Juliette Binoche, daughter of an actress and a sculptor, was only 23 when she first attracted the attention of international film critics with The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times film critic with an international following of his books on film and TV reviews, wrote that she was "almost ethereal in her beauty and innocence". That innocence was gone by the time Binoche completed Louis Malle's Damage (aka "Fatale"). In an interview after the film was released, Binoche said: "Malle was trying direct and wanted something more sophisticated". A year later, Krzysztof Kieslowski's Three Colors: Blue was added to her film credits. After a sabbatical from film-making to become a mother in 1994, Binoche was selected as the heroine of France's most expensive ($35 million) movie ever: The Horseman on the Roof. More recently, she has made The English Patient, for which she won an Oscar for 'Best supporting actress' and Chocolat.



Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#48) (1995). Ranked #93 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list (October 1997). Gave birth to her son Raphaël, whose father is Andre Halle, a professional scuba driver, on 2 September 1993. Her parents divorced when she was four, so she grew up living between each parent and a Catholic boarding school. Companion of Benoît Magimel from 1999 to 2003. Learned to play the violin for Alice et Martin (1998). She is the highest paid French actress in history (2002) She was the companion of Olivier Martinez between 1994 and 1997. Was the advertising face of Lancome perfume "Poeme" from 1995 to 2000 She is affectionately known by the French press simply as "La Binoche". She has turned down Hollywood many times. Is an avid painter. In 1994, she exhibited work done in collaboration with the designer Christian Fenouillat. She has also designed posters for a number of her movies including Les amants du Pont-Neuf (1991) and Les enfants du siècle (1999). Binoche is currently working on a poster for Country of My Skull (2004). Binoche and Merle Oberon have both played George Sand in Les enfants du siècle (1999) and in A Song to Remember (1945) respectively. They have also both played Cathy in Wuthering Heights. Binoche in the 1992 version and Oberon in the 1939 version. Appears on the cover of Lauren Lawrence's book "Private Dreams of Public people" Was nominated for Broadway's 2001 Tony Award as Best Actress (Play) for a revival of Harold Pinter's "Betrayal." Godmother to nine Cambodian children. Her grandmother was Polish actress from Czestochowa, named Mlynarczyk. Was offered the role of Dr. Ellie Sattler in Jurassic Park (1993), but turned it down to make Trois couleurs: Bleu (1993). As of 2007, her companion is Santiago Amigorena. She returned as the face of Lancome perfume "Poeme" in January 2008 after an 8 year break. Favorite book: "Talking With Angels" by Gitta Mallasz. 'Gael Garcia Bernal' lists Juliet Binoche as his favorite actress. Close friends with her The English Patient (1996) costar Ralph Fiennes.