Josiane Balasko | |
|---|---|
 Balasko in 2014 | |
| Born | Josiane Balašković (1950-04-15)15 April 1950 (age 75) Paris, France |
| Occupations | Actress, comedian, director, writer |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Spouse | |
| Partner(s) | Bruno Moynot (1974–1981) Philippe Berry (1982–1999) |
| Children | 2, includingMarilou Berry |
| Relatives |
|
| Awards | César Award for Best Original Screenplay or Adaptation 1996French Twist Honorary César 2000 Lifetime Achievement |
Josiane Balasko (bornJosiane Balašković; 15 April 1950) is a French actress, writer, and director. She has been nominated seven times forCésar Awards, and won twice.
One of Balasko's most recognized roles among English speakers is as a lesbian in 1995'sGazon maudit (French Twist). She won the 1996César Award (shared with Telsche Boorman) forBest Original Screenplay or Adaptation, and was also nominated asBest Director. The movie was nominated forBest Film.
Balasko's other César nominations forBest Actress were forToo Beautiful for You (1989),Tout le monde n'a pas eu la chance d'avoir des parents communistes (1993), andThat Woman (2003).[citation needed]
Balasko began her career in 1973. She was 23 years old when she first appeared on screen, in the shortL'Agression, withPatrick Bouchitey. She was in the movieL'an 01, directed byJacques Doillon.
After an absence of three years she returned to the screen in 1976 in the filmThe Tenant, directed byRoman Polanski, with a screenplay written by him andGérard Brach. The movie was based on the novel written byRoland Topor.[citation needed]
Balasco career exploded in 1977, when she appeared in seven films over the course of the year. She first appeared inSolveig et le Violon turc, withEugène Ionesco andDominique Lavanant. She played Simone inUne fille unique, alongside her boyfriend at the time,Bruno Moynot.
She appeared inAnimal, directed byClaude Zidi, with a screenplay written by him,Michel Audiard, andDominique Fabre. It was a big success with more than three million attendances in France; the movie was #5 in 1977 in France. She appeared inPardon Mon Affaire, Too!, directed byYves Robert and written by him andJean-Loup Dabadie. The movie was also a big success, with more than two million attending in France alone, and was #8 in 1977 in France.[1]
She played Nadine inThis Sweet Sickness, directed byClaude Miller, based on the novel written byPatricia Highsmith. The movie starredGérard Depardieu,Miou-Miou,Claude Piéplu,Dominique Laffin, andChristian Clavier.
She also acted inMonsieur Papa, directed by Philippe Monnier, and with dialogue written byJean-Marie Poiré. Balasko starred alongsideClaude Brasseur,Nathalie Baye,Daniel Auteuil andÉva Darlan.
In 1978, Balasko played in "Si vous n'aimez pas ça, n'en dégoûtez pas les autres", withGérard Jugnot andThierry Lhermitte, and in "Les Petits Câlins", directed by Jean-Marie Poiré, alongside Dominique Laffin,Françoise Bertin andGérard Jugnot. Then, she was inLa Tortue sur le dos.[citation needed]
Balasko had the leading role in the comedy "Pauline et l'Ordinateur", for which she wrote the dialogue and where she acted next toGérard Jugnot,Éva Darlan,Jacques Attali andMarie-Anne Chazel. Finally, she played Nathalie Morin in thecult comedyLes Bronzés, directed byPatrice Leconte, with her friends fromLe Splendid,Marie-Anne Chazel,Michel Blanc,Gérard Jugnot,Thierry Lhermitte,Christian Clavier andDominique Lavanant. The movie was a hit with more than two million attendances.[2]
In 1979, Balasko played Emma-Ammé in one episode of the TV Mini-Series, "Les Quatre Cents Coups de Virginie", alongsideAnémone. Then Nathalie Morin again, in the sequelLes Bronzés font du ski with the same cast, which was also a success with more than a millions attendances.[3] She also appeared as a client in the movie "Les héros n'ont pas froid aux oreilles", withDaniel Auteuil,Gérard Jugnot,Roland Giraud,Gérard Lanvin,Michel Blanc,Thierry Lhermitte,Marie-Anne Chazel andChristian Clavier.
