# Cécile de France

Cécile de France (French:; born 17 July 1975) is a Belgian actress. After achieving success in French cinema hits such as L'Art (délicat) de la séduction (2001) and Irène (2002), she gained international attention for her lead roles in High Tension (2003) and Hereafter (2010).

## 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 (1995–1998) at the acting academy ENSATT (École Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Techniques du Théâtre) 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 (délicat) de la séduction (2001) and Irène (2002).
Her international breakthrough came with the horror film High Tension (2003, UK title: Switchblade Romance, US title: High Tension). She caught the eye of Hollywood producers and soon landed her first major role in a US feature, Around the World in 80 Days (2004), in which she starred alongside Jackie Chan and Steve Coogan.
She won two César Awards for Most Promising Actress in L'Auberge espagnole (2002), and Best Supporting Actress in Les Poupées russes (2005). 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.
Internationally, she has appeared in two films directed by Clint Eastwood, Around the World in Eighty Days (2004) and Hereafter (2010). In 2019, she was cast in Wes Anderson's film The French Dispatch.

## Personal life

She has two children, Lino and Joy Siron, with musician Guillaume Siron.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2000 | Regarde-moi (en face) | Dune | |
| 2001 | Toutes les nuits | The Prostitute | |
| 2001 | L'Art (délicat) de la séduction | Laure | |
| 2002 | L'Auberge espagnole | Isabelle | |
| 2002 | Irene | Irène | |
| 2002 | A+ Pollux | Pollux Lesiak | |
| 2003 | I, Cesar | Samantha | |
| 2003 | Kaena: The Prophecy | Kaena | Voice |
| 2003 | High Tension | Marie | |
| 2004 | Around the World in 80 Days | Monique La Roche | |
| 2004 | La Confiance règne | Chrystèle Burrel | |
| 2005 | Russian Dolls | Isabelle | |
| 2006 | Avenue Montaigne | Jessica | |
| 2006 | When I Was a Singer | Marion | |
| 2006 | The Colonel | Lieutenant Galois | |
| 2006 | Bad Faith | Clara Breitmann | |
| 2007 | Snow White: The Sequel | Snow White / Sleeping Beauty / Cinderella | Voice |
| 2007 | Gone for a Dance | Blanche | |
| 2007 | Hand of the Headless Man | Eva Sanders | |
| 2007 | A Secret | Tania Stirn / Grimbert | |
| 2008 | Mesrine | Jeanne Schneider | |
| 2009 | Sister Smile | Jeanine Deckers | |
| 2010 | Gardiens de l'ordre | Julie | |
| 2010 | Hereafter | Marie LeLay | |
| 2011 | The Kid with a Bike | Samantha | |
| 2011 | A Butterfly Kiss | Alice | |
| 2011 | Cars 2 | Sally Carrera | Voice (French dubbed) |
| 2012 | Superstar | Fleur Arnaud | |
| 2013 | Chinese Puzzle | Isabelle | |
| 2014 | Möbius | Alice | |
| 2015 | In Harmony | Florence Kernel | |
| 2015 | Summertime | Carole | |
| 2016 | The Jungle Book | Raksha | French voice |
| 2016 | Fanny's Journey | Madame Forman | |
| 2016 | Term Life | Lucy | |
| 2017 | Django | Louise De Klerk | |
| 2017 | Just to Be Sure | Anna | |
| 2018 | Dolphin Reef | The Narrator | French voice |
| 2018 | Lady J | Madame De La Pommeraye | |
| 2019 | Rebelles | Sandra | |
| 2019 | Un monde plus grand [fr] | Corine | |
| 2021 | The French Dispatch | Mrs. B | |
| 2021 | Lost Illusions | Louise de Bargeton | |
| 2021 | Peaceful | Eugénie | |
| 2022 | The Young Lovers | Jeanne Escande | |
| 2022 | Wild Seas | Chiara | |
| 2023 | Bonnard, Pierre and Marthe | Marthe Bonnard | |
| 2023 | Second Tour | Nathalie Pove | |
| 2024 | Par amour | Sarah | |
| 2024 | Des baleines, des tortues et des hommes | Narrator | Voice |
| 2025 | The Residence | Clarissa | |

