# Yolande Moreau

Yolande Moreau (born 27 February 1953) is a Belgian comedian, actress, film director and screenwriter. She has won three César Awards from four nominations.

## Career

She made her cinematic debut with director Agnès Varda in two movies: Sept pièces (1984) and Vagabond (1985). In 1989, she joined Jérôme Deschamps and Macha Makeieff's troupe, of which she became one of the stars, especially on the TV programme, Les Deschiens. She played La Levaque in Germinal (1993) directed by Claude Berri, a concierge in the film Amélie (2001) and Mama Chow in Micmacs (2009) (both directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet), a mime in Paris, Je T'aime (2006) and a lovesick woman in Vagabond (1985) directed by Agnès Varda. She made her directorial debut with the movie When the Sea Rises, which she co-wrote and starred in. The movie was acclaimed by critics, and Yolande Moreau won two César Awards for Best Debut and Best Actress. Moreau stars in the French horror thriller film The Pack, which premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. Her 2013 film Henri was screened in the Directors' Fortnight section at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.
Moreau was scheduled to be the guest of honour at the 2017 Brussels Film Festival, but this edition had to be cancelled after subsidies were withdrawn.

## Personal life

At 18, she met an older man. Together they have two children, Héloïse and Nils, but they separated when Yolande was 21. Alone with her two children, she worked in various trades, including as a housekeeper. She is the grandmother of four grandchildren.

## Awards and honours

Moreau has won three César Awards: one for Best First Film (in 2005) and two for Best Actress (in 2005 and 2009) and is the most awarded Belgian actress.

## Theater

| Year | Title | Author | Director |
| 1974 | Julien de Bruxelles | Josette Marx | Marcel Cornelis |
| 1981-86 | Sale affaire du sexe et du crime | Yolande Moreau | Yolande Moreau |
| 1986 | Sous-sol | Arnold Boiseau | Arnold Boiseau |
| 1988 | Britannicus | Jean Racine | Herbert Rolland |
| 1989-91 | Lapin chasseur | Jérôme Deschamps & Macha Makeieff | Jérôme Deschamps & Macha Makeieff |
| 1992-94 | Les brigands | Jacques Offenbach | Jérôme Deschamps & Macha Makeieff |
| 1992-93 | Les pieds dans l'eau | Jérôme Deschamps & Macha Makeieff | Jérôme Deschamps & Macha Makeieff |
| 1994-96 | C'est magnifique | Jérôme Deschamps & Macha Makeieff | Jérôme Deschamps & Macha Makeieff |
| 1997 | Les Précieuses ridicules | Molière | Jérôme Deschamps & Macha Makeieff |
| 1999-2001 | Les Pensionnaires | Jérôme Deschamps & Macha Makeieff | Jérôme Deschamps & Macha Makeieff |
| 2000 | Les Précieuses ridicules | Molière | Jérôme Deschamps & Macha Makeieff |
| 2007 | Sale affaire du sexe et du crime | Yolande Moreau | Yolande Moreau |
| 2018-19 | Prévert | Jacques Prévert | Yolande Moreau & Christian Olivier |

