Born on August 9, 1976 in Beaumont, France, Audrey showed an interest for comedy at an early age and started her acting lessons at `Cours Florent'. In 1998 she won the best young actress award in the ninth `Jeune Comedien de Cinema Festival' in Bezier. Then, she came to the attention of Tonie Marshall who gave her a role in her film Vénus beauté (institut) for which she won a Best New Actress Cesar. 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 Amélie has been a phenomenal success worldwide.
A Very Long Engagement (2004): 885,000 Euros
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). Grew up in Montlucon in central France. Although invited, she did not attend the private screening of Amélie organized and attended by President Jacques Chirac. She had a previous engagement with her brother. When Emily Watson dropped out of Amélie, director Jean-Pierre Jeunet cast Tautou after seeing her on a billboard of the movie Vénus beauté (institut) in Paris near his home in Bastille. After Amélie, she and her sister went on a roadtrip in Indonesia where no one recognized her. Favourite authors are Victor Hugo, Oscar Wilde and Paul Auster. Favourite poets are Charles Baudelaire and Tristan Tzara. Favourite music composers are Ravel, Mozart and Frédéric Chopin. Once was told by a medium that she was going to be 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 Moore are her idols. Band Brand New has song named after her, titled 'Tautou' featured on their album Deja Entendu. French citizen. Shares birthday with writer Robert Shaw, and soccer players Filippo Inzaghi and Michael Silvestre. Loves painting. Her favorite painters are Turner, Manet, Schiele, Ingres and Delacroix. Favourite movies are Barry Lyndon and Breathless. 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].