nonlinear narrative, non-lin ...

Inglourious Basterds ''Inglourious Basterds'' is a 2009 war film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, starring Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, Diane Kruger, Daniel Brühl, Til Schweiger and Mélanie Laurent. The film tells an alter ...

Online Film Critics Society The Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) is an international professional association of online film journalists, historians and scholars who publish their work on the World Wide Web. The organization was founded in January 1997 by Harvey S. Karte ...

Austin Film Critics Association The Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) is an organization of professional film critics from Austin, Texas. Each year, the AFCA votes on their end-of-year awards for films released in the same calendar year. A special award, the Austin Film ...

independent films An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies (or, in ...

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

Enemy An enemy or a foe is an individual or a group that is considered as forcefully adverse or threatening. The concept of an enemy has been observed to be "basic for both individuals and communities". The term "enemy" serves the social function of d ...

Beginners ''Beginners'' is a 2010 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike Mills. It tells the story of a man reflecting on the life and death of his father, while trying to forge a new romantic relationship with a woman dealing w ...

San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress The San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award given by the San Diego Film Critics Society The San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) is an organization of film reviewers from San Diego-based publications that ...

Night Train to Lisbon ''Night Train to Lisbon'' is a philosophical novel by Swiss writer Pascal Mercier. It recounts the travels of Swiss Classics instructor Raimund Gregorius as he explores the life of Amadeu de Prado, a Portuguese doctor, during António de Olive ...

Chris Weitz Christopher John Weitz (born November 30, 1969) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for his work with his brother Paul on the comedy films '' American Pie'' and '' About a Boy''; the latter earned the Weit ...

Operation Finale ''Operation Finale'' is a 2018 American historical drama film directed by Chris Weitz from a screenplay by Matthew Orton about a 1960 clandestine operation by Israeli commandos to capture former SS officer Adolf Eichmann, and transport him to ...

Oscar Isaac Óscar Isaac Hernández Estrada (born March 9, 1979) is a Guatemalan-born American actor. Known for his versatility, he has been credited with breaking stereotypes about Latino characters in Hollywood. He was named the best actor of his gene ...

Ben Kingsley Sir Ben Kingsley (born Krishna Pandit Bhanji; 31 December 1943) is an English actor. He has received various accolades throughout his career spanning five decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Grammy Award, and two ...

Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...

Adolf Eichmann Otto Adolf Eichmann ( ,"Eichmann"
''

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

debut in 2010 in

Nicolas Bedos Nicolas Simon Bedos (; born 21 April 1979) is a French comedian, writer, director and actor. The son of Guy Bedos, he became known in 2004 as a playwright. In 2013, he joined Laurent Ruquier Laurent Hugues Emmanuel Ruquier (; born 24 February ...

's ''Promenade de santé''. The short film ''De moins en moins'' (2008) marked her debut as a filmmaker. Her feature film directorial debut is ''

The Adopted '' The Adopted'' (french: Les adoptés) is a 2011 French drama film directed and co-written by Mélanie Laurent. It stars Marie Denarnaud, Denis Ménochet, Laurent and Clémentine Célarié. Denis Ménochet won a Lumières Award for Most Promi ...

'' (2011). '' Respire'' (2014), her second production as a director, was screened at the

International Critics' Week The International Critics' Week (french: Semaine de la Critique) was founded in 1962 and is organized by the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics. It was created following the showing of '' The Connection'' directed by Shirley Clarke which had been ...

section at the

2014 Cannes Film Festival The 67th Cannes Film Festival was held from 14 to 25 May 2014. New Zealand film director Jane Campion was the head of the jury for the main competition section. The Palme d'Or was awarded to the Turkish film '' Winter Sleep'' directed by Nuri Bi ...

. She made her singing debut with a studio album '' En t'attendant'' in May 2011; the album contains twelve songs, five of which are co-written and co-produced by

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Folk Plus or Fol ...

musician

Damien Rice Damien George Rice (born 7 December 1973) is an Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He began his career as a member of the 1990s rock group Juniper, who were signed to Polygram Records in 1997. The band enjoyed moderate success i ...

.

Early life

Laurent was born on 21 February 1983 in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

,

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

the daughter of Annick, a

ballerina A ballet dancer ( it, ballerina fem.; ''ballerino'' masc.) is a person who practices the art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet; however, dancers have a strict hierarchy and strict gender roles. They rely on yea ...

, and Pierre Laurent, a voiceover actor (who dubs the character

Ned Flanders Nedward "Ned" Flanders Jr. is a fictional character in the animated television series ''The Simpsons'', voiced by Harry Shearer and first appearing in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire." He is the good-natured, chee ...

in the French version of ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...

''). She is

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

, of both

Ashkenazi Jewish Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...

(

Polish-Jewish The history of the Jews in Poland dates back at least 1,000 years. For centuries, Poland was home to the largest and most significant Ashkenazi Jewish community in the world. Poland was a principal center of Jewish culture, because of the lon ...

) and

Sephardic Jewish Sephardic (or Sephardi) Jews (, ; lad, Djudíos Sefardíes), also ''Sepharadim'' , Modern Hebrew: ''Sfaradim'', Tiberian: Səp̄āraddîm, also , ''Ye'hude Sepharad'', lit. "The Jews of Spain", es, Judíos sefardíes (or ), pt, Judeus sefar ...

