Agnès Jaoui

Biography

Agnès Jaoui, born on October 19, 1964, in Antony, Hauts-de-Seine, is a multifaceted French actress, screenwriter, film director, and singer of Tunisian Jewish heritage. Growing up in a family of writers—her parents Hubert and Gyza Jaoui—she moved to Paris at the age of eight, where her passion for performance emerged during her high school years at Lycée Henri-IV. At 15, she enrolled in Cours Florent and soon caught the eye of director Patrice Chéreau, who cast her in the film "Hôtel de France" (1987).

Jaoui, together with her longtime collaborator and partner Jean-Pierre Bacri, penned the play "Cuisine et dépendances," which was adapted for the screen in 1992. They gained prominence with the César Award-winning film “Smoking/No Smoking” (1993), an exploration of choice and fate. Their 1996 film "Family Resemblances" (Un air de famille) solidified their reputation for insightful social commentary through humor, earning another César Award.

Jaoui made her directorial debut with "The Taste of Others" (Le Goût des autres, 2000), which became a box-office hit in France, garnering multiple César Awards, including Best Film. Her second film, "Look at Me" (Comme une image, 2004), won the Best Screenplay award at Cannes. Jaoui's most recent feature, "Under the Rainbow" (Au bout du conte, 2012), creatively revisits classic fairy tales, showcasing her unique voice in cinema.