Curiosidades

In 1996, she was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in O Paciente Inglês (1996). Legendary actress Lauren Bacall was roundly expected to win in that category for her performance in O Espelho Tem Duas Faces (1996), but Binoche won the Oscar instead, in one of the biggest surprise wins in Oscar history. In her acceptance speech, she said, "I don't have a speech prepared. I thought Lauren would get it." Bacall was given an honorary Oscar in 2010.

She was the highest paid French actress in history in the 90s and early 2000s. (2002).

Has a daughter, Hana, with French actor Benoît Magimel, born December 16th, 1999.

Joanne Harris, the author of Chocolate (2000), was stunned one weekend when she opened the front door of her small house in Barnsley, Yorkshire. On her doorstep was French actress Juliette Binoche, who had landed the lead role for the Film version of Joanne's book. Juliette loved the book and wanted to meet Joanne and she spent the weekend at the house as they discussed the book and the film to come. Juliette met Joanne's young daughter and she borrowed her bedroom to stay over for the weekend. Juliette returned the favour by inviting her to the States as a guest of Miramax films for the Oscars.

Chosen by "People" magazine as one of "the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World" (1997).

Accepted the role in Godzilla (2014) for two reasons: First of all, her son was a major fan of the original franchise and second of all, she was sent a charming letter from director Gareth Edwards in which he claimed that she was "The Queen of Acting".

Close friends with her O Morro dos Ventos Uivantes (1992), O Paciente Inglês (1996) and O Retorno (2024) co-star Ralph Fiennes.

She has turned down Hollywood many times.

Is one of 6 French actors to have won an Academy Award. The others in chronological order are: Claudette Colbert for Aconteceu Naquela Noite (1934), Simone Signoret for Almas em Leilão (1958), Lila Kedrova for Zorba, o Grego (1964), Marion Cotillard for Piaf - Um Hino ao Amor (2007) and Jean Dujardin for O Artista (2011).

She is the first actress to win the European 'Triple Crown': Best Actress at Venice, Berlin and Cannes film festivals for Trois Couleurs Bleu, The English Patient and Copie Conforme respectively.

In 2000, during promotion for the film Chocolate (2000), Binoche was invited to the White House by then president Bill Clinton. However, she was unable to make the trip as she was starring in a Broadway revival of Harold Pinter's "Betrayal". Instead, the Clintons came to New York to meet Binoche.

Is an avid painter. In 1994, she exhibited work done in collaboration with the designer Christian Fenouillat. She has also designed posters for a number of her movies including Os Amantes de Pont-Neuf (1991), Os Filhos do Século (1999) and Em Minha Terra (2004).

Famously turned down roles in three Steven Spielberg films: Indiana Jones e a Última Cruzada (1989), Jurassic Park: O Parque dos Dinossauros (1993), and A Lista de Schindler (1993).

Says Quentin Tarantino told her that her last scene in Godzilla (2014) made him cry. "Well, [Quentin] Tarantino said to me, 'That was the first time I've ever cried during a 3D blockbuster. I had to take off my glasses to wipe away my tears'.".

Appeared in her first Playboy spread aged 43 in the November 2007 French edition.

She is affectionately known by the French press simply as "La Binoche".

Her parents divorced when she was four, so she grew up living between each parent and a Catholic boarding school.

Was offered the role of Dr. Ellie Sattler in Jurassic Park: O Parque dos Dinossauros (1993), but turned it down to make A Liberdade é Azul (1993).

She, Charlotte Rampling and Isabelle Huppert are the only winners of 2 EFAs (European Film Awards) for Best Actress.

Godmother to nine Cambodian children.

Companion of Olivier Martinez between 1994 and 1997.

One of four people to have achieved the rare feat of winning the top acting prizes at the three major film festivals: Venice Film Festivel, Cannes Film Festival and Berlin International Film Festival. The others to do so are Julianne Moore, Sean Penn and Jack Lemmon. Additionally, all four actors have won acting Oscars.

Nelson Mandela is the public figure the actress most admires.

Learned to play the violin for Alice e Martin (1998).

Last name is pronounced "Bee-nosh".

Gave birth to her son Raphaël, whose father is Andre Halle, a professional scuba driver, on 2 September 1993.