( Tunisian-Jewish) descent. Her grandfather was deported from Poland during the

Nazi occupation German-occupied Europe refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly occupied and civil-occupied (including puppet governments) by the military forces and the government of Nazi Germany at various times between 1939 ...

. Her maternal grandparents were film poster editors. She grew up in the

9th arrondissement of Paris The 9th arrondissement of Paris (''IXe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, this arrondissement is referred to as the neuvième (; "ninth"). The arrondissement, called Opéra, is loc ...

. Laurent visited the set of ''

Asterix and Obelix ''Asterix'' or ''The Adventures of Asterix'' (french: Astérix or , "Asterix the Gaul") is a ''bande dessinée'' comic book series about a village of indomitable Gaulish warriors who adventure around the world and fight the Roman Republic, wi ...

'' with her friend and the latter's father. Her acting career began when actor

Gérard Depardieu Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu, CQ (, , ; born 27 December 1948) is a French actor, filmmaker, businessman and vineyard owner since 1989 who is one of the most prolific thespians in film history having completed over 250 films since 1967 alm ...

, seeing Laurent there, asked her if she wanted to be in films. Laurent replied, "Why not?". He strongly advised her not to take acting classes because he believed she already had the necessary skills. When Laurent was 16, Depardieu gave her a part in ''The Bridge'', a drama he starred in and co-directed with Fréderic Auburtin. Laurent played the role of Lisbeth Daboval, the daughter of one of the protagonists of the film, Claire Daboval. Laurent also worked as a voiceover actor, dubbing the character Satsuki in the French version of ''

My Neighbour Totoro is a 1988 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by Studio Ghibli for Tokuma Shoten. The film—which stars the voice actors Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, and Hitoshi Takagi—tells the story of ...

'', and the younger version of Madame de Fleurville in an animated adaptation of '' Sophie's Misfortunes''.

Career

Debut and early success (2006–08)

Laurent played minor roles in a number of films early in her career. She appeared in

Michel Blanc Michel Blanc (born 16 April 1952) is a French actor, writer and director. He is noted for his roles of losers and hypochondriacs. He is frequently associated with Le Splendid, which he co-founded, along with Thierry Lhermitte, Josiane Balasko, ...

's drama ''

Summer Things ''Summer Things'' (french: Embrassez qui vous voudrez; it, Baciate chi vi pare, also known as ''See How They Run'') is a 2002 French-British-Italian romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Michel Blanc, based on the 1998 novel of ...

'',

Jackie Chan Fang Shilong (born 7 April 1954), known professionally in English as Jackie Chan and in Chinese as Cheng Long ( zh, c=成龍, j=Sing4 Lung4; "becoming the dragon"), is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker, martial artist, and stuntman known for ...

's comedy-drama ''

Rice Rhapsody ''Rice Rhapsody'' (alternative title ''Hainan Chicken Rice'') ( Chinese: 海南雞飯, literally meaning "Hainanese chicken rice") is a 2004 film directed by Kenneth Bi. The cast includes Sylvia Chang and Martin Yan. Jackie Chan was one of the ...

'',

Jacques Audiard Jacques Audiard (; born 30 April 1952) is a French film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is the son of Michel Audiard, also a film director and screenwriter. He has won both the César Award for Best Film and the BAFTA Award for Best Fi ...

's drama ''

The Beat That My Heart Skipped ''The Beat That My Heart Skipped'' (french: De battre mon cœur s'est arrêté) is a 2005 French neo-noir drama film directed by Jacques Audiard and starring Romain Duris. It is a remake of the 1978 American film '' Fingers'', and tells the st ...

'' and the war film '' Days of Glory'' about the

Free French Forces __NOTOC__ The French Liberation Army (french: Armée française de la Libération or AFL) was the reunified French Army that arose from the merging of the Armée d'Afrique with the prior Free French Forces (french: Forces françaises libres, l ...

. Laurent's breakthrough role came in 2006, when she played a sullen 19-year-old who longed for her lost twin brother, in

Philippe Lioret Philippe Lioret (born 10 October 1955) is a French film director, screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on ...

's ''

Don't Worry, I'm Fine ''Don't Worry, I'm Fine'' (french: Je vais bien, ne t'en fais pas) is a 2006 French drama film directed by Philippe Lioret based on the 2000 novel of the same name by Olivier Adam. Plot Lili, a 19-year-old, returns from holidays and learns that he ...