1981 was very successful for Balasko. First, she played Louise inClara et les Chics Types. Later, she had the leading role in the comedyLes hommes préfèrent les grosses. The movie was a commercial success. It was directed by Jean-Marie Poiré, who co-wrote the film, with Balasko.[4] After this, she was in another comedy namedLe Maître d'école, directed byClaude Berri. This film was also commercially successful, the #9 movie at the French Box Office in 1981.[5] She played Colette, a supporting role, inHotel America, directed byAndré Téchiné. It starredCatherine andPatrick Dewaere.
In 1982, Balasko was in another cult movie,Le Père Noël est une ordure, directed for the third time byJean-Marie Poiré. The film was commercially successful.[6]
In 1983, Balasko had two comedy hits.Papy fait de la résistance, which was #7 in the 1983 French box office,[7] andSignes extérieurs de richesse, another success.[8]
In 1984, Balasko played a supporting role in the comedyP'tit Con, directed byGérard Lauzier. She had the leading role in the comedy,La smala, directed byJean-Loup Hubert. Finally, she played a supporting role in the comedyLa vengeance du serpent à plumes directed byGérard Oury. The movie was her biggest success of that year.[9] In 1985, she appeared in the movieTranches de vie directed by François Leterrier. That year she also made her directoral debut with the comedySac de noeuds, which she wrote, directed and starred in.[citation needed]
Since 1990, Balasko has enjoyed a busy career acting in numerous films in a very wide variety of roles but having an international directing success in 1995 withGazon Maudit (French Twist), in which she co-starred withAlain Chabat and gained her aCésar forBest Original Screenplay or Adaptation and a nomination forBest Film. In 2006 she was re-united once again with the Le Splendid team for another Bronzés filmBronzés 3: Amis pour La Vie.
In 2018, Balasko record a song with the rapperMac Tyer on his albumC'est la street mon pote.
In February 2019, Balasko received theCrystal Comedy Award during the4th Festival International du Film de Comédie de Liège to reward her career.[10]
Bruno Moynot was her partner from 1974 until 1981.[11] In a second union with sculptor Philippe Berry (brother of actorRichard Berry), she had a daughter,Marilou Berry (born 1 February 1983), also an actress, and an adopted son, Rudy Berry (born 1988). She divorced from Philippe Berry in 1999 and married American actorGeorge Aguilar in 2003, whom she met on the set ofThe Frenchman's Son in 1999.[12]
| † | Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | The Year 01 | ||
| 1976 | The Tenant | Viviane | |
| An Unusual Girl | Simone | ||
| 1977 | Pardon Mon Affaire, Too! | Josy | |
| This Sweet Sickness | Nadine | ||
| Animal | Supermarket Girl | ||
| Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo | Uncredited | ||
| Monsieur Papa | |||
| 1978 | French Fried Vacation | Nathalie Morin | |
| The Little Wheedlers | Corinne | ||
| Pauline et l'Ordinateur | Pauline | ||
| Si vous n'aimez pas ça, n'en dégoûtez pas les autres | A spectator | ||
| Like a Turtle on Its Back | |||
| 1979 | French Fried Vacation 2 | Nathalie Morin | |
| Heroes Are Not Wet Behind the Ears | A client | ||
| 1980 | Les Quatre Cents Coups de Virginie | Emma-Ammé | TV Mini-Series |
| 1981 | Men Prefer Fat Girls | Lydie Langlois | |
| Le Maître d'école | Mrs. Lajoie | ||
| Hotel America | Colette | ||
| Clara et les Chics Types | Louise | ||
| 1982 | Santa Claus Is a Stinker | Madame Musquin | |
| 1983 | Signes extérieurs de richesse | Béatrice Flamand | |
| Gramps Is in the Resistance | The pharmacist | ||
| 1984 | P'tit Con | Rolande | |
| La smala | Simone | ||
| The Vengeance of the Winged Serpent | Jackie | ||
| 1985 | All Mixed Up | Anita | |
