Catherine Deneuve (born October 22, 1943) is an iconic French actress known for playing cool blondes with hidden depths in the work of some of Europe’s greatest directors. Her legendary beauty and classical elegance have made her famous throughout the world where she is as well known for her promotion of perfume and fashion as she is for her acting.
Deneuve was the third of four daughters born to the French actors Maurice Dorléac and Renée Deneuve. She landed a small role in the 1957 film Les Collégiennes (The Twilight Girls) and began her film career in earnest in 1960 with an appearance in Les Petits Chats (“The Little Cats,” released in English as Wild Roots of Love). She became an international star with her acclaimed performance in director Jacques Demy’s romantic classic Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (1964; The Umbrellas of Cherbourg).
During the 1960s and ’70s, Deneuve was in great demand by several of the world’s leading directors, such as Roman Polanski (Repulsion, 1965) and Terence Young (Mayerling, 1968). She worked for Luis Buñuel on the highly acclaimed French-Italian coproduction Belle de jour (1967) and the equally acclaimed French-Italian-Spanish coproduction Tristana (1970). She appeared sporadically in American films, perhaps most memorably in The April Fools (1969) with Jack Lemmon and in Hustle (1975) with Burt Reynolds.
In 1986, Deneuve introduced her own perfume, Deneuve. She is also a designer of glasses, shoes, jewelry and greeting cards.
Deneuve was the third of four daughters born to the French actors Maurice Dorléac and Renée Deneuve. She landed a small role in the 1957 film Les Collégiennes (The Twilight Girls) and began her film career in earnest in 1960 with an appearance in Les Petits Chats (“The Little Cats,” released in English as Wild Roots of Love). She became an international star with her acclaimed performance in director Jacques Demy’s romantic classic Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (1964; The Umbrellas of Cherbourg).
During the 1960s and ’70s, Deneuve was in great demand by several of the world’s leading directors, such as Roman Polanski (Repulsion, 1965) and Terence Young (Mayerling, 1968). She worked for Luis Buñuel on the highly acclaimed French-Italian coproduction Belle de jour (1967) and the equally acclaimed French-Italian-Spanish coproduction Tristana (1970). She appeared sporadically in American films, perhaps most memorably in The April Fools (1969) with Jack Lemmon and in Hustle (1975) with Burt Reynolds.
In 1986, Deneuve introduced her own perfume, Deneuve. She is also a designer of glasses, shoes, jewelry and greeting cards.