''. She won a

César Award for Most Promising Actress The César Award for Most Promising Actress (french: César du meilleur espoir féminin) is one of the César Awards, presented annually by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma to recognize the outstanding breakthrough performance of a ...

for her performance. In a review for ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'', Ronnie Scheib praised Laurent and wrote that she, "makes her vibrant character’s downward spiral totally believable without indulging in moody sullenness". That same year, she and Belgian actor

Jérémie Renier (; born 6 January 1981) is a Belgian actor. His film debut was in the critically praised (1996), directed by the Dardenne brothers. He became better known to worldwide audiences in ''Brotherhood of the Wolf'' (2001) and (2005). The latter ...

were awarded France's

Romy Schneider Romy Schneider (; born Rosemarie Magdalena Albach; 23 September 1938 – 29 May 1982) was a German-French actress. She began her career in the German genre in the early 1950s when she was 15. From 1955 to 1957, she played the central chara ...

and

Jean Gabin Jean Gabin (; 17 May 190415 November 1976) was a French actor and singer. Considered a key figure in French cinema, he starred in several classic films including ''Pépé le Moko'' (1937), ''La grande illusion'' (1937), ''Le Quai des brumes'' ( ...

Prizes for most promising actor and actress. Laurent then starred in the Franco-Belgian ''

Dikkenek ''Dikkenek'' is a 2006 Franco-Belgian comedy film directed by Olivier Van Hoofstadt. It has attained cult status in France and Belgium because of its Belgian-type humor. It follows the life of different characters for a few days under the pretens ...

'', a comedy directed by Olivier Van Hoofstadt that has attained a

cult film A cult film or cult movie, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage ...

over the years owing to its Belgian-style humour, in which she co-starred alongside

Marion Cotillard Marion Cotillard (; born 30 September 1975) is a French actress, film producer, singer, and environmentalist who is widely known for her roles in independent films and blockbusters in both European and Hollywood productions. She has received ...

,

Jérémie Renier (; born 6 January 1981) is a Belgian actor. His film debut was in the critically praised (1996), directed by the Dardenne brothers. He became better known to worldwide audiences in ''Brotherhood of the Wolf'' (2001) and (2005). The latter ...

,

Jean-Luc Couchard Jean-Luc Couchard (born 14 July 1969) is a Belgian actor. Theater Filmography External links * 1969 births Living people People from Limbourg 20th-century French male actors 21st-century Belgian male actors Belgian male film a ...

and Dominique Pinon. For her performance in the film, Laurent won the Étoiles d'Or for Best Female Newcomer. In 2007, Laurent appeared in films including '' Le tueur'' and ''

Hidden Love ''Hidden Love'' (french: L'Amour caché) is a 2007 Italian-Belgian drama film directed by Alessandro Capone and starring Isabelle Huppert. Cast * Isabelle Huppert as Danielle * Greta Scacchi as Dr. Dubois * Mélanie Laurent as Sophie * Olivie ...

''. She was nominated for the

Lumières Award for Best Actress The Lumières Award for Best Actress (french: Prix Lumières de la meilleure actrice) is an annual award presented by the Académie des Lumières since 1996. Winners and nominees Winners are listed first with a blue background, followed by the ...

for her performance in ''La Chambre des morts''. Laurent next appeared in

Cédric Klapisch Cédric Klapisch ( ; born 4 September 1961) is a French film director, screenwriter and producer. Life and career Klapisch was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine. He is from a Jewish family; his maternal grandparents were deported to ...

's 2008 comedy drama ''

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

'', a French film concerning a diverse group of people. The film has an ensemble cast including Laurent,

Juliette Binoche Juliette Binoche (; born 9 March 1964) is a French actress and dancer. She has appeared in more than sixty feature films and has been the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Silver Bear, ...

,

Romain Duris Romain Duris (; born 28 May 1974) is a French actor. He is known for his role in Cédric Klapisch's ''Spanish Apartment'' trilogy, which consists of ''L'Auberge Espagnole'' (2002), '' Russian Dolls'' (2005), and ''Chinese Puzzle'' (2013). He also ...

,

Fabrice Luchini Fabrice Luchini (; born Robert Luchini; 1 November 1951) is a French stage and film actor. He has appeared in films such as ''Potiche'', ''The Women on the 6th Floor'', and '' In the House''. For his role in the 2015 film '' Courted'' he won th ...

, and François Cluzet. The film was well received and praised for the cast's performances.

Hollywood debut and breakthrough (2009–10)

Laurent was scheduled to direct her first play, ''Mi-cuit cœur pistache'' (the name of a dessert she particularly likes) in January 2009 at the

Théâtre Marigny The Théâtre Marigny is a theatre in Paris, situated near the junction of the Champs-Élysées and the Avenue Marigny in the 8th arrondissement. It was originally built to designs of the architect Charles Garnier for the display of a panora ...

in Paris. She had to abandon the project when she was cast as Shosanna Dreyfus, a Parisian who seeks revenge on Nazis in the

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, Black comedy, dark humor, Nonlinear narrative, non-lin ...

film ''

Inglourious Basterds ''Inglourious Basterds'' is a 2009 war film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, starring Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, Diane Kruger, Daniel Brühl, Til Schweiger and Mélanie Laurent. The film tells an alter ...

,'' alongside

Brad Pitt William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. ...

,

Diane Kruger Diane Kruger ( Heidkrüger; ; born 15 July 1976) is a German and American actress. Early in her career, Kruger gained worldwide recognition and received the Trophée Chopard from the Cannes Film Festival. Kruger became known for her roles in f ...

and Christoph Waltz. It was a French-language role for which she learned to speak English for a few scenes. The film was a big commercial and critical success, grossing over $321 million in theaters worldwide. Laurent's performance was praised by several critics. Kyle Buchanan of ''

Movieline ''Movieline'' was a website, formerly a Los Angeles-based film and entertainment magazine, launched in 1985 as a local magazine, which went national in 1989. Known for its cult status and popularity among film critics,Saba, Michael''Movieline'' m ...

