Josiane Balasko
Josiane Balasko (born Josiane Balašković; 15 April 1950) is a French actress, writer and director. She has been nominated seven times for César Awards, and won twice.
Josiane Balasko | |
|---|---|
 Josiane Balasko in February 2014. | |
| Born | Josiane Balašković 15 April 1950 Paris, France |
| Occupation | Actress, comedian, director, writer |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Partner(s) | Bruno Moynot (1974-1981) Philippe Berry (1982-1999) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives |
|
| Awards | César Award for Best Writing 1996 French Twist Honorary César 2000 Lifetime Achievement |
Career
One of Balasko's most recognized roles among English speakers is as a lesbian in 1995's Gazon maudit (French Twist). She won the 1996 César Award (shared with Telsche Boorman) for best screenplay, and was also nominated as best director. The movie itself was nominated for best film. Balasko's other César nominations for best actress were for Too Beautiful for You (1989), Tout le monde n'a pas eu la chance d'avoir des parents communistes (1993), and Cette femme-là (2003).
1973–1980: The beginning
She began her career in 1973 and was 23 years old when she first appeared on screen, in the short L'Agression, with Patrick Bouchitey. She was in the movie L'an 01, directed by Jacques Doillon. After an absence of three years she returned to the screen in 1976 in the film The Tenant, directed by Roman Polanski, with a screenplay written by him and Gérard Brach. The movie was based on the novel written by Roland Topor.
Her career really exploded in 1977, with her appearing in seven films over the course of the year. She first appeared in "Solveig et le Violon turc", with Eugène Ionesco and Dominique Lavanant. Then, she played Simone in "Une fille unique" alongside her boyfriend at the time, Bruno Moynot. She made an appearance in Animal, directed by Claude Zidi, on a screenplay written by him, Michel Audiard and Dominique Fabre. It was a big success with more than three million attendances in France, the movie was #5 in 1977 in France. She appeared in Pardon Mon Affaire, Too!, directed by Yves Robert and written by him and Jean-Loup Dabadie. The movie was also a big success with more than two million attending in France alone, and was no.8 in 1977 in France.[1]
She played Nadine in This Sweet Sickness, directed by Claude Miller, based on the novel written by Patricia Highsmith. The movie starred Gérard Depardieu, Miou-Miou, Claude Piéplu, Dominique Laffin and Christian Clavier. She also acted, under the direction of Philippe Monnier, in Monsieur Papa, in which the dialogue was written by Jean-Marie Poiré.
She starred alongside Claude Brasseur, Nathalie Baye, Daniel Auteuil and Éva Darlan. Finally, she appeared (in an uncredited role) in Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo, directed by Vincent McEveety, written by Don Nelson. With almost three millions attendances in France and nearly 30 million worldwide, the movie was a big success.
In 1978, she played in "Si vous n'aimez pas ça, n'en dégoûtez pas les autres", with Gérard Jugnot and Thierry Lhermitte, and in "Les Petits Câlins", directed by Jean-Marie Poiré, alongside Dominique Laffin, Françoise Bertin and Gérard Jugnot. Then, she was in La Tortue sur le dos.
She had the leading role in the comedy "Pauline et l'Ordinateur", for which she wrote the dialogue and where she acted next to Gérard Jugnot, Éva Darlan, Jacques Attali and Marie-Anne Chazel. Finally, she played Nathalie Morin in the cult comedy Les Bronzés, directed by Patrice Leconte, with her friends from Le Splendid, Marie-Anne Chazel, Michel Blanc, Gérard Jugnot, Thierry Lhermitte, Christian Clavier and Dominique Lavanant. The movie was a hit with more than two million attendances.[2]
In 1979, she played Emma-Ammé in one episode of the TV Mini-Series, "Les Quatre Cents Coups de Virginie", alongside Anémone. Then Nathalie Morin again, in the sequel Les 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", with Daniel Auteuil, Gérard Jugnot, Roland Giraud, Gérard Lanvin, Michel Blanc, Thierry Lhermitte, Marie-Anne Chazel and Christian Clavier.
1981–1990: directing debut
The year 1981 was very successful for Josiane. First, she played Louise in Clara et les Chics Types. Later, she had the leading role in the very successful comedy Les 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 named Le Maître d'école, directed by Claude Berri. This film was also commercially successful, the #9 movie at the French Box Office in 1981.[5] She then played Colette, a supporting role, in Hotel America, directed by André Téchiné, also starring Catherine Deneuve and Patrick Dewaere.
In 1982, she was in another cult movie, Le Père Noël est une ordure, directed for the third time by Jean-Marie Poiré. The film was commercially successful.[6]
In 1983, she had two comedy hits. Papy fait de la résistance, which was #7 in the 1983 French box office.[7] and Signes extérieurs de richesse, another success.[8]
In 1984, she played a supporting role in the comedy P'tit Con, directed by Gérard Lauzier. She then had the leading role in another comedy, La smala, directed by Jean-Loup Hubert. Finally, she played a supporting role in the comedy La vengeance du serpent à plumes directed by Gérard Oury. The movie was her biggest success of that year.[9] In 1985, she appeared in the movie Tranches de vie directed by François Leterrier. That year she also made her directional debut with the comedy Sac de noeuds, which she wrote, directed and starred in.
