*Audrey Tautou
(40 years old)
9 August 1976
Beaumont, Puy-de-Dôme, France
5' 3" (1.60 m)
(40 years old)
9 August 1976
Beaumont, Puy-de-Dôme, France
5' 3" (1.60 m)
It came as a surprise to even Audrey: "I was so certain I could not be chosen that I told her that she probably dialled a wrong number." The director chose her for her natural nature: "She came, she gaffed, she turned reddish, her ears were in a funny position and her hair was relaxed. In five minutes, she gave me the heart of the character, a petite young girl who would like to be a lady and will become a woman." In 2000, Audrey was again nominated for a Cesar and her movie Amelie (2001) has been a phenomenal success worldwide.
Was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in June 2004. Is now a member.
She speaks excellent English.
Ranked #29 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World" (2002).
Although invited, she did not plan on attending the private screening of Amelie (2001) organized and attended by President Jacques Chirac. She had a previous engagement with her brother (he was sworn in as a policeman that day). Director Jeunet told the French president that she was in Portugal. When she finally showed up, Jacques Chirac told her he thought she was in Portugal; she simply answered "you'll have to check your sources".
When Emily Watson dropped out of Amelie (2001), director Jean-Pierre Jeunet cast Tautou after seeing her on a billboard of the movie Venus, salón de belleza (1999) in Paris near his home in Bastille.
After Amelie (2001), she and her sister went on a roadtrip in Indonesia where no one recognized her.
Once was told by a medium that she was going to be the mother of twins at age 30.
Studied at the Cours Florent in Paris.
Also studied literature at university.
Her father is a dental surgeon and her mother is a teacher.
She said that Meryl Streep, Paul Newman, Juliette Lewis, Jodie Foster, and Julianne Mooreare her idols.
The band Brand New has song named after her, titled "Tautou", featured on their album "Deja Entendu".
French citizen.
Favourite movies are Barry Lyndon (1975) and Al final de la escapada (1960).
Grew up in Montluçon, in central France.
Is the eldest of four children. She has a brother and two sisters.
She takes pictures of her interviewers and puts them in scrapbook.
Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#62). [2007].
Boyfriend is rock singer Matthieu Chedid, also known as "M".
Her parents named her after Audrey Hepburn.
Was ranked the 2nd most stylish woman of 2009 by Vogue UK.
Is the face of Chanel n°5.
Shooting El código Da Vinci (2006) and preparing her next French film, Un engaño de lujo(2006). [August 2005]
Paris, France - Filming Juntos, nada más (2007). [April 2006]
Was considered for the tole of Madame Maxime on Harry Potter y el cáliz de fuego (2005), but the role eventually went to Frances de la Tour.
I show through my movies that I can do something else. But I always play strong-minded characters. I think it's maybe because I'm like that. I love being by myself.
I'm a tomb when it comes to my personal life. I never give even a mote of dust of that away."
Hollywood doesn't need me. After 'Amélie,' I didn't get any offers that interested me. I have very eclectic tastes, but it's important for me that a movie be sensitive, clever and subtle.
Everyone thinks I have an ethnic origin, and could be from North Africa or parts of Asia, or Italy and Spain. But, as far as I know, I'm 100-percent French.
I believe in God, but I am not sure to trust Him so much.
I figured that maybe it would be interesting to try a blockbuster, but I never thought it'd happen to me.
I think it's very difficult for French people to work in Hollywood because it's such a huge industry, and to be able to create some space for yourself is a hard job. Plus, the language doesn't help. You can work almost only as a foreign character. Then there's the French film industry, which is not amazingly well, but is able to finance big productions. We have wonderful directors - they might not be as famous as Steven Spielberg, but they bring me so much pleasure.
I don't know where I'm going to be in three years. Because I have the feeling that the future is so full of possibilities, to stop being an actress, to do something else... for me, the future is just a huge bunch of discoveries.
After each experience, you grow up, you get enriched with something, and you don't know how you're going to be in six months, you don't know what you're going to want, what you're going to need.
I'm not sure I'm quite ready to have someone be a prospector of jobs for me, because I believe there's some kind of destiny involved with meeting people... some things are just meant to happen.
People in France are very intrusive when they recognize you. In New York, they are very polite, with quick words, so it's great.
[on Laetitia Colombani]: I found her very precise. She knew exactly what she wanted. Even though she's very young, she managed to control the whole production. She knew her subject - this strange kind of madness - very well because she had studied it for a very long time.
I don't really have this fantasy of being in a blockbuster. I'm not excited by fame, money and power.
It's so easy and comfortable to lie to yourself. Success is to become who you are. I think Hollywood thinks in a totally different way. But I think that as a human being, and not only an actress, that's really how you lead a successful life.
[on Claude Miller, director of 'Therese'] In all of his movies, he never judged his characters. He let the audience form their own opinions. He's not one to give all the answers away.
I understand and feel empathy for people who are different, people who feel different. Sometimes the social pressure doesn't allow them to know themselves, to know who they are. For me 'Therese' is a victim of that.