## Filmography
### Actress

| Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
| 1984 | 7p., cuis., s. de b., ... à saisir | Yolande | Agnès Varda | Short |
| 1985 | Vagabond | Yolande | Agnès Varda | |
| 1985 | Vivement ce soir | A client | Patrick Van Antwerpen | |
| 1989 | Le jour de congé | | Carole Laganière | Short |
| 1991 | Navarro | The Maid | Gérard Marx | TV series (1 episode) |
| 1992 | My Wife's Girlfriends | The Concierge | Didier Van Cauwelaert | |
| 1993 | Germinal | La Levaque | Claude Berri | |
| 1993 | Son of the Shark | The Driver | Agnès Merlet | |
| 1993 | Loonies at Large | Bus's Driver | Marco Pico | |
| 1993 | La lettre inachevée | Lydia | Chantal Picault | TV movie |
| 1993–2002 | Les Deschiens | Yolande | Jérôme Deschamps & Macha Makeïeff | TV series |
| 1995 | The Three Brothers | The Shop Owner | Didier Bourdon & Bernard Campan | |
| 1995 | Happiness Is in the Field | Lucette | Étienne Chatiliez | |
| 1995 | The Horseman on the Roof | Madame Rigoard | Jean-Paul Rappeneau | |
| 1995 | Maigret | Madame Popineau | Pierre Joassin | TV series (1 episode) |
| 1995 | L'avocate | Marie-Jo | Philippe Lefebvre | TV series (1 episode) |
| 1996 | The Green Beautiful | Nicole | Coline Serreau | |
| 1996 | Baloche | Jacqueline Van Bersen | Dominique Baron | TV movie |
| 1996 | Le cheval de coeur | Josiane | Charlotte Brandström | TV movie |
| 1997 | An Air So Pure | Laure Surville | Yves Angelo | |
| 1997 | Tout doit disparaître | Irène Millard | Philippe Muyl | |
| 1998 | Full Moon | Marie Rochat | Fredi M. Murer | |
| 1998 | Let There Be Light | Contractual God | Arthur Joffé | |
| 1998 | Le choix d'une mère | Madame Parmentier | Tommy Collins & Jacques Malaterre | TV movie |
| 1999 | L'Ami du jardin | Miss Pogut | Jean-Louis Bouchaud | |
| 1999 | Merci mon chien | Marie-Do | Philippe Galland | |
| 1999 | Le Voyage à Paris | The Baker | Marc-Henri Dufresne | |
| 1999 | Premier Noël | The Teacher | Kamel Cherif | Short |
| 2001 | Amélie | Madeleine Wallace | Jean-Pierre Jeunet | |
| 2001 | The Milk of Human Kindness | Babette | Dominique Cabrera | |
| 2001 | Sa mère, la pute | Annie | Brigitte Roüan | TV movie |
| 2002 | Step by Step | Chantal Bex | Philippe Blasband | |
| 2002 | A Piece of Sky | Madame Pasquier | Bénédicte Liénard | |
| 2002 | Le Champ dolent, le roman de la terre | Louise | Hervé Baslé | TV Mini-Series |
| 2003 | Body to Body | The Teacher | François Hanss | |
| 2003 | Welcome to the Roses | Marsanne | Francis Palluau | |
| 2003 | Joséphine | | Joël Vanhoebrouck | Short |
| 2003 | Grand ciel | Colette | Noël Alpi | Short |
| 2004 | Folle embellie | Hélène | Dominique Cabrera | |
| 2004 | When the Sea Rises | Irène | Yolande Moreau & Gilles Porte | |
| 2004 | La vie est si courte | | Hervé Baslé | TV movie |
| 2005 | Ze Film | The Kodak's Woman | Guy Jacques | |
| 2005 | The Axe | The Post Clerk | Costa-Gavras | |
| 2005 | Bunker Paradise | Claire | Stefan Liberski | |
| 2006 | Locked Out | Gina | Albert Dupontel | |
| 2006 | Paris, je t'aime | The Mime | Sylvain Chomet | |
| 2006 | Call Me Elisabeth | Rose | Jean-Pierre Améris | |
| 2006 | Au crépuscule des temps | Margoline Ekh | Sarah Lévy | TV movie |
| 2006 | Le Cri | Marie | Hervé Baslé | TV Mini-Series |
| 2007 | The Last Mistress | Countess of Artelles | Catherine Breillat | |
| 2007 | Vous êtes de la police ? | Christine Léger | Romuald Beugnon | |
| 2008 | Séraphine | Séraphine Louis | Martin Provost | |
| 2008 | Mia and the Migoo | The Sorceress | Jacques-Rémy Girerd | |
