Beauty Break: To Catherine Deneuve on her 75th
Monday, October 22, 2018 at 9:18AM 
The French movie star of French movie stars turns 75 today. She's won two prizes at Cannes, two at Berlinale, and two at the Césars (with 12 additional nominations) in her career that's been as lustrous as the famous golden hair. Catherine Deneuve hasn't been as celebrated in recent years as Isabelle Huppert (who is 10 years younger) but her list of classics, hits, and indelible experiments is long: Belle de Jour (BAFTA nomination), The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The Young Girls of Rochefort, Repulsion, Mississippi Mermaid, Tristana, Donkey Skin, The Hunger, The Metro (César win), Indochine (Oscar nomination, César win), East/West, Pola X, Dancer in the Dark, 8 Women, and Kings and Queen among them.
The last eight years have been quiet but it wasn't so long ago that the one-two-three punch of voice work in the Oscar-nominated Persepolis (2007 -- she voiced both the French & English versions), an amazing performance in Arnaud Desplechin's A Christmas Tale (2008), and the delights of François Ozon's comedy Potiche (2010) made an impact...
Unfortunately the last time she made international news was not for a film role but for that infamous letter from French women about the Me Too movement which SNL successfully lampooned...
Deneuve and Huppert photographed in 2017 at Cannes
But whether or not she'll get her own Elle in her 70something years to reinvigorate international fandom is immaterial in a way. She's already in the pantheon with so many classics behind her. And, an important note: she's more than earned that Honorary Oscar that we keep campaigning for and hoping that the Academy will wise up and provide.
Here are beautiful photos and film stills of Deneuve with which to celebrate her 75th birthday but if you've never seen any of her most famous films listed above, fix that! You can merci beaucoup us later for recommending them.
Belle de Jour -- it's only one of the greatest films ever made
Repulsion
Umbrellas of Cherbourg -- it's only one of the greatest films ever made.
Young Girls of Rochefort with her late sister François Dorleac
Tristana
The Hunger
Mississippi Mermaid
Potiche
Indochine
8 Womenand some photoshoots for maximum beauty
je l'aime.
Reader Comments (24)
Definitely one of the great ones! J'adore Deneuve!!
I wish more people knew about A Christmas Tale - quite a performance in quite a film. And Potiche is such a delightful creation.
My love, my cinema goddess. Still so gorgeous. I've loved her ever since seeing Umbrellas of Cherbourg when I was about 12. Saw Belle de Jour for the first time last year and was absolutely blown away.
I think her performance as Junon in A Christmas Tale may be the best of her career.
You forgot to mention “Thieves” and “Place Vendôme”, two of her best performances. The latter won her the Volpi Cup in Venice which ironically is her only real competitive win from the "Big Three".
When Brazilian jornalist Ana Maria Bahiana interview Mrs. Deneuve for Potiche, asked her which was the actress that she was a huge fan and following their carrier for their choices and commitment. Mrs Deneuve answered:
"The Kate's: Cate Blanchett and Kate Winslet"
MAN!!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I totally see a movie where Kate, Cate and Deneuve share scenes together as daughters and mother, for example.
Catherine and Liv Ullman are way more deserving of an Honorary Oscar than Angela Lansbury and Cicely Tyson. Sadly, it's too late for Jeanne Moreau.
The 1960s had the best aesthetic. It's the oldest decade where everything feels usable style wise.
French actresses stance on Me Too is preferable to the racism of Charlotte Rampling.
A very fine actress whose extreme beauty cost her recognition, at least in the States, during her early career. There is no way she shouldn't have scored a nomination several times over- at minimum The Umbrellas of Cherbourgh & Belle de Jour-and won for her amazing work in Repulsion. Fortunately the