| Slices of Life | Madame Dupuis | ||
| 1986 | Nuit d'ivresse | Frède | |
| The Joint Brothers | Aline | ||
| 1987 | Lady Cops | Insp. Mireille Molineux | |
| 1988 | Without Fear or Blame | Handmaid | |
| Une nuit à l'Assemblée Nationale | The journalist | ||
| 1989 | Too Beautiful for You | Colette Chevassu | |
| 1991 | My Life Is Hell | Leah Lemonier | |
| The Professional Secrets of Dr. Apfelgluck | The scientist | ||
| 1993 | Not Everybody's Lucky Enough to Have Communist Parents | Irène | |
| Shadow of a Doubt | Sophia | ||
| 1994 | Dead Tired | Herself | |
| 1995 | French Twist | Marijo | |
| 1997 | Didier | Madame Massart | |
| Arlette | Arlette Bathiat | ||
| 1998 | Un grand cri d'amour | Gigi Ortega | |
| 1999 | The Frenchman's Son | Suzanne | |
| 2000 | The Libertine | Baroness Holbach | |
| Actors | André Dussollier 2 | ||
| Chicken Run | Bernadette | French Voice | |
| 2001 | A Crime in Paradise | Lucienne Braconnier | |
| Absolutely Fabulous | Edith "Eddie" Mousson | ||
| 2002 | The Race | Madame Jo | |
| 2003 | That Woman | Michèle Varin | |
| 2004 | Madame Édouard | Nina Tchitchi | |
| 2005 | The Ex-Wife of My Life | Marie-Pierre Sarrazin | |
| It's Our Life! | Blanche Delhomme | ||
| I Saw Ben Barka Get Killed | Marguerite Duras | ||
| 2006 | French Fried Vacation 3 | Nathalie Morin | |
| David Nolande | Sofia | TV series (1 Episode) | |
| 2007 | The Red Inn | Rose Martin | |
| The Key | Michèle Varin | ||
| 2008 | A French Gigolo | Irène | |
| Ruby Blue | Stéphanie | ||
| A Day at the Museum | Mother in Chanel | ||
| Françoise Dolto, le désir de vivre | Françoise Dolto | TV movie | |
| 2009 | The Hedgehog | Renée Michel | |
| Park Benches | Solange Renivelle | ||
| Neuilly Yo Mama! | School's director | ||
| 2010 | Holiday | Christiane Mercier | |
| 2011 | A Happy Event | Claire | |
| Beur sur la ville | Mamie Nova | ||
| 2012 | Sport de filles | Joséphine de Silène | |
| Maman | Paulette Mine | ||
| Mes héros | Olga | ||
| 2013 | Demi-soeur | Antoinette Novack | |
| 2014 | Aunt Hilda! | Dolorès | |
| Les Gazelles | Brigitte | ||
| The law of Barbara | Barbara Malo | TV Mini-Series | |
| 2015 | The Roommates Party | Alexandra Leclère | |
| Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir | Josiane / Sarah | TV series (1 Episode) | |
| 2016 | Back to Mom's | Jacqueline Mazerin | |
| Arrête ton cinéma | Brigitte | ||
| Joséphine, Pregnant & Fabulous | Josephine's mother | ||
| Par tous les seins | Voice | Short | |
| 2017 | Let the Sunshine In | Maxime | |
| The New Adventures of Cinderella | Josépha | ||
| 2018 | Bécassine | Mademoiselle Châtaigne | |
| Volontaire | Muriel Baer | ||
| J'ai perdu Albert | Simone Le Couidec | ||
| Neuilly sa mère, sa mère ! | Madame Bachelot | ||
| 2019 | All Inclusive | Lulu | |
| Les envoûtés | Leonora Evesco | ||
| Beaux-parents | Coline Rossi | ||
| 15 Minutes of War | Michèle Sampieri | ||
| By the Grace of God | Irène Thomassin | ||
| Vous êtes jeunes vous êtes beaux | Mona | ||
| Le Bazar de la Charité | Madame Huchon | TV Mini-Series | |
| 2020 | L'esprit de famille | Marguerite | |
| La pièce rapportée | Adélaïde Château-Têtard | ||
| 2021 | Tralala | Lili Rivière | |
| C'est la vie | Dominique | ||
| Mes très chers enfants | Chantal Blanc | ||
| Un tour chez ma fille... | Jacqueline Mazerin | ||
| 2023 | Des mains en or | Martha | |
| 2024 | Captives | Bobotte | |
| When Fall Is Coming† | Marie-Claude |
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1985 | Sac de noeuds |
| 1987 | Les keufs |
| 1991 | My Life Is Hell |
| 1995 | French Twist |
| 1998 | Un grand cri d'amour |
| 2005 | L'Ex-femme de ma vie |
| 2008 | Cliente |
| 2013 | Demi-soeur |
Movies starring or featuring Josiane Balasko with more than one million tickets sold at movie theatres in France.