Is one of 14 French actresses to have received an Academy Award nomination. The others in chronological order are: Claudette Colbert, Colette Marchand, Leslie Caron, Simone Signoret, Lila Kedrova, Anouk Aimée, Isabelle Adjani, Marie-Christine Barrault, Catherine Deneuve, Marion Cotillard, Bérénice Bejo, Emmanuelle Riva and Isabelle Huppert.

In 1990, she wrote to the president of France, François Mitterrand, to ask him for funds for her film Os Amantes de Pont-Neuf (1991). However he didn't help. In 1993, Mitterand asked Binoche to dinner at the presidential palace in Paris. When asked by the press why he invited her, he said "I dreamt one night that I kissed her, now I hope she will be my mistress". Binoche declined the invitation. Soon after, they bumped into each other in a Paris market and had a long discussion about art, love, books and poetry.

Gael García Bernal lists Juliette Binoche as his favorite actress.

Was nominated for Broadway's 2001 Tony Award as Best Actress (Play) for a revival of Harold Pinter's "Betrayal."

She returned as the face of Lancome perfume "Poeme" in January 2008 after an 8 year break.

Number 88 on Channel 4 (UK)'s 100 Greatest movie Stars.

Graduated from the CNSAD (National Conservatory of Dramatic Art of Paris)

Lists Gena Rowlands, Liv Ullmann, and Anna Magnani as her favorite actresses.

Companion of actor Mathieu Amalric from 2003 to 2004.

Was one of France's highest paid actresses during the 1990s, earning up to nearly $1 million per film.

Wrote the preface for the French book "Le grand livre de la tendresse", published in 2002.

Contributed a chapter to the book "Truth: Personas, Need, and Flaws in the Art of Building Actors and Creating Characters" by her friend and acting consultant Susan Batson.

Juliette's father, Jean-Marie Binoche, is French. Jean-Marie is also of one eighth Portuguese/Brazilian ancestry, from his own great-grandmother, Ursula Rosa de Araujo Mattos. Juliette's father was raised partly in Morocco by his French parents, and Juliette's paternal grandfather died in Agadir, Morocco. Juliette's mother, Monique Yvette Stalens, was born in Czestochowa, Poland. Juliette's maternal grandfather, Andrzej Stalens, was also born in Czestochowa, to French-born parents Henri/Henryka Stalens and Marie Rosalie Houzé, who were both of French and Belgian (Walloon) ancestry. Juliette's maternal grandmother, Julii Heleny Mlynarczyk, was born in Czestochowa as well, and had Polish ancestry; Julii's parents were Pawla Mlynarczyka and Anieli Melon. Juliette's maternal grandparents were active in the theatre.

Was the advertising face of Lancome perfume "Poeme" from 1995 to 2000

Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#48) (1995).

Sister of actress/photographer Marion Stalens and older half-sister of Camille Humeau, born in the late 70's.

As of 2022, she has been nominated 10 times for the César Awards and won once, for A Liberdade é Azul (1993).

Once worked as a cashier in a large department store in Paris while taking theater classes.

Binoche and Merle Oberon have both played George Sand - in Os Filhos do Século (1999) and in À Noite Sonhamos (1945) respectively. They have also both played Cathy in "Wuthering Heights"; Binoche in the 1992 version and Oberon in the 1939 version.

Is one of 14 actresses who won their Best Supporting Actress Oscars in a movie that also won the Best Picture Oscar (she won for O Paciente Inglês (1996)). The others are Hattie McDaniel for ...E o Vento Levou (1939), Teresa Wright for Rosa de Esperança (1942), Celeste Holm for A Luz é para Todos (1947), Mercedes McCambridge for A Grande Ilusão (1949), Donna Reed for A Um Passo da Eternidade (1953), Eva Marie Saint for Sindicato de Ladrões (1954), Rita Moreno for Amor, Sublime Amor (1961), Meryl Streep for Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), Judi Dench for Shakespeare Apaixonado (1998), Jennifer Connelly for Uma Mente Brilhante (2001), Catherine Zeta-Jones for Chicago (2002),Lupita Nyong'o for 12 Anos de Escravidão (2013) and Jamie Lee Curtis for Tudo em Todo o Lugar ao Mesmo Tempo (2022).

Ranked #93 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list (October 1997).

Appears on the cover of Lauren Lawrence's book, "Private Dreams of Public People".

Appeared in the 1998 play "Naked" in London.

Favorite book: "Talking With Angels" by Gitta Mallasz.