Josiane Balasko (born Josiane Balašković; 15 April 1950) is a French actress, writer, and director. She has been nominated seven times for

César Awards The César Award is the national film award of France. It is delivered in the ' ceremony and was first awarded in 1976. The nominations are selected by the members of twelve categories of filmmaking professionals and supported by the French Min ...

, and won twice.

Career

One of Balasko's most recognized roles among English speakers is as a lesbian in 1995's ('' French Twist''). She won the 1996

César Award Cesar or César may refer to: Arts and entertainment * César (film), ''César'' (film), a 1936 French romantic drama * César (film), ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt Places * Cesar, Portugal * Cesar Department, Colombia * Cesar R ...

(shared with Telsche Boorman) for Best Original Screenplay or Adaptation, and was also nominated as Best Director. The movie was nominated for Best Film. Balasko's other César nominations for Best Actress were for '' Too Beautiful for You'' (1989), (1993), and '' That Woman'' (2003).

1973–1980: Early years

Balasko began her career in 1973. She was 23 years old when she first appeared on screen, in the short ''L'Agression'', with Patrick Bouchitey. She was in the movie ''L'an 01'', directed by

Jacques Doillon Jacques Doillon (; born 15 March 1944) is a French film director and screenwriter. Some actresses to break through are Fanny Bastien, Sandrine Bonnaire, Judith Godrèche, Marianne Denicourt, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Juliette Binoche. Earl ...

. After an absence of three years she returned to the screen in 1976 in the film ''The Tenant'', directed by

Roman Polanski Raymond Roman Thierry Polański (; born 18 August 1933) is a Polish and French filmmaker and actor. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Roman Polanski, numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, three Britis ...

, with a screenplay written by him and

Gérard Brach Gérard Brach (23 July 1927 – 9 September 2006) was a French screenwriter best known for his collaborations with the film directors Roman Polanski and Jean-Jacques Annaud. He directed two movies: ''La Maison'' and ''The Boat on the Grass, Le B ...

. The movie was based on the novel written by

Roland Topor Roland Topor (7 January 1938 – 16 April 1997) was a French illustrator, cartoonist, comics artist, painter, novelist, playwright, film and TV writer, filmmaker and actor, who was known for the surrealism, surreal nature of his work. He was of Po ...

. Balasco career exploded in 1977, when she appeared in seven films over the course of the year. She first appeared in 'Solveig et le Violon turc'', with

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and

Dominique Lavanant Dominique Lavanant (born 24 May 1944) is a French film and theatrical actress. She is known for her comedy skills especially with posh and distinguished characters like Rosalind Russell's; characters often defined by the adjective ''BCBG'', ' ...

. She played Simone in ''Une fille unique'', alongside her boyfriend at the time, Bruno Moynot. She appeared in ''

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'', directed by

Claude Zidi Claude Zidi (born 25 July 1934) is a French film director and screenwriter noted for his mainstream burlesque comedies. Born in Paris, he started as a cameraman and then a cinematographer, and he made his directorial and screenwriting debut in 1 ...

, with a screenplay written by him, Michel Audiard, and Dominique Fabre. It was a big success with more than three million attendances in France; the movie was #5 in 1977 in France. She appeared in '' Pardon Mon Affaire, Too!'', directed by

Yves Robert Yves Robert (; 19 June 1920 – 10 May 2002) was a French actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. Life and career Robert was born in Saumur, Maine-et-Loire, France. In his teens, he went to Paris to pursue a career in acting, starting w ...

and written by him and Jean-Loup Dabadie. The movie was also a big success, with more than two million attending in France alone, and was #8 in 1977 in France. She played Nadine in '' This Sweet Sickness,'' directed by Claude Miller, based on the novel written by

Patricia Highsmith Patricia Highsmith (born Mary Patricia Plangman; January 19, 1921 – February 4, 1995) was an American novelist and short story writer widely known for her psychological thrillers, including her series of five novels featuring the character T ...

. The movie starred

Gérard Depardieu Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu (, , ; born 27 December 1948) is a French actor. An icon of French cinema, considered a world star in the same way as Alain Delon or Brigitte Bardot, he has completed over 250 films since 1967, most of which as ...

