Sophie Marceau Biography
Sophie Marceau is a French actress who became a beauty and style icon of the late 80s and early 90s. She shot to fame playing Vic Beretton in "La Boum" and Valentine Ezquerra in the French romantic comedy "L'Étudiante." She's also worked as a screenwriter and film director, and has even tried her hand at singing. Her accolades include several film awards, notably the Montreal Film Festival's Best Director prize for "Speak to Me of Love" and a César. She is the author of a semi-autobiographical book "Telling Lies."
Childhood, Youth, Family
Sophie Danièle Sylvie Maupu was born in fall 1966 to Parisian parents Simone Morisset and Benoît Maupu. They already had a son, Sylvain. Her parents weren't involved in the arts: her mother worked as a salesperson in a small shop in Gentilly, a Paris suburb, and her father was a truck driver who traveled frequently for work.
Soon, the sequel to the hit film, "La Boum 2," was made, for which Marceau received the César Award for Most Promising Actress.A real ordeal. I was a shy, introverted kid and suddenly found myself in the spotlight, under scrutiny. Primarily from my family. It was unbearable for me. I remember, as a kid, looking at monuments and thinking: 'How terrible it must be to stand like that in everyone's view.' And then I became a living statue, exposed to all winds.
Film Career and Theater
Sophie Marceau's transition to adult roles kicked off with Maurice Pialat's gritty crime drama "Police," where she played young drug dealer Noria, who seduces a cop to protect her friends.
In the late '90s, Marceau took on the striking role of villainess Elektra King in the iconic James Bond franchise. The nineteenth Bond film, starring Pierce Brosnan, was titled "The World Is Not Enough." While critics weren't impressed with the film, audiences loved it—and Sophie's charming, rebellious, and intelligent character. The mystery surrounding Elektra's true loyalties kept viewers guessing right until the final scene. Audiences felt Marceau's performance even outshone Bond's "official" girlfriend, played by Denise Richards.
Marceau was set to star alongside Christopher Lambert in Joachim Masannek's war drama "Save the Last Bullet" in 2021, though she hasn't shared any further details about the project.
Sophie Marceau's Personal Life
The actress has openly discussed starting her romantic life at a young age, which she says negatively affected her confidence and self-worth. However, when she met Polish director Andrzej Żuławski in 1982—he was 26 years older than the 16-year-old Marceau—she found the security and confidence she'd been missing.
The actress appears to be single now, or she's keeping any new relationships out of the spotlight.
Sophie Marceau Now
The French film star lives in a mansion in the suburbs of Paris. She's passionate about painting and swimming, and works as a brand ambassador for several companies.