| 2008 | A Day at the Museum | Madame Stenthels | Jean-Michel Ribes | |
| 2008 | Louise Hires a Contract Killer | Louise Ferrand | Benoît Delépine & Gustave Kervern | |
| 2008 | Villa Marguerite | Adèle Grandclément | Denis Malleval | TV movie |
| 2009 | Incognito | Madame Champenard | Éric Lavaine | |
| 2009 | Micmacs | Mama Chow | Jean-Pierre Jeunet | |
| 2009 | La Véritable Histoire du chat botté | The Queen | Pascal Hérold, Jérôme Deschamps, ... | |
| 2010 | Mammuth | Catherine Pilardosse | Benoît Delépine & Gustave Kervern | |
| 2010 | The Pack | La Spack | Franck Richard | |
| 2010 | Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life | Fréhel | Joann Sfar | |
| 2010 | Ya basta! | | Benoît Delépine & Gustave Kervern | Short |
| 2010 | Le grand restaurant | A client | Gérard Pullicino | TV movie |
| 2011 | The Long Falling | Rose Mayer | Martin Provost | |
| 2012 | Not Dead | Punk Girl's Mother | Benoît Delépine & Gustave Kervern | |
| 2012 | In the House | Rosalie / Eugénie | François Ozon | |
| 2012 | Camille Rewinds | Camille's Mother | Noémie Lvovsky | |
| 2012 | Cendrillon au Far West | Felicity | Pascal Hérold | |
| 2012 | Dessine-moi un bouton | Rosela Jankovski | Gary Lebel | Short |
| 2013 | Henri | Aunt Michelle | Yolande Moreau | |
| 2013 | 9 Month Stretch | Bob's Mother | Albert Dupontel | |
| 2014 | Ablations | Wortz's Assistant | Arnold de Parscau | |
| 2014 | Brèves de comptoir | Madame Lamelle | Jean-Michel Ribes | |
| 2015 | Journey Through China | Liliane Rousseau | Zoltan Mayer | |
| 2015 | The Brand New Testament | God's Wife | Jaco Van Dormael | |
| 2015 | Clim Arts | Terrae | Daniel Schick | TV movie |
| 2016 | Saint-Amour | Marie | Benoît Delépine & Gustave Kervern | |
| 2016 | A Woman's Life | Adélaïde Le Perthuis des Vauds | Stéphane Brizé | |
| 2016 | The Childhood of a Leader | Mona | Brady Corbet | |
| 2016 | Apollinaire – 13 film-poèmes | Voice | Charlie Belin, Marjorie Caup, ... | Short |
| 2017 | Crash Test Aglaé | Marcelle | Éric Gravel | |
| 2017 | De toutes mes forces | Madame Cousin | Chad Chenouga | |
| 2017 | Two Snails Set Off | Voice | Jean-Pierre Jeunet & Romain Segaud | Short |
| 2017 | Ceci n'est pas un trou | The grand-mother | Lucie Thocaven | Short |
| 2017 | Capitaine Marleau | Catherine Rougemont | Josée Dayan | TV series (1 episode) |
| 2018 | I Feel Good | Monique Pora | Benoît Delépine & Gustave Kervern | |
| 2018 | Raymonde or the vertical escape | Raymonde | Sarah Van Den Boom | Short |
| 2019 | Cleo | Jet | Eva Cools | |
| 2019 | Rebels | Nadine Dewulder | Allan Mauduit | |
| 2019 | The Summer House | Jacqueline | Valeria Bruni Tedeschi | |
| 2020 | How to Be a Good Wife | Gilberte Van der Beck | Martin Provost | |
| 2021 | Mum Is Pouring Rain | Granny Onion | Hugo de Faucompret | Short |
| 2021 | Les enfants de Bohème | Manie | Judith Chemla | Short |
| 2021 | Le Grand restaurant 3 | Christine | Romuald Boulanger & Pierre Palmade | TV movie |
| 2022 | Les sans-dents | Calamity | Pascal Rabaté | |
| 2022 | Zaï Zaï Zaï Zaï | Inspector Jeanne Weber | François Desagnat | |
| 2022 | En même temps | Madame Bianca | Benoît Delépine & Gustave Kervern | |
| 2023 | Scarlet | The magician | Pietro Marcello | |
| 2023 | Le principal | Estelle | Chad Chenouga | |
| 2023 | La fiancée du poète | Mireille Stockaert | Yolande Moreau | |
| 2024 | Captives | Camomille | Arnaud des Pallières | |
| 2024 | Angelo dans la forêt mystérieuse | Mémé | Alexis Ducord & Vincent Paronnaud | |
| 2024 | Je ne me laisserai plus faire | Rosalie | Gustave Kervern | TV movie |

