Must Know Facts About Marion Cotillard

Known for her role in La Vie en Rose and blockbuster films like Inception, 45-year-old French actress Marion Cotillard is one of the age-defying faces in film and fashion. In honor of her birthday today, here are 15 rare facts about the movie star.

1. Born in 1975 on September 30, Cotillard grew up in Orléans, France. Her parents, Jean-Claude Cotillard and Niseema Theillaud, who both dabbled in acting.

2. Cotillard has two younger twin brothers, Quentin and Guillaume, both of whom have stayed away from the limelight.

3. Cotillard's first performance was a role in one of her father’s plays. Discovering her passion at such a young age, Marion attended the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Départemental d'Orléans (Conservatory Of Music). After graduating in 1994, the then-aspiring actress set her eyes on the silver screen. 

4. In 1993, Cotillard landed her first English-speaking role as Lori Bellian in Highlander. Soon, she made her featured film starring debut in L'Histoire du Garçon qui Voulait qu'on L'embrasse (The Story of a Boy Who Wanted to Be Kissed) in 1994. In Chloé—in which Cotillard played the film's titular character—Édith Piaf’s song "La Vie en Rose" foreshadowed Cotillard’s future success.

5. Soon, Cotillard was became a notable name in cinema. She appeared in the French action comedy Taxi, and would later reprise her roles for three (out of its five) sequels. She was nominated for a César Award for Most Promising Actress in 1999.

6. For her role in La Guerre dans le Haut Pays (War in the Highlands), Cotillard won the Best Actress Award at the Autrans Film Festival in 1999. It would be the first award in her collection of achievements.  

7. Cotillard finally made her Hollywood debut in Tim Burton’s Big Fish as Joséphine working alongside several well-known names like Helena Bonham Carter, Jessica Lange, and Ewan McGregor.

8. Dedicated to her role in the coming-of-age film Toi et moi (You and I), she learned how to play the cello. A trained musician, Cotillard also plays the keyboard, guitar, bass guitar, and tambourine. 

9. For the biopic in La Vie en Rose (Life in Pink), director Olivier Dahan chose Cotillard to play Édith Piaf, the famous French chanteuse. The film became a worldwide hit, and Colliard’s portrayal skyrocketed her to popularity. She ended up winning not only a César Award but also an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Lumières Award, and Golden Globe. 

10. Many people assume that Guillaume Canet is Cotillard’s husband, but no—they are not married. The French actor and director is  Cotillard’s partner (who she refers to as “boyfriend”),and they have two children together.

11. Starring alongside Brad Pitt in the WWII-themed film Allied, Cotillard played the strong-willed Marianne, the French resistance fighter. During that same time, Cotillard was one of Google’s Most Searched Actresses of 2016—placing her second after Meghan Markle. 

12. In 2008, she became the face of Lady Dior, the character created by British designer John Galliano. She would reunite with director Dahan in Lady Noire Affair, one of the promotional films for the Lady Dior handbags.   

13. For Dior's Lady Rouge campaign, Cotillard showed off her vocals as she sang “The Eyes of Mars” in collaboration with the Scottish band Franz Ferdinand. 

14. Cotillard is an active philanthropist and environmentalist. Since 2001, the Award-winning actress has been a well-known member and spokesperson for Greenpeace, an environmental organization. She even traveled to Antarctica to research the impact of pollution and climate change. 

15. Most recently in February, Chanel announced that Cotillard was the new muse of Chanel No. 5, one of the most famous fragrances in the world.