### Short film

| Year | Film |
| 1997 | Tous nos voeux de bonheur |
| 2000 | The Last Dream |
| 2000 | Bon appétit! |
| 2001 | Le Mariage en papier |
| 2002 | Loup! |
| 2002 | 3 jours, 3 euros |
| 2002 | Il était une femme |
| 2003 | Nervous Breakdown |
| 2004 | La Nuit du 6 au 7 |
| 2004 | Les Calamars n'écoutent plus la radi |
| 2008 | D'une vie à l'autre |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1991 | Cas de divorce | Gabrielle Clément | |
| 1999 | The Judge Is a Woman | Anna | |
| 2001 | Nana | Christine | Television film |
| 2003 | Petits mythes urbains | The Woman | |
| 2007 | La parure | Mathilde Loisel | |
| 2011 | Hard | Herself | |
| 2014 | Hidden Kingdoms | Narrator (French dubbed) | Documentary TV series |
| 2015 | Call My Agent! | Herself | TV series (1 Episode) |
| 2016 | The Young Pope | Sofia | Season 1 |
| 2019 | The New Pope | Sofia | Season 2 |
| 2023 | The Swarm | Dr. Cécile Roche | |
| 2023 | Greek Salad | Isabelle | 2 episodes |
| 2024 | The Legends of Paris | Narrator | Voice |

## Theatre

* 1996: Dormez je le veux by Georges Feydeau, directed by Benoît Blanpain
* 1996: Une palette rouge sang by Valeria Moretti, directed by Jean Paul Denizon
* 1996: Le songe d'une nuit d'été by William Shakespeare, directed by Pierre Pradinas
* 1997: Variations Strindberg-Feydeau, directed by Nada Strancar
* 1998: Pour nous, directed by Serguei Issayev
* 1998: Tu serais un ange tombé du ciel exprès pour nous by N. Sadour and A. Vampilov
* 1999, 2000: Electre, by Sophocle, directed by Claudia Stavisky
* 1999: Le baladin du monde occidental de John Millington Synge, directed by Philippe Delaigue
* 2001: Mademoiselle Julie by August Strindberg, directed by Gwenaël Morin
* 2001: SC35C, by Jean-Michel Frère

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 2000 | Festival du Court Métrage de Bruxelles | Acting Award | | Won |
| 2002 | César Award | Most Promising Actress | L'Auberge Espagnole | Won |
| 2002 | Lumières Award | Most Promising Actress | L'Auberge Espagnole | Won |
| 2003 | Sitges Film Festival | Best Actress | High Tension | Won |
| 2003 | Shooting Stars Award | | | Won |
| 2005 | César Award | Best Supporting Actress | Russian Dolls | Won |
| 2005 | Prix Romy Schneider | | | Won |
| 2007 | Swann d'Or | Best Actress | Avenue Montaigne | Won |
| 2007 | César Award | Best Actress | Avenue Montaigne | Nominated |
| 2007 | Globes de Cristal Award | Best Actress | Avenue Montaigne | Nominated |
| 2007 | César Award | Best Actress | When I Was a Singer | Nominated |
| 2007 | Bayard d'Or Award | Best Actress | Hand of the Headless Man | Won |
| 2008 | César Award | Best Actress | A Secret | Nominated |
| 2008 | Globes de Cristal Award | Best Actress | A Secret | Won |
| 2009 | Magritte Award | Best Actress | Sister Smile | Nominated |
| 2010 | Saturn Award | Best Actress | Hereafter | Nominated |
| 2011 | European Film Award | Best Actress | The Kid with a Bike | Nominated |
| 2011 | Magritte Award | Best Actress | The Kid with a Bike | Nominated |
| 2016 | César Award | Best Actress | Summertime | Nominated |
| 2018 | Magritte Award | Best Actress | Just to Be Sure | Nominated |
| 2019 | Magritte Award | Best Actress | Mademoiselle de Joncquières | Nominated |
| 2020 | Magritte Award | Best Actress | A Bigger World | Nominated |
| 2022 | César Awards | Best Supporting Role | Lost Illusions | |