### Filmmaker

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 2004 | When the Sea Rises | |
| 2013 | Henri | |
| 2016 | Nulle part, en France | Documentary |
| 2023 | La fiancée du poète | |

## Box-office

Movies starring Yolande Moreau with more than a million of entries in France.
| | Films | Director | Year | France (entries) |
| 1 | Amélie | Jean-Pierre Jeunet | 2001 | 8,636,041 |
| 2 | The Three Brothers | Didier Bourdon, Bernard Campan | 1995 | 6,897,098 |
| 3 | Germinal | Claude Berri | 1993 | 6,161,776 |
| 4 | Happiness Is in the Field | Étienne Chatiliez | 1995 | 4,931,618 |
| 5 | The Horseman on the Roof | Jean-Paul Rappeneau | 1995 | 2,552,695 |
| 6 | 9 Month Stretch | Albert Dupontel | 2013 | 2,070,776 |
| 7 | Micmacs | Jean-Pierre Jeunet (2) | 2009 | 1,258,804 |
| 8 | Incognito | Éric Lavaine | 2009 | 1,250,138 |
| 9 | Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life | Joann Sfar | 2010 | 1,199,451 |
| 10 | In the House | François Ozon | 2012 | 1,195,518 |
| 11 | Vagabond | Agnès Varda | 1985 | 1,080,143 |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
| 1982 | Festival du Rire de Rochefort – First Prize | Sale affaire du sexe et du crime | Won |
| 2005 | César Award for Best Actress | When the Sea Rises | Won |
| 2005 | César Award for Best First Feature Film | When the Sea Rises | Won |
| 2005 | European Film Award for European Discovery of the Year | When the Sea Rises | Nominated |
| 2005 | Festival International du Film de Namur – Best Actress | When the Sea Rises | Won |
| 2005 | Joseph Plateau Award for Best Belgian Actress | When the Sea Rises | Nominated |
| 2005 | Joseph Plateau Award for Best Belgian Screenplay | When the Sea Rises | Nominated |
| 2005 | Louis Delluc Prize for Best first Film | When the Sea Rises | Won |
| 2008 | Molière Award - Best One Man Show | Sale affaire du sexe et du crime | Nominated |
| 2009 | Cairo International Film Festival – Best Actress | Séraphine | Won |
| 2009 | César Award for Best Actress | Séraphine | Won |
| 2009 | Dublin Film Critics' Circle – Best Actress | Séraphine | Won |
| 2009 | Étoiles d'Or – Best Actress | Séraphine | Won |
| 2009 | European Film Award for Best Actress | Séraphine | Nominated |
| 2009 | Globes de Cristal Award for Best Actress | Séraphine | Nominated |
| 2009 | Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress | Séraphine | Won |
| 2009 | Lumières Award for Best Actress | Séraphine | Won |
| 2009 | National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress | Séraphine | Won |
| 2009 | Newport Beach Film Festival – Best Actress | Séraphine | Won |
| 2009 | Village Voice Film Poll for Best Actress | Séraphine | Nominated |
| 2009 | Festival de la fiction TV de La Rochelle – Best Actress | Villa Marguerite | Won |
| 2010 | Magritte Award for Best Actress | Mammuth | Nominated |
| 2010 | Magritte Award for Best Supporting Actress | Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life | Nominated |
| 2011 | Magritte Award for Best Actress | The Long Falling | Nominated |
| 2012 | Magritte Award for Best Supporting Actress | Camille Rewinds | Won |
| 2013 | César Award for Best Supporting Actress | Camille Rewinds | Nominated |
| 2014 | Cannes Film Festival – SACD Prize | Henri | Nominated |
| 2014 | Gijón International Film Festival – Best Film | Henri | Won |
| 2014 | Magritte Award for Best Film | Henri | Nominated |
| 2014 | Magritte Award for Best Director | Henri | Nominated |
| 2014 | Magritte Award for Best Screenplay | Henri | Nominated |
| 2014 | São Paulo International Film Festival – Best Feature Film | Henri | Nominated |
| 2015 | Magritte Award for Best Actress | Journey Through China | Nominated |
| 2015 | Magritte Award for Best Supporting Actress | The Brand New Testament | Nominated |
| 2017 | Magritte Award for Best Supporting Actress | A Woman's Life | Nominated |
| 2018 | Magritte Award for Best Actress | I Feel Good | Nominated |
| 2019 | Magritte Award for Best Supporting Actress | Cleo | Nominated |
| 2019 | Molière Award - Best Musical | Prévert | Nominated |
| 2021 | César Award for Best Supporting Actress | How to Be a Good Wife | Nominated |
| 2023 | Angoulême Francophone Film Festival - Best Screenplay | La fiancée du poète | Won |
| 2024 | Magritte Award for Best Actress | La fiancée du poète | Nominated |