| Films | Year | France (entries) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Les Bronzés 3: Amis pour la vie | 2006 | 10,355,930 |
| 2 | Papy fait de la résistance | 1983 | 4,104,082 |
| 3 | French Twist | 1995 | 3,990,094 |
| 4 | Animal | 1977 | 3,157,789 |
| 5 | Le Maître d'école | 1981 | 3,015,596 |
| 6 | Didier | 1997 | 2,902,960 |
| 7 | La vengeance du serpent à plumes | 1984 | 2,663,303 |
| 8 | Neuilly sa mère! | 2009 | 2,517,140 |
| 9 | Les Bronzés | 1978 | 2,308,644 |
| 10 | Back to Mom's | 2016 | 2,198,341 |
| 11 | Les Frères Pétard | 1986 | 2,179,370 |
| 12 | A Crime in Paradise | 2001 | 2,137,829 |
| 13 | Pardon Mon Affaire, Too! | 1977 | 2,080,789 |
| 14 | Too Beautiful for You | 1989 | 2,031,131 |
| 15 | Grosse fatigue | 1994 | 2,015,230 |
| 16 | Les hommes préfèrent les grosses | 1981 | 1,931,038 |
| 17 | Le Père Noël est une ordure | 1982 | 1,582,732 |
| 18 | Les Bronzés font du ski | 1979 | 1,535,781 |
| 19 | The Race | 2002 | 1,456,267 |
| 20 | Nuit d'ivresse | 1986 | 1,381,464 |
| 21 | Absolument fabuleux | 2001 | 1,370,394 |
| 22 | My Life Is Hell | 1991 | 1,170,523 |
| 23 | The Roommates Party | 2015 | 1,169,659 |
| 24 | Neuilly sa mère, sa mère! | 2018 | 1,144,597 |
| 25 | Signes extérieurs de richesse | 1983 | 1,074,802 |
| 26 | Les Keufs | 1987 | 1,071,467 |
| Year | Title | Author | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | La pipelette ne pipa pas | Josiane Balasko | Josiane Balasko |
| 1971-74 | Quand j'srai grande, j'srai paranoïaque | Josiane Balasko | Vera Gregh |
| 1972-74 | Jeanne l'ébouriffée | Catherine Dasté | Catherine Dasté |
| 1975 | Silence là-dedans | Josiane Balasko | Josiane Balasko |
| 1976 | Le Pot de terre contre le pot de vin | Le Splendid | Le Splendid |
| 1976-77 | Ginette Lacaze | Coluche | Coluche |
| Amour, coquillages et crustacés | Le Splendid | Le Splendid | |
| 1978-80 | Bunny's bar | Josiane Balasko | Josiane Balasko |
| 1979-80 | Le Père Noël est une ordure | Le Splendid | Le Splendid |
| 1985–86 | Nuit d'ivresse | Josiane Balasko | Josiane Balasko |
| 1988-89 | L'Ex-femme de ma vie | Josiane Balasko | Josiane Balasko |
| 1992-94 | Shirley Valentine | Willy Russell | Josiane Balasko |
| 1995–97 | Un grand cri d'amour | Josiane Balasko | Josiane Balasko |
| 2005-07 | Dernier rappel | Josiane Balasko | Josiane Balasko |
| 2010–12 | La nuit sera chaude | Josiane Balasko | Josiane Balasko |
| 2014–15 | Un grand moment de solitude | Josiane Balasko | Josiane Balasko |
| 2016–18 | The Woman Destroyed | Simone de Beauvoir | Hélène Fillières |
| 2021-24 | Un chalet à Gstaad | Josiane Balasko | Josiane Balasko |
Media related toJosiane Balasko at Wikimedia Commons