1990 onward
Since 1990 she has enjoyed a busy career acting in numerous films in a very wide variety of roles but having an international directing success in 1995 with Gazon Maudit (French Twist), in which she co-starred with Alain Chabat and gained her a César for best screenplay and a nomination for best film. In 2006 she was re-united once again with the Le Splendid team for another Bronzés film Bronzés 3: Amis pour La Vie.
Personal life
Bruno Moynot was her partner from 1974 until 1981. In a second union with sculptor Philippe Berry (brother of actor Richard Berry), she had a daughter, Marilou Berry (born 1 February 1983, Paris), also an actress, and an adopted son, Rudy Berry (born 1988). Divorced from Philippe Berry in 1999, she married Native American actor George Aguilar in 2003, whom she met on the set of The Frenchman's Son in 1999.
In July 2018, her daughter Marilou Berry announced on her Instagram account that she was pregnant with her first child. Her boy, Andy, was born in November 2018 and was Balasko's first grandchild.
Filmography
Actress
| 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 | Nominated - César Award for Best Actress |
| 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 | Nominated - César Award for Best Actress |
| 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 | Nominated - César Award for Best Actress |
| 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 | Nominated - Women Film Critics Circle for Courage in Acting Award |
| 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 | |
| L'intervention | Michèle Sampieri | ||
| Les envoûtés | Leonora Evesco | ||
| Beaux-parents | Coline Rossi | ||
| By the Grace of God | Irène Thomassin | Pending - César Award for Best Supporting Actress | |
| Vous êtes jeunes vous êtes beaux | Mona | ||
| Le Bazar de la Charité | Madame Huchon | TV Mini-Series | |
| 2020 | L'esprit de famille | Marguerite | |
| C'est la vie | Dominique | Completed | |
| TBA | La pièce rapportée | La Reine Mère | Completed |
| Un tour chez ma fille... | Jacqueline Mazerin | Post-Production | |
| Tralala | Post-Production | ||
| Mes très chers enfants | Chantal | Filming | |
Director / Writer
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Sac de noeuds | |
| 1987 | Les keufs | |
| 1991 | My Life Is Hell | |
| 1995 | French Twist | César Award for Best Writing Palm Springs International Film Festival - Best Foreign Language Film Lumières Award for Best Screenplay Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film Nominated - César Award for Best Film Nominated - César Award for Best Director Nominated - GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film – Limited Release Nominated - Festival du Film Francophone - Film in Competition |
| 1998 | Un grand cri d'amour | |
| 2005 | L'Ex-femme de ma vie | |
| 2008 | Cliente | Nominated - Sundance Film Festival for Grand Jury Prize : World Cinema Dramatic Nominated - Rome Film Festival for Golden Marc'Aurelio Award Nominated - City of Lights, City of Angels - In Competition Nominated - Hublot d'Or - Best Adaptation Nominated - Young Public Award - Best Adaptation Nominated - RAIMU Award - Best Comedy Film Nominated - RAIMU Award - Best Actress Nominated - RAIMU Award - Best Screenplay Nominated - RAIMU Award - Best Direction Nominated - Festival du Film Francophone - Film in Competition |
| 2013 | Demi-soeur |
Box-office
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 |
Theater
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | La pipelette ne pipa pas | also author and director |
| 1971 | Quand j'srai grande, j'srai paranoïaque | also author and director |
| 1973 | Jeanne l'ébouriffée | |
| 1975 | Silence là-dedans | |
| 1976 | Le Pot de terre contre le pot de vin | |
| Ginette Lacaze | ||
| 1977 | Amour, coquillages et crustacés | |
| 1979 | Le Père Noël est une ordure | |
| 1982 | Bunny's bar | also author and director |
| 1985-1988 | Nuit d'ivresse | also author and director |
| 1989 | L'Ex-femme de ma vie | also author and director |
| 1992 | Solo | also director |
| 1996-97 | Un grand cri d'amour | also author and director |
| 2002 | Nuit d'ivresse | also author and director |
| 2006 | Dernier Rappel | also author and director |
| 2009 | Tout le monde aime Juliette | also author and director |
| 2011-12 | La nuit sera chaude | also author and director |
| 2014-15 | Un grand moment de solitude | also author and director |
| 2016-18 | The Woman Destroyed | |
| 2017 | Corps de bataille | |
| 2019 | Un chalet à Gstaad | also author and director |
Writer
- 2004 : Cliente, it became a movie in 2008 directed and starring Balasko, with Nathalie Baye, Éric Caravaca, Isabelle Carré, Catherine Hiegel, Marilou Berry, George Aguilar, Richard Berry and Maria Schneider.
- 2006 : Parano express
- 2011 : La nuit sera chaude, it became a play in 2011-2012
- 2019 : Jamaiplu
References
- http://www.jpbox-office.com/charts_france.php?qpage=datefr&infla=no&variable=1977
- http://www.jpbox-office.com/charts_france.php?qpage=datefr&infla=no&variable=1978
- http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=7634
- http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=7248
- http://www.jpbox-office.com/charts_france.php?qpage=datefr&infla=no&variable=1981
- http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=7055&affich=france
- http://www.jpbox-office.com/charts_france.php?qpage=datefr&infla=no&variable=1983
- http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=6856
- http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=6611
- http://www.lesuricate.org/le-festival-international-du-film-de-comedie-de-liege-2018-cest-parti/
