Clémence Guichard (born 30 October 1982), known professionally as Clémence Poésy (),
is a French actress and fashion model. After starting on the stage as a child, Poésy studied drama and has been active in both film and television since 1999, including some English-language productions. She is known for the roles of
Fleur Delacour
The Order of the Phoenix is a fictional organisation in the ''Harry Potter'' series of novels by J. K. Rowling. Founded by Albus Dumbledore to fight Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, the Order lends its name to the fifth book of the series, ' ...
in the
''Harry Potter'' film series, Chloë in ''
In Bruges'', Rana in ''
127 Hours
''127 Hours'' is a 2010 biographical drama film co-written, produced, and directed by Danny Boyle. The film mainly stars James Franco, with Kate Mara, Amber Tamblyn, and Clémence Poésy appearing in brief supporting roles. In the film, cany ...
'',
Natasha Rostova in ''
War and Peace
''War and Peace'' (; pre-reform Russian: ; ) is a literary work by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the work comprises both a fictional narrative and chapters in which Tolstoy discusses history and philosophy. An ...
'', and the lead role as
Elise Wassermann in the 24-episode series ''
The Tunnel''.
Early life and education
Born in
L'Haÿ-les-Roses
L'Haÿ-les-Roses () is a Communes of France, commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre Zero, centre of Paris. L'Haÿ-les-Roses is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Val-de-Marne ''Département ...
,
[ a southern suburb of Paris, she is the daughter of actor-writer Étienne Guichard and a French teacher. Poésy took her mother's maiden name as her stage name. She attended a bilingual ]alternative school
An alternative school is an educational establishment with a curriculum and methods that are nontraditional. Such schools offer a wide range of philosophies and teaching methods; some have political, scholarly, or philosophical orientations, wh ...
, La Source, in Meudon
Meudon () is a French Communes of France, commune located in the Hauts-de-Seine Departments of France, department in the Île-de-France Regions of France, region, on the left bank of the Seine. It is located from the Kilometre Zero, center of P ...
.
Her father gave Poésy her first acting job when she was a child; then she had two lines at age 14. She has a younger sister, Maëlle Poésy-Guichard, who is also an actress.
After leaving La Source aged 16, Poésy studied drama at the '' Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique'' (CNSAD, the French National Academy of Dramatic Arts), the ''Atelier International de Blanche Salant et Paul Weaver'', and Paris Nanterre University
Paris Nanterre University (), formerly University of Paris West, Paris-X and commonly referred to as Nanterre, is a public research university based in Nanterre, Hauts-de-Seine, France, in the Paris metropolitan area. It is one of the most pres ...
.
Acting career
Poésy's first English-speaking role was in the BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
mini-series '' Gunpowder, Treason & Plot'' (2004), in which she portrayed Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567.
The only surviving legit ...
, subsequently winning the 2005 Golden FIPA for actress in a TV Series and Serial.
In 2005, Poésy appeared in the ''Harry Potter'' franchise as Fleur Delacour
The Order of the Phoenix is a fictional organisation in the ''Harry Potter'' series of novels by J. K. Rowling. Founded by Albus Dumbledore to fight Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, the Order lends its name to the fifth book of the series, ' ...
in '' The Goblet of Fire''. Between 2006 and 2007, she worked in a number of film and television productions, including the 2007 mini-series ''War and Peace
''War and Peace'' (; pre-reform Russian: ; ) is a literary work by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the work comprises both a fictional narrative and chapters in which Tolstoy discusses history and philosophy. An ...
''.
In 2008, Poésy starred in the Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
-nominated film '' In Bruges'', alongside Colin Farrell
Colin James Farrell (; born 31 May 1976) is an Irish actor. A Leading actor, leading man in blockbuster (entertainment), blockbusters and independent films since the 2000s, he has received various List of awards and nominations received by Col ...
, and ''Harry Potter'' co-stars Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (; born 22 December 1962) is an English actor, film producer, and director. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Ralph Fiennes, various accolades, including a British Academy Film ...
and Brendan Gleeson
Brendan Gleeson (born 29 March 1955) is an Irish actor. He has received various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, two British Independent Film Awards and three IFTA Awards, along with nominations for an Academy Award, three BAFTA Aw ...
. In 2009, Poésy appeared in '' Heartless'' opposite Jim Sturgess. She reprised her role as Fleur Delacour
The Order of the Phoenix is a fictional organisation in the ''Harry Potter'' series of novels by J. K. Rowling. Founded by Albus Dumbledore to fight Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, the Order lends its name to the fifth book of the series, ' ...
in both ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling. It is the seventh and final novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. It was released on 21 July 2007 in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury Publish ...
'' movies. She played Chuck Bass
Charles Bartholomew Bass is a fictional character in the novel and television series '' Gossip Girl''. In the TV series, he is portrayed by British actor Ed Westwick. Although he is a secondary antagonist in the original book series, the TV se ...
's new French girlfriend, Eva, in the fourth season of the CW hit show ''Gossip Girl
''Gossip Girl'' is an American teen drama television series created and developed by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage and based on the series of novels of the same name by Cecily von Ziegesar. It follows a group of students on Manhattan's ...
''.