'' wrote: "Mélanie Laurent provides ''Inglourious Basterds'' its heart and soul. It falls to the 26-year-old French actress to anchor some of the

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

film's most challenging scenes as Shosanna." RothLaurentBenderIBAug09

Owen Gleiberman Owen Gleiberman (born February 24, 1959) is an American film critic who has been chief film critic for ''Variety'' magazine since May 2016, a title he shares with . Previously, Gleiberman wrote for ''Entertainment Weekly'' from 1990 until 2014. ...

of ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

'' wrote that Laurent should have received the nomination at the 16th Screen Actors Guild Awards saying, "In drawing attention to one performer, in particular, whom they left out of the Best Supporting Actress category, ..I flat-out adore this performance and I suspect that many others do too," and further lauding Laurent's performance added, " aurentis radiant and, in a unique Tarantino way, heartbreaking. Sexy and luminous in the heat of her valor. Putting out fire – and setting it. It becomes an anthem of noirish dread and excitement, a sign that Laurent, as Shosanna, has found her destiny." In an interview, Laurent said that she went into ''Inglourious Basterds'' with an adoration for Quentin Tarantino. "

he French He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...

don't see him like an independent director; we just see him as the best director, ever,

rom the United States Rom, or ROM may refer to: Biomechanics and medicine * Risk of mortality, a medical classification to estimate the likelihood of death for a patient * Rupture of membranes, a term used during pregnancy to describe a rupture of the amniotic sac * R ...

" About the process of auditioning, Laurent said that she knew right from the start that this was a film she had to be in as she felt a connection to her role in the film, because the history of her Jewish family. In addition, Laurent won a number of accolades for her portrayal of Shosanna including

Austin Film Critics Association The Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) is an organization of professional film critics from Austin, Texas. Each year, the AFCA votes on their end-of-year awards for films released in the same calendar year. A special award, the Austin Film ...

Award for Best Actress and

Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress The Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress is an annual film award given by the Online Film Critics Society to honor the best lead actress of the year. Natalie Portman, Naomi Watts and Reese Witherspoon Laura Jeanne Reese Wither ...

, and nominations at the Detroit Film Critics Society Awards, Empire Award for Best Actress, and

Saturn Award for Best Actress The Saturn Award for Best Actress is one of the annual Saturn Awards given by the American professional organization, the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films. The Saturn Awards are the oldest film-specialized reward of achievements ...

among others. The highly anticipated film, which had been in development since 1998, marked Laurent's first major role in an American film and Laurent found herself pushed into mainstream success in North America. Laurent's partner Julien Boisselier, as well as Marie Denarnaud,

Mélanie Doutey Mélanie Doutey is a French actress. Life and career She is the daughter of filmmaker Alain Doutey and actress Arielle Séménoff. She appeared in Claude Chabrol's ''La Fleur du Mal'' and ''El Lobo'', the true story of a mole within the Basque ...

, and Louise Monot were to act in the production while short film clips were to be projected on stage, some of them shot at the nightclub Le Baron, which Laurent used to frequent during the writing period. In 2010, Laurent starred in '' The Round Up'', a French film directed by

Roselyne Bosch Roselyne Bosch, also known as Rose Bosch (born 1961) is a French journalist, screenwriter and film director. She was born in Avignon. Her father was a Catalan who fled Francoist Spain Francoist Spain ( es, España franquista), or the Franc ...

, and produced by

Alain Goldman Alain Goldman, also known as Ilan Goldman (born 12 January 1961) is a French film producer. Early life Goldman was born in Montmartre, Paris, the son of Jewish parents. His grandfather was the first representative for Universal Pictures in Franc ...

, alongside

Jean Reno Jean Reno () (born 30 July 1948), is a French actor. He has worked in American, French, English, Japanese, Spanish and Italian movie productions; Reno appeared in films such as ''Crimson Rivers'', ''Godzilla'', ''The Da Vinci Code'', '' Mission: ...

,

Sylvie Testud Sylvie Testud (born 17 January 1971) is a French actress hose film career est Actress for '' Fear and Trembling'' (2003), and the European Film Award for Best Actress for '' Lourdes'' (2009). Her other film roles include '' Beyond Silence'' ( ...

, and

Gad Elmaleh Gad Elmaleh ( ar, جاد المالح, Latn, ar, Gād el-Māleḥ; born 19 April 1971) is a Moroccan-Canadian stand-up comedian and actor who achieved fame in France, Morocco and the United States. He is best known in the French-speaking wor ...

. Based on the true story of a young Jewish boy, the film depicts the

Vel' d'Hiv Roundup The Vel' d'Hiv' Roundup ( ; from french: Rafle du Vel' d'Hiv', an abbreviation of ) was a mass arrest of foreign Jewish families by French police and gendarmes at the behest of the German authorities, that took place in Paris on 16 and 17 July ...

