Lea Seydoux is a talented young French and Hollywood actress and model. Most viewers will remember her for the films "The Beautiful Fig Tree", "The Life of Adele", "The Maid's Diary", "007: Spectrum", "Beauty and the Beast".
Biography of Lea Seydoux
Lea Seydoux (full name Lea Helene Seydoux-Fournier de Clauzon) was born on July 1, 1985 in Paris, France. Seydoux's parents both have Alsatian roots. The Seydoux clan is widely known in France for its history and its influence. The actress's grandfather, Jerome Seydoux, is the chairman of the French film company Pathé, and her great-uncle is the chairman of the Gaumont film studio. Another great uncle is a film producer and head of the Lille football club.
Her father, Henri Seydoux, is the director and founder of the French state-of-the-art wireless technology company Parrot, and the great-great-grandson of oil businessman and investor Marcel Schlumberger. The actress's mother, Valerie Schlumberger, is a former actress-turned-philanthropist and owner of a company that promotes the work of African artists. She is also the founder of charities to help homeless children in Africa. Sister Camilla works as a stylist for the actress, and the brothers are involved in the film industry.
The girl's parents were very often on the road - her mother was often in Africa for work, and her father was on business trips. When Lea was 3 years old, her parents decided to divorce. Seydou is not the only child in the family. She grew up surrounded by four brothers and sisters, but, according to the actress, she still felt lonely in childhood.
The Seydoux family is known in the highest circles, thanks to which Lea was familiar with many celebrities from an early age, for example, singer Mick Jagger and shoe designer Christian Louboutin.
For 6 years, her father sent Lea to summer camps in the United States. He wanted his daughter to learn to be fluent in English.
Career Lea Seydoux
At a young age, Lea Seydoux wanted to become an opera singer, and even studied music at the Paris Conservatory. However, after meeting with her friend-actor, she soon abandoned this idea. "I found the life of an actor wonderful: you can travel, you are free and you can do whatever you want, you are the master of your life." Inspired by a new choice in life, Lea Seydoux decided to associate her with an acting career, and at the age of 18 began to attend classes at a French drama school, and in 2007 she continued her studies at the New York acting studio.
In 2005, Lea Seydoux made her first appearance in French singer Raphaël's music video "Ne Partons Pas Fâchés". The following year, Seydoux got her film debut, playing one of the main characters in the romantic comedy Girls on Top: The French Kiss.
Lea Seydoux attracted widespread public attention after the release of director Christophe Honore's "The Beautiful Fig Tree" in 2008, and was nominated for the César Award as "Most Promising Actress of the Year."
In 2009, Lea Seydoux landed a major role in Jessica Hausner's religious drama "Lourdes" (awarded ten prestigious awards) and starred in a short plot of her first Hollywood film, Inglourious Basterds, by Quentin Tarantino.
In 2010, the actress starred in Ridley Scott's grossing feature film, Robin Hood, opposite Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett, portraying Princess Isabella.
Other 2010 entries on Lea Seydoux's list include Louis Garrel's short film "The Little Tailor" and Rebecca Zlotowski's drama "A Fine Thorn," for which the actress was nominated for a second Cesar Award.
Lea Seydoux was nearly cast as the female lead of the informal Lisbeth Salander in the detective and crime drama The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in 2011, but the role was taken over by another little-known actress, Rooney Mara. Lea later commented, “I was upset. But I don't think I was able to go to any lengths for this role. It was completely against my nature. I tried, but Geryon Lisbeth is a physically fragile girl with anorexia, and I didn't like it."
Seydoux was cast as the saleswoman Gabrielle in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. According to the actress, she was happy to be able to star in one of her favorite directors. Lea Seydoux didn't even have to go through the casting - Woody Allen simply chose her photo from three other actresses.
2011 was the most productive year for Lea Seydoux in her film career. In the Hollywood box-office action movie Mission Impossible: Phantom Protocol, Lea Seydoux played the killer Sabin Moreau along with other world stars - Tom Cruise and Jeremy Renner.
After successful work in Hollywood, the actress returned to French cinema. In 2012, the historical melodrama Farewell, My Queen and the crime drama Sister were released. For her participation in the first drama, Seydoux was nominated for the César Prize, and the second received a special award at the Berlin Film Festival.
In the same year, Seydoux played the role of a young extraordinary student Emma in the acclaimed melodrama Adele's Life, and received the Palme d'Or at the 66th Cannes Film Festival and the Lumière Prize for her magnificent performance. Lea Seydoux was also nominated for the UK Rising Star of the Year and the César for Best Actress. Seydoux's role in Adele's Life has garnered rave reviews and international attention.
In 2014, Lea starred with Vincent Cassel in the fantasy film Beauty and the Beast, based on the fairy tale of the same name.
In 2016, the actress starred in the drama It's Just the End of the World, with Marion Cotillard, Vincent Cassel and Gaspard Ulliel as colleagues on the set. This film won the Cannes Film Festival the same year and won the 2017 César Prize.
Lea Seydoux joined the list of actresses who played the role of James Bond's girlfriend Madeleine Swann in the 24th British spy film in the action movie "007: SPECTRUM".
Among the latest works of the actress - the futuristic melodrama "Zoe" and the drama about the death of the submarine "Kursk", which is widely gaining popularity on the Internet.
In addition to her film career, Lea Seydoux often graces the covers of fashion magazines, and also becomes the face of new fragrances from famous perfume houses.
Lea Seydoux's personal life
Since 2015, the actress has been living in a civil marriage with the French fashion model Andre Meyer. On January 18, 2017, the couple had a child, who was named Georges.