In 2010, Poésy appeared alongside James Franco
James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has starred in numerous films, including Sam Raimi's Spider-Man (2002 film series), ''Spider-Man'' trilogy (2002–2007), ''Milk (2008 American film), Milk'' (200 ...
in ''127 Hours
''127 Hours'' is a 2010 biographical drama film co-written, produced, and directed by Danny Boyle. The film mainly stars James Franco, with Kate Mara, Amber Tamblyn, and Clémence Poésy appearing in brief supporting roles. In the film, cany ...
'', directed by Danny Boyle
Daniel Francis Boyle (born 20 October 1956) is an English director and producer. He is known for his work on the films ''Shallow Grave (1994 film), Shallow Grave'' (1994), ''Trainspotting (film), Trainspotting'' (1996) and its sequel ''T2 Tra ...
. ''127 Hours'' was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the most prestigious and largest publicly attended film festivals in the world. Founded in 1976, the festival takes place every year in early September. The organi ...
on 12 September 2010, following its premiere at the 2010 Telluride Film Festival
The Telluride Film Festival (TFF) is a film festival held annually in Telluride, Colorado, during Labor Day, Labor Day weekend (the first Monday in September). The 51st Telluride Film Festival, 51st edition took place on August 30–September ...
.
In 2011, she appeared alongside Rupert Friend
Rupert William Anthony Friend (born October 1981) is a British actor. He first gained recognition for his roles in ''The Libertine (2004 film), The Libertine'' (2004) and ''Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont'' (2005), both of which won him awards for ...
in ''Lullaby for Pi'', a romantic drama and Benoit Philippon's directorial debut. The film is about a jazz singer (Friend) whose wife has just died and who meets a mysterious woman (Poésy). Forest Whitaker
Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor, filmmaker, and activist. His accolades include an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Best Actor Award at the ...
also starred. She can be heard singing on the album ''Colour of the Trap'' by Miles Kane. She is featured on the track "Happenstance".
She worked alongside Michael Caine
Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, 14 March 1933) is a retired English actor. Known for his distinct Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films over Michael Caine filmography, a career that spanned eight decades an ...
in '' Mr. Morgan's Last Love'', and in 2012 made her Broadway debut in ''Cyrano de Bergerac
Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac ( , ; 6 March 1619 – 28 July 1655) was a French novelist, playwright, epistolarian, and duelist.
A bold and innovative author, his work was part of the libertine literature of the first half of the 17th ce ...
'' as Roxane.
In 2013, Poésy was the female lead in the Sky Atlantic
Sky Atlantic is a British pay television channel owned by Sky Group, Sky Group Limited that launched in 2011 and broadcasts in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The channel airs original British-produced dramas like ''Fortitude (TV series), F ...
/ Canal+ series '' The Tunnel'', which comprised 24 episodes over three series. In 2019, she played the part of Yelena in Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; ; 29 January 1860 – 15 July 1904) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer, widely considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career as a playwright produced four classics, and his b ...
's '' Uncle Vanya'' at the Theatre Royal in Bath.
In 2024, Poésy will portray Matilda of Flanders in the upcoming period drama '' King and Conqueror''.
Modelling career
Poésy has been featured in numerous magazines, including the covers of '' i-D'', on French magazine '' Jalouse'' twice, on Australia's ''Yen'', and on ''Nylon
Nylon is a family of synthetic polymers characterised by amide linkages, typically connecting aliphatic or Polyamide#Classification, semi-aromatic groups.
Nylons are generally brownish in color and can possess a soft texture, with some varieti ...
''. Since October 2007, Poésy has been one of three spokesmodels for the self-titled fragrance by Chloé
Chloé () is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1952 by Gaby Aghion. In 1953, Aghion joined forces with Jacques Lenoir, formally managing the business side of the brand, allowing Aghion to purely pursue the creative growth of Chloé. It ...
, and has modelled in Gap's 2008 autumn advertising campaign.
In December 2011, Poésy was chosen as the face of the designer clothing company G-Star Raw. In 2014, she became the poster girl for the "Love Story" fragrance from Chloé
Chloé () is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1952 by Gaby Aghion. In 1953, Aghion joined forces with Jacques Lenoir, formally managing the business side of the brand, allowing Aghion to purely pursue the creative growth of Chloé. It ...
.
Personal life
Poésy is fluent in French and English, and speaks some Italian and Spanish. She divides her time between homes in Paris and London, and has spent some time in Eastern Europe. Politically, she identifies as "very clearly on the left
Left may refer to:
Music
* ''Left'' (Hope of the States album), 2006
* ''Left'' (Monkey House album), 2016
* ''Left'' (Helmet album), 2023
* "Left", a song by Nickelback from the album ''Curb'', 1996
Direction
* Left (direction), the relativ ...
."
In early 2017, she gave birth to a son, Liam. In 2019, while filming '' Tenet'', she was pregnant with her second child. At the Deauville American Film Festival
The Deauville American Film Festival () is a yearly film festival devoted to Cinema of the United States, American cinema, which has taken place since 1975 in Deauville, France.
It was established by Lionel Chouchan, André Halimi, and then ...
2021 she was pregnant with her third child.
Filmography
Film
Television
Theatre
Decorations
* Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters (2015)
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Poesy, Clemence
1982 births
French female models
French film actresses
French television actresses
French stage actresses
Living people
Paris Nanterre University alumni
People from L'Haÿ-les-Roses
Actresses from Île-de-France
20th-century French actresses
21st-century French actresses
Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres