Cécile de France


Cécile de France is a Belgian actress. After achieving success in French cinema hits such as L'Art de la séduction and Irène, she gained international attention for her lead roles in High Tension and Hereafter.

Life and career

Born in Namur, she left Belgium at the age of 17 to go to Paris where she studied theatre for two years with actor Jean Paul Denizon, assistant to British director Peter Brook. She then spent three years at the acting academy :fr:École nationale supérieure des arts et techniques du théâtre|ENSATT in the Département Comédie first at the Rue Blanche in Paris, then in Lyon. She was discovered by the agent Dominique Besnehard and appeared in French hit films such as L'Art de la séduction and Irène.
Her international breakthrough came with the horror film High Tension, which was a worldwide success. She caught the eye of Hollywood producers and soon landed her first major role in a US feature, Around the World in 80 Days, in which she starred alongside Jackie Chan and Steve Coogan.
She won two César Awards for Most Promising Actress in L'Auberge espagnole, and Best Supporting Actress in Les Poupées russes.
In 2014, she hosted the 39th César Awards ceremony.
She was selected to be on the jury for the Cinéfondation and short films sections of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. She was also selected to be on the jury for the main competition section of the 68th Berlin International Film Festival.
She has two children, Lino and Joy, with musician Guillaume Siron.
In 2019 she was cast in Wes Anderson's upcoming film The French Dispatch.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2000Regarde-moi Dune
2001Toutes les nuitsThe prostitute
2001L'Art de la séductionLaure
2002L'Auberge EspagnoleIsabelle
2002IreneIrène
2002A+ PolluxPollux Lesiak
2003I, CesarSamantha
2003'KaenaVoice
2003High TensionMarie
2004Around the World in 80 DaysMonique La Roche
2004La Confiance règneChrystèle Burrel
2005Russian DollsIsabelle
2006Avenue MontaigneJessica
2006When I Was a SingerMarion
2006The ColonelLieutenant Galois
2006Bad FaithClara Breitmann
2007'Snow White / Sleeping Beauty / CinderellaVoice
2007Gone for a DanceBlanche
2007Hand of the Headless ManEva Sanders
2007A SecretTania Stirn / Grimbert
2008MesrineJeanne Schneider
2009Sister SmileJeanine Deckers
2010Gardiens de l'ordreJulie
2010HereafterMarie Lelay
2011The Kid with a BikeSamantha
2011A Butterfly KissAlice
2011Cars 2Sally CarreraVoice
2012SuperstarFleur Arnaud
2013Chinese PuzzleIsabelle
2014MöbiusAlice
2015En équilibreFlorence Kernel
2015SummertimeCarole
2016The Jungle BookRakshaFrench voice
2016Le Voyage de FannyMadame Forman
2016Term LifeLucy
2017DjangoLouise de Klerk
2017Ôtez-moi d'un douteAnna
2018Dolphin ReefThe NarratorFrench voice
2018Mademoiselle de JoncquièresMadame de la Pommeraye
2019RebellesSandra
2020The French DispatchPost-production
TBALost IllusionsPost-production

Short film

Television

Theatre