, the mass arrest of

Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

by French police who were Nazi accomplices in Paris in July 1942. The film and the Laurent's performance was well received by the critics, with Peter Bradshaw of ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' deeming it "well acted". John Anderson of ''

Newsday ''Newsday'' is an American daily newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, although it is also sold throughout the New York metropolitan area. The slogan of the newspaper is "Newsday, Your Eye on LI", and f ...

'' lauded Laurent saying that she gave an "inspiring performance as a gentile nurse".

Continued success (2011–present)

Laurent had also planned another feature film, ''Putain de pluie!'', produced by Alain Attal's Productions du Trésor, whose script she co-wrote with Morgan Perez and which she intended to direct. Originally set for filming in the spring of 2009, it was postponed because of her work on ''

Inglourious Basterds ''Inglourious Basterds'' is a 2009 war film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, starring Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, Diane Kruger, Daniel Brühl, Til Schweiger and Mélanie Laurent. The film tells an alter ...

''. Knowing that she could speak French, and had already acted in French in one of the short films in ''

Paris, je t'aime ''Paris, je t'aime'' (; ''Paris, I love you'') is a 2006 anthology film starring an ensemble cast of actors of various nationalities. The two-hour film consists of eighteen short films set in different arrondissements (districts). The 22 director ...

'', she offered the first role to

Natalie Portman Natalie Portman (born Natalie Hershlag, he, נטע-לי הרשלג, ) is an Israeli-born American actress. She has had a prolific film career since her teenage years and has starred in various blockbusters and independent films, receiving mu ...

, who declined because of the script's language. Laurent played the part of the violinist in

Radu Mihăileanu Radu Mihăileanu (born 23 April 1958) is a Romanian-born French film director and screenwriter. He left Romania in 1980 and graduated the IDHEC cinematographic institute in Paris. In addition to his work in the cinema he published a book of poe ...

's ''

Le Concert ''Le Concert'' is a 2009 French comedy-drama film by Radu Mihăileanu, starring Aleksei Guskov, Mélanie Laurent and Miou-Miou. It won the Best Original Score and Best Sound awards at César Awards 2010. It was also nominated for two Magritt ...

''—she called it "a smart movie and a popular movie", and added that she was, "glad because French people wanted to watch a movie with

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...

." Mick LaSalle of ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. de ...

'' called it a "role with great technical demands" and praising Laurent wrote, "she's extremely subtle and reserved ... "The Concert" constitutes a breakthrough for her, in that it unlocks her emotional floodgates". Melanie Laurent Promotes 'Aloft' in Berlin

Melanie Laurent Promotes 'Aloft' in Berlin

Laurent hosted both the opening and closing ceremonies of the 64th Cannes Film Festival. In 2011, she teamed with

Mike Mills Michael Edward Mills (born December 17, 1958) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and composer who was a founding member of the alternative rock band R.E.M. Though known primarily as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist of R.E.M., hi ...

, appearing opposite

Ewan McGregor Ewan Gordon McGregor ( ; born 31 March 1971) is a Scottish actor. His accolades include a Golden Globe Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the BAFTA Britannia Humanitarian Award. In 2013, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British ...

and

Christopher Plummer Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer (December 13, 1929 – February 5, 2021) was a Canadian actor. His career spanned seven decades, gaining him recognition for his performances in film, stage, and television. He received multiple accolades, inc ...

in ''

Beginners ''Beginners'' is a 2010 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike Mills. It tells the story of a man reflecting on the life and death of his father, while trying to forge a new romantic relationship with a woman dealing w ...

'', a comedy drama that marked Laurent's second English-speaking role in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

. Laurent plays Anna, an irreverent French actress. Loosely based on Mills' own life, the film depicts the story of a father coming out of the closet at the age of 75 after the death of his wife of 45 years. The film opened to critical acclaim and Laurent's performance was well received, with Calvin Wilson of ''

St. Louis Post-Dispatch The ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'' is a major regional newspaper based in St. Louis, Missouri, serving the St. Louis metropolitan area. It is the largest daily newspaper in the metropolitan area by circulation, surpassing the ''Belleville News-De ...

'' remarking that Laurent imbued a "soulful charisma" into the role. Laurent then starred opposite

Jeremy Irons Jeremy John Irons (; born 19 September 1948) is an English actor and activist. After receiving classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Irons began his acting career on stage in 1969 and has appeared in many West End theatre ...

in ''

Night Train to Lisbon ''Night Train to Lisbon'' is a philosophical novel by Swiss writer Pascal Mercier. It recounts the travels of Swiss Classics instructor Raimund Gregorius as he explores the life of Amadeu de Prado, a Portuguese doctor, during António de Olive ...

'', a 2013

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

based on the novel of the same name directed by

Bille August Bille August (born 9 November 1948) is a Danish director, screenwriter, and cinematographer of film and television. In a career spanning over four decades, he has been the recipient of numerous accolades, making him one of the most acclaimed co ...

. Jessica Kiang of ''

Indie Wire IndieWire (sometimes stylized as indieWIRE or Indiewire) is a film industry and review website that was established in 1996. The site's focus was predominantly independent film, although its coverage has grown to "to include all aspects of Hollyw ...

