Catherine Deneuve: the life and career of a cinema icon
The celebrated French actress has been gracing the big screen for over 60 years
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CELEBRITY Catherine deneuve
Born Catherine Fabienne Dorléac on October 22, 1943, Catherine Deneuve is one of cinema's most respected actresses. Since her screen debut in 1957, Deneuve has appeared in more than 130 films, most of them French productions. Hollywood has also been graced with her presence.
Deneuve has worked with some of the greatest names in European cinema. She's acted alongside the likes of Marcello Mastroianni, Yves Montand, Gerard Depardieu, Jean-Paul Belmondo, and Isabelle Huppert, among many other respected names. She's also worked with some of the industry's most respected directors including Roger Vadim, Luis Buñuel, and François Truffaut.
A 14-time César Award nominee ( she won for 'The Last Metro' (1980) and 1992's 'Indochine'), Deneuve has also been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress (also for 'Indochine') and for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress for 'Belle de Jour' (1967). Over the years she has received numerous other accolades for her work.
Her career outside film has revolved around the world of fashion. As a model she was the face of Chanel No 5 in the late 1970s, and was considered by the American press as the world's most elegant women. She has modeled for L'Oréal Paris, the M•A•C Beauty Icon series, and appeared in Louis Vuitton advertising campaigns.
The great French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent dressed Deneuve for several films. The actress herself introduced her own perfume range, Deneuve, in 1986, and she is also a designer of shoes, accessories, and greeting cards.
When she's not working, the 75-year-old relaxes with a good book, can be found working in the garden, or decorating her home with antiques.
Click through the gallery for an appreciation of the life and work of one of cinema's most endearing stars.
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