Audrey Justine Tautou was born on August 9, 1976 in Beaumont, France, to Evelyne Marie Laure (Nuret), a teacher, and Bernard Tautou, a dental surgeon. - IMDb Mini Biography By: AE < born2slippy@hotmail.com>
Trivia*
She nearly never got the chance to play the wonderful Amélie Poulain, as director Jean-Pierre Jeunet was considering British actress Emily Watson for the role of Amélie.
Was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in June 2004. Is now a member.
She speaks excellent English.
Ranked #29 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World" (2002).
Although invited, she did not plan on attending the private screening of Amelie (2001) organized and attended by President Jacques Chirac. She had a previous engagement with her brother (he was sworn in as a policeman that day). Director Jeunet told the French president that she was in Portugal. When she finally showed up, Jacques Chirac told her he thought she was in Portugal; she simply answered "you'll have to check your sources".
When Emily Watson dropped out of Amelie (2001), director Jean-Pierre Jeunet cast Tautou after seeing her on a billboard of the movie Venus, salón de belleza (1999) in Paris near his home in Bastille.
After Amelie (2001), she and her sister went on a roadtrip in Indonesia where no one recognized her.
Once was told by a medium that she was going to be the mother of twins at age 30.
Studied at the Cours Florent in Paris.
Also studied literature at university.
Her father is a dental surgeon and her mother is a teacher.
She said that Meryl Streep, Paul Newman, Juliette Lewis, Jodie Foster, and Julianne Mooreare her idols.
The band Brand New has song named after her, titled "Tautou", featured on their album "Deja Entendu".
French citizen.
Favourite movies are Barry Lyndon (1975) and Al final de la escapada (1960).
Grew up in Montluçon, in central France.
Is the eldest of four children. She has a brother and two sisters.
She takes pictures of her interviewers and puts them in scrapbook.
Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#62). [2007].
Boyfriend is rock singer Matthieu Chedid, also known as "M".
Her parents named her after Audrey Hepburn.
Was ranked the 2nd most stylish woman of 2009 by Vogue UK.
Is the face of Chanel n°5.
Shooting El código Da Vinci (2006) and preparing her next French film, Un engaño de lujo(2006). [August 2005]
Paris, France - Filming Juntos, nada más (2007). [April 2006]
Was considered for the tole of Madame Maxime on Harry Potter y el cáliz de fuego (2005), but the role eventually went to Frances de la Tour.
Personal Quotes*
I wouldn't mind being in an American film for a laugh, but I certainly don't want to be in Thingy Blah Blah 3, if you know what I mean.
I show through my movies that I can do something else. But I always play strong-minded characters. I think it's maybe because I'm like that. I love being by myself.
I'm a tomb when it comes to my personal life. I never give even a mote of dust of that away."
Hollywood doesn't need me. After 'Amélie,' I didn't get any offers that interested me. I have very eclectic tastes, but it's important for me that a movie be sensitive, clever and subtle.
Everyone thinks I have an ethnic origin, and could be from North Africa or parts of Asia, or Italy and Spain. But, as far as I know, I'm 100-percent French.
I believe in God, but I am not sure to trust Him so much.
I figured that maybe it would be interesting to try a blockbuster, but I never thought it'd happen to me.
I think it's very difficult for French people to work in Hollywood because it's such a huge industry, and to be able to create some space for yourself is a hard job. Plus, the language doesn't help. You can work almost only as a foreign character. Then there's the French film industry, which is not amazingly well, but is able to finance big productions. We have wonderful directors - they might not be as famous as Steven Spielberg, but they bring me so much pleasure.
I don't know where I'm going to be in three years. Because I have the feeling that the future is so full of possibilities, to stop being an actress, to do something else... for me, the future is just a huge bunch of discoveries.
After each experience, you grow up, you get enriched with something, and you don't know how you're going to be in six months, you don't know what you're going to want, what you're going to need.
I'm not sure I'm quite ready to have someone be a prospector of jobs for me, because I believe there's some kind of destiny involved with meeting people... some things are just meant to happen.
People in France are very intrusive when they recognize you. In New York, they are very polite, with quick words, so it's great.
[on Laetitia Colombani]: I found her very precise. She knew exactly what she wanted. Even though she's very young, she managed to control the whole production. She knew her subject - this strange kind of madness - very well because she had studied it for a very long time.
I don't really have this fantasy of being in a blockbuster. I'm not excited by fame, money and power.
It's so easy and comfortable to lie to yourself. Success is to become who you are. I think Hollywood thinks in a totally different way. But I think that as a human being, and not only an actress, that's really how you lead a successful life.
[on Claude Miller, director of 'Therese'] In all of his movies, he never judged his characters. He let the audience form their own opinions. He's not one to give all the answers away.
I understand and feel empathy for people who are different, people who feel different. Sometimes the social pressure doesn't allow them to know themselves, to know who they are. For me 'Therese' is a victim of that.
Salary*
Un long dimanche de fiançailles (2004) €885.000
Ensemble, c'est tout (2007) €1.000.000
Coco avant Chanel (2009) €1.500.000
De vrais mensonges (2010) €1.125.000
La délicatesse (2011) €768.410