'' noted that Laurent was "given less to do" but lauded her performance writing that she, "makes the most of her truncated screen time". Laurent appeared in the

Louis Leterrier Louis Leterrier (; born 17 June 1973) is a French film director and producer. Best known for his work in action films, he directed the first two '' Transporter'' films (2002–2005), '' Unleashed'' (2005), '' The Incredible Hulk'' (2008), ''Clas ...

's 2013 caper film '' Now You See Me'' as a French Interpol agent who investigates the bank theft alongside

Mark Ruffalo Mark Alan Ruffalo (; born November 22, 1967) is an American actor and producer best known for playing Bruce Banner / Hulk since 2012 in the superhero franchise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and in the television series '' She-Hulk: Attorne ...

and an ensemble cast. The film was a major commercial success grossing over 351.7 million dollars, receiving mixed reviews but praise for the performances of the entire cast. Todd McCarthy of ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'' gave Laurent the highest praise and wrote, " aurentis responsible for the only measurable amount of warmth the film exudes." Laurent's next release, the Canadian-Spanish

psychological thriller Psychological thriller is a genre combining the thriller and psychological fiction genres. It is commonly used to describe literature or films that deal with psychological narratives in a thriller or thrilling setting. In terms of context and co ...

film ''

Enemy An enemy or a foe is an individual or a group that is considered as forcefully adverse or threatening. The concept of an enemy has been observed to be "basic for both individuals and communities". The term "enemy" serves the social function of d ...

'', directed by

Denis Villeneuve Denis Villeneuve (; born October 3, 1967) is a Canadian filmmaker. He is a four-time recipient of the Canadian Screen Award (formerly Genie Award) for Best Direction, winning for '' Maelström'' in 2001, '' Polytechnique'' in 2009, ''Incendies ...

, was screened at the Special Presentation section at the

2013 Toronto International Film Festival The 38th annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) took place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between September 5 and 15, 2013. '' The Fifth Estate'' was selected as the opening film and '' Life of Crime'' was the closing film. 75 films were ...

. Loosely adapted by Javier Gullón from

José Saramago José de Sousa Saramago, GColSE ComSE GColCa (; 16 November 1922 – 18 June 2010), was a Portuguese writer and recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Literature for his "parables sustained by imagination, compassion and irony ith which heco ...

's 2002 novel '' The Double'', the film opened to critical acclaim. The film starred

Jake Gyllenhaal Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal (; ; born December 19, 1980) is an American actor. Born into the Gyllenhaal family, he is the son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, and his older sister is actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. He beg ...

as two men who are physically identical, but different in terms of personality. Laurent and

Sarah Gadon Sarah Lynn Gadon (born April 4, 1987) is a Canadian actress. She began her acting career guest-starring in a number of television series, such as ''Are You Afraid of the Dark?'' (1999), '' Mutant X'' (2002), and ''Dark Oracle'' (2004). She also ...

co-star as the romantic partners of the men. In 2014, Laurent appeared in ''

Aloft This list of ship directions provides succinct definitions for terms applying to spatial orientation in a marine environment or location on a vessel, such as ''fore'', ''aft'', ''astern'', ''aboard'', or ''topside''. Terms * Abaft (preposition ...

'', a 2014 drama film written and directed by

Claudia Llosa Claudia Llosa Bueno (born 15 November 1976) is a Peruvian film director, writer, producer, and author. She is recognized for her Academy-Award-nominated film ''The Milk of Sorrow''. Early life Claudia Llosa was born on November 15, 1976 in L ...

, alongside

Jennifer Connelly Jennifer Lynn Connelly (born December 12, 1970) is an American actress. She began her career as a child model before making her acting debut in the 1984 crime film ''Once Upon a Time in America''. After having worked as a model for several year ...

and

Cillian Murphy Cillian Murphy (; born 25 May 1976) is an Irish actor. Originally the lead singer, guitarist, and lyricist of the rock band The Sons of Mr. Green Genes, he turned down a record deal in the late 1990s and began acting on stage and in short an ...

. The film premiered in competition at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival. Laurent voiced Mary Katherine in Blue Sky Studios' '' Epic'', and Disgust in Pixar's '' Inside Out'' in the French dubs of the animated films. In 2015, Laurent starred alongside

Laurent Lafitte Laurent Lafitte (born 22 August 1973) is a French actor. He is known for playing the role of Patrick in ''Elle ''Elle'' (stylized ''ELLE'') is a worldwide women's magazine of French origin that offers a mix of fashion and beauty content, tog ...

, in

François Favrat François Favrat is a French film director, screenwriter and occasional actor, best known for directing '' The Role of Her Life'' and ''Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to ...

's French drama film ''

Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning b ...

'' adapted from the bestseller entitled ''A Secret Kept'' by Tatiana De Rosnay. The film released on 23 September 2013 to positive critical reviews. ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'' wrote, "Boomerang is a solid if somewhat conventionally made whodunit that benefits from a strong cast and a plot that hooks you for most of the running time." Laurent then starred as Léa in

Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie (; born Angelina Jolie Voight; June 4, 1975) is an American actress, filmmaker, humanitarian and former Special Envoy to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award ...

