Bouchez was born in Montreuil-sous-Bois, Seine-Saint-Denis, Île-de-France, France. She is best known for her César Award's Most Promising Actress winning film "Wild Reeds" (1994) by André Téchiné, and the Best Actress Award for the film "La Vie rêvée des anges" at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. She also won the Best Actress award for "Poetical Refugee" (original French title "La faute à Voltaire") at the Cologne Mediterranean Film Festival-2001.