Miou-Miou Sylvette Herry (born 22 February 1950), known professionally as Miou-Miou (), is a French actress. A ten-time César Award nominee, she won the César Award for Best Actress for the 1979 film ''Memoirs of a French Whore''. Her other films inclu ...

Claude Piéplu Claude Léon Auguste Piéplu (9 May 1923, Paris – 24 May 2006, Paris) was a French theatre, film and television actor. He was known for his hoarse and frayed voice.Dominique Laffin, and Christian Clavier. She also acted in '' Monsieur Papa'', directed by Philippe Monnier, and with dialogue written by

Jean-Marie Poiré Jean-Marie Poiré (; born 10 July 1945), also credited as Jean-Marie Gaubert, is a French film director, and screenwriter. He is the son of the producer Alain Poiré. Filmography As director * ''Les petits câlins'' (''The Little Wheedlers'') (19 ...

. Balasko starred alongside Claude Brasseur,

Nathalie Baye Nathalie Marie Andrée Baye (; born 6 July 1948) is a French film, television, and stage actress. She began her career in 1970 and has appeared in more than 80 films. A ten-time César Award nominee, her four wins were for ''Every Man for Himsel ...

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and Éva Darlan. In 1978, Balasko played in "Si vous n'aimez pas ça, n'en dégoûtez pas les autres", with Gérard Jugnot and

Thierry Lhermitte Thierry Lhermitte (; born 24 November 1952) is a French actor, director, writer and producer, best known for his comedic roles. He was a founder of the comedy troupe ''Le Splendid'' in the 1970s, along with, among others, Christian Clavier, Géra ...

, and in "Les Petits Câlins", directed by Jean-Marie Poiré, alongside Dominique Laffin,

Françoise Bertin Françoise Bertin (23 September 1925 – 26 October 2014) was a French actress. She appeared in over 125 films since 1961. Among these were five films directed by Alain Resnais: '' Last Year at Marienbad'', '' Muriel'', '' The War Is Over'', ...

and Gérard Jugnot. Then, she was in ''La Tortue sur le dos''. Balasko had the leading role in the comedy "Pauline et l'Ordinateur", for which she wrote the dialogue and where she acted next to Gérard Jugnot, Éva Darlan, Jacques Attali and Marie-Anne Chazel. Finally, she played Nathalie Morin in the

cult Cults are social groups which have unusual, and often extreme, religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals. Extreme devotion to a particular person, object, or goal is another characteristic often ascribed to cults. The term ...

comedy Les Bronzés, directed by

Patrice Leconte Patrice Leconte (; born 12 November 1947) is a French film director, screenwriter and comic strip writer. Life and career Leconte grew up in Tours, and began making little amateur films at 15. He went to Paris in 1967 and studied at Institut des ...

, with her friends from Le Splendid, Marie-Anne Chazel, Michel Blanc, Gérard Jugnot,

, Christian Clavier and

. The movie was a hit with more than two million attendances. In 1979, Balasko played Emma-Ammé in one episode of the TV Mini-Series, "Les Quatre Cents Coups de Virginie", alongside Anémone. Then Nathalie Morin again, in the sequel Les Bronzés font du ski with the same cast, which was also a success with more than a millions attendances. She also appeared as a client in the movie "Les héros n'ont pas froid aux oreilles", with

, Gérard Jugnot, Roland Giraud, Gérard Lanvin, Michel Blanc,

, Marie-Anne Chazel and Christian Clavier.

1981–1990: directing debut

1981 was very successful for Balasko. First, she played Louise in '' Clara et les Chics Types''. Later, she had the leading role in the comedy ''

Les hommes préfèrent les grosses ''Men Prefer Fat Girls'' (or ''Les hommes préfèrent les grosses'') is a French comedy film directed by Jean-Marie Poiré. It was released in 1981, adapted from a script by Josiane Balasko. Plot Lydie has just paid a considerable rent deposit fo ...

''. The movie was a commercial success. It was directed by Jean-Marie Poiré, who co-wrote the film, with Balasko. After this, she was in another comedy named '' Le Maître d'école'', directed by

Claude Berri Claude Berri (; 1 July 1934 – 12 January 2009) was a French film director, writer, producer, actor and distributor. Early life Born Claude Beri Langmann in Paris, Berri was the son of Jewish immigrant parents. His mother, Beila (née Bercu), ...