's '' By the Sea'', an American drama film, written and directed by Jolie. The film also stars Jolie and Brad Pitt, and was released on 13 November 2015, by

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

. Laurent later appeared in the 2018 drama

Operation Finale ''Operation Finale'' is a 2018 American historical drama film directed by Chris Weitz from a screenplay by Matthew Orton about a 1960 clandestine operation by Israeli commandos to capture former SS officer Adolf Eichmann, and transport him to ...

directed by

Chris Weitz Christopher John Weitz (born November 30, 1969) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for his work with his brother Paul on the comedy films '' American Pie'' and '' About a Boy''; the latter earned the Weit ...

, which revolved around the

Mossad Mossad ( , ), ; ar, الموساد, al-Mōsād, ; , short for ( he, המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים, links=no), meaning 'Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations'. is the national intelligence agency ...

operation to capture

Adolf Eichmann Otto Adolf Eichmann ( ,"Eichmann"
''

The film was nominated for Best Short Film at the 61st Annual

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...

. She also directed ''À ses pieds'', an erotic short film aired on the French television channel

Canal+ Canal+ (Canal Plus, , meaning 'Channel Plus'; sometimes abbreviated C+ or Canal) is a French premium television channel launched in 1984. It is 100% owned by the Groupe Canal+, which in turn is owned by Vivendi. The channel broadcasts several ki ...

on 25–26 October 2008, as part of a series of short films, called ''

X Femmes ''X Femmes'' (English: ''X Women'') is a French television series of short films shown on Canal+ in 2008–2009. They were shot by female directors with the goal of producing erotica, soft-core pornography and hard-core pornography from a female p ...

''. In 2011, she directed her first feature film, ''

The Adopted '' The Adopted'' (french: Les adoptés) is a 2011 French drama film directed and co-written by Mélanie Laurent. It stars Marie Denarnaud, Denis Ménochet, Laurent and Clémentine Célarié. Denis Ménochet won a Lumières Award for Most Promi ...

''. Her second film, '' Respire'', was screened at the

International Critics' Week The International Critics' Week (french: Semaine de la Critique) was founded in 1962 and is organized by the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics. It was created following the showing of '' The Connection'' directed by Shirley Clarke which had been ...

section at the

2014 Cannes Film Festival The 67th Cannes Film Festival was held from 14 to 25 May 2014. New Zealand film director Jane Campion was the head of the jury for the main competition section. The Palme d'Or was awarded to the Turkish film '' Winter Sleep'' directed by Nuri Bi ...

and was highly acclaimed. She then co-directed the 2015 documentary '' Tomorrow'', which earned her a

César Award for Best Documentary Film The César Award for Best Documentary Film (french: César du meilleur film documentaire) is an award presented by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma since 1995. History In 1995, director Marcel Ophüls protested that his film, t ...

. In an interview with ''

Indiewire IndieWire (sometimes stylized as indieWIRE or Indiewire) is a film industry and review website that was established in 1996. The site's focus was predominantly independent film, although its coverage has grown to "to include all aspects of Hollyw ...

'' in 2014, Laurent admitted that she loves writing: "

riting is Writing is a medium of human communication which involves the representation of a language through a system of physically inscribed, mechanically transferred, or digitally represented symbols. Writing systems do not themselves constitute ...

especially super exciting because you have everything to do and most of your ideas come from that first part … you just imagine things, and you imagine actors." She described the shooting process as "the fun part" because of: "working with people I love—it’s always a great human moment because we’re sharing things and it’s good to see people who are here for you and your story, to tell your story. It’s really beautiful, it’s why I love making movies." Laurent made her English-language directorial debut in 2018 with ''

Galveston Galveston ( ) is a coastal resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a population of 47,743 in 2010, is the county seat of surrounding Galvesto ...

'', the film adaptation of

Nic Pizzolatto Nicholas Austin Pizzolatto (born October 18, 1975) is an American writer, producer and director. He is best known for creating the HBO crime drama series ''True Detective''. Early life Pizzolatto was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is of Ita ...

's novel of the same name. It starred

Ben Foster Ben Foster may refer to: *Ben Foster (actor) (born 1980), American actor *Ben Foster (footballer) (born 1983), English goalkeeper *Ben Foster (composer) (born 1977), British composer, orchestrator and conductor * Ben Foster (director) (born 1984), ...

and

Elle Fanning Mary Elle Fanning (born April 9, 1998) is an American actress. She made her film debut as the younger version of her sister Dakota Fanning's character in the drama film '' I Am Sam'' (2001). As a child actress, she appeared in several films, i ...

. Laurent directed '' The Mad Woman's Ball'' in 2021. It starred her as well. Laurent will next direct and write '' The Nightingale'' an adaptation of novel of the same name by

Kristin Hannah Kristin Hannah (born September 25, 1960) is an American writer. Her most notable works include ''Winter Garden'', '' The Nightingale'', '' Firefly Lane'', '' The Great Alone'', and ''The Four Winds''. Biography Kristin Hannah was born in Califor ...

, which is set to star Elle and

Dakota Fanning Hannah Dakota Fanning (born February 23, 1994) is an American actress. She rose to prominence at the age of seven for her performance as Lucy Dawson in the drama film ''I Am Sam'' (2001), for which she received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomin ...

. Laurent was also announced to be directing an untitled film for

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

.

Music

Laurent made her singing debut in May 2011 with a studio album '' En t'attendant'', under the label of Atmosphériques. Produced by Joel Shearer, the album contains twelve songs, five of which are co-written and co-produced by Irish

folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Folk Plus or Fol ...

musician

Damien Rice Damien George Rice (born 7 December 1973) is an Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He began his career as a member of the 1990s rock group Juniper, who were signed to Polygram Records in 1997. The band enjoyed moderate success i ...

. The album peaked at number 22 and number 35 on the '' Belgian Albums Charts'' and '' French Albums Charts'' respectively. She recorded the album with Rice, living between

Woodstock, New York Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States, in the northern part of the county, northwest of Kingston, NY. It lies within the borders of the Catskill Park. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 in 2000 ...

, and his home in Ireland.

Personal life and off-screen work

Laurent was in a long-term relationship with fellow French actor

Julien Boisselier Julien Boisselier (born 26 May 1970) is a French actor. Life and career Boisselier was born and raised in Nantes before moving to Paris to study comedy at Le Cours Florent. He dated acclaimed French actress Mélanie Laurent, though the two ...

which ended in 2009. In March 2013, she revealed that she had married but refused to name her spouse. She told ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'', "he was a crew member and I was an actress." Her first child with her husband, a son named Léo, was born in September 2013. She continues to publicly state that she has a husband, while continuing to keep his privacy. In 2019 she gave birth to their second child together, a girl named Mila. , the family lives in Los Angeles. Laurent has established herself as a successful actress in French cinema. In a 2009 interview, she explained that she does not have ambitions to be a crossover actress. That said, most of her films since 2009 have been in English. She stated that she loved France, her street, her café, and not having to use a car. Rather than go on to work on a big budget American film after ''Inglourious Basterds'', her next role was in a small theatre piece in France. Laurent described

recording artist A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...

Damien Rice and

filmmaker Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through screenwriting, castin ...

Quentin Tarantino as two "masters" in terms of their art. Laurent visited a Climate Defenders Camp in the peatlands of the

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

n

Rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

with

Greenpeace Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network, founded in Canada in 1971 by Irving Stowe and Dorothy Stowe, immigrant environmental activists from the United States. Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth t ...

activists. She is one of the Climate Ambassadors for

Kofi Annan Kofi Atta Annan (; 8 April 193818 August 2018) was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. He was the founder ...

's

Global Humanitarian Forum The Global Humanitarian Forum was a non-profit foundation in Geneva, Switzerland, active from 2007 to 2010. Presided over by former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, its secretariat was established by Meinrad Studer, assigned by the SDC ...

"Tck Tck Tck" Campaign. She joined the campaign against overfishing at the invitation of the Blue Marine Foundation, and was cast for the voice-over of the French documentary ''Surpêche'' (based on the book '' The End of the Line'') about the hazards of overfishing. She was also one of the leading celebrities in the successful campaign Fish Fight France, which asked for a new European law lowering the level of fish discards in European seas. Laurent revealed that spending time at musician

Damien Rice Damien George Rice (born 7 December 1973) is an Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He began his career as a member of the 1990s rock group Juniper, who were signed to Polygram Records in 1997. The band enjoyed moderate success i ...

's home in Ireland, while working on her 2011 album, inspired her to maintain a compost heap and eat organic food. (interview)

Filmography and awards

Selected filmography

Accolades

For her role in ''Don't Worry, I'm Fine'', Laurent won the

César Award Cesar, César or Cèsar may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''César'' (film), a 1936 film directed by Marcel Pagnol * ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt * César Award, a French film award Places * Cesar, Portugal * C ...

and

Lumières Award The Lumières Award (french: Lumières de la presse internationale) is a French film award presented by the ''Académie des Lumières'' to honor the best in the French language, French-speaking cinema of the previous year. The awards ceremony is ...

in the Most Promising Actress category. She received numerous accolades for her role in ''Inglourious Basterds'', including Best Actress awards at the Austin Film Critics Association Awards and

Online Film Critics Society Awards The Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) is an international professional association of online film journalists, historians and scholars who publish their work on the World Wide Web. The organization was founded in January 1997 by Harvey S. Karten ...

among others. Laurent's film '' Tomorrow'' won the

César Award for Best Documentary Film The César Award for Best Documentary Film (french: César du meilleur film documentaire) is an award presented by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma since 1995. History In 1995, director Marcel Ophüls protested that his film, t ...

.

Discography

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Laurent, Melanie Living people 1983 births 21st-century French Jews 21st-century French actresses Actresses from Paris César Award winners Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres French expatriates in the United States French female models French women singers French film actresses French film directors French people of Polish-Jewish descent French people of Tunisian-Jewish descent French screenwriters French women film directors French women screenwriters Jewish female models Jewish French actresses Jewish women singers Jewish women writers Most Promising Actress César Award winners Most Promising Actress Lumières Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners French Sephardi Jews Mizrahi Jews