. This film was also commercially successful, the #9 movie at the French Box Office in 1981. She played Colette, a supporting role, in '' Hotel America'', directed by

André Téchiné André Téchiné (; born 13 March 1943) is a French screenwriter and film director. He has a long and distinguished career that places him among the most accomplished post-French New Wave, New Wave French film directors. Téchiné belongs to a s ...

. It starred

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and

Patrick Dewaere Patrick Dewaere (26 January 1947 – 16 July 1982) was a French film actor. Born in Saint-Brieuc, Côtes-d'Armor, he was the son of French actress Mado Maurin. An actor from a young age, his career lasted more than 21 years until his suicide in ...

. In 1982, Balasko was in another cult movie, '' Le Père Noël est une ordure'', directed for the third time by

. The film was commercially successful. In 1983, Balasko had two comedy hits. '' Papy fait de la résistance'', which was #7 in the 1983 French box office, and '' Signes extérieurs de richesse'', another success. In 1984, Balasko played a supporting role in the comedy '' P'tit Con'', directed by

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. She had the leading role in the comedy, '' La smala'', directed by Jean-Loup Hubert. Finally, she played a supporting role in the comedy '' La vengeance du serpent à plumes'' directed by

Gérard Oury Gérard Oury (; born Max-Gérard Houry Tannenbaum; 29 April 1919 – 20 July 2006) was a French film director, actor and writer. Life and career Max-Gérard Houry-Tannenbaum was the only son of Serge Tannenbaum, a violinist of Russian-Jewish or ...

. The movie was her biggest success of that year. In 1985, she appeared in the movie ''Tranches de vie'' directed by François Leterrier. That year she also made her directoral debut with the comedy '' Sac de noeuds'', which she wrote, directed and starred in.

1990 onward

Since 1990, Balasko has enjoyed a busy career acting in numerous films in a very wide variety of roles but having an international directing success in 1995 with ('' French Twist''), in which she co-starred with

Alain Chabat Alain Chabat (; born 24 November 1958) is a French actor, comedian, director, screenwriter, producer and television presenter. Originally known for his work in the comedy group Les Nuls, including as the co-writer and lead actor of ''La Cité de ...

and gained her a César for Best Original Screenplay or Adaptation and a nomination for Best Film. In 2006 she was re-united once again with the Le Splendid team for another Bronzés film'' Bronzés 3: Amis pour La Vie''.

2012–present

In 2018, Balasko record a song with the rapper Mac Tyer on his album ''C'est la street mon pote''. In February 2019, Balasko received the ''Crystal Comedy Award'' during the ''4th Festival International du Film de Comédie de Liège'' to reward her career.

Personal life

Bruno Moynot was her partner from 1974 until 1981. In a second union with sculptor Philippe Berry (brother of actor Richard Berry), she had a daughter, Marilou Berry (born 1 February 1983), also an actress, and an adopted son, Rudy Berry (born 1988). She divorced from Philippe Berry in 1999 and married American actor George Aguilar in 2003, whom she met on the set of '' The Frenchman's Son'' in 1999.

Filmography

Actress

Filmmaker

Box-office

Movies starring or featuring Josiane Balasko with more than one million tickets sold at movie theatres in France.

Theater

As actress

Writer

* 2004 : '' Cliente'', it became a movie in 2008 directed and starring Balasko, with

, Éric Caravaca, Isabelle Carré, Catherine Hiegel, Marilou Berry, George Aguilar, Richard Berry and Maria Schneider. * 2006 : ''Parano express'' * 2011 : ''La nuit sera chaude'', it became a play in 2011-2012 * 2019 : ''Jamaiplu''

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* *
Josiane Balasko in Barbara's Law on Eurochannel
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balasko, Josiane 1950 births French film actresses Living people Actresses from Paris French women film directors César Award winners César Honorary Award recipients French people of Croatian descent French women screenwriters French screenwriters Film directors from Paris 20th-century French actresses 21st-century French actresses Writers from Paris French women comedians Comedians from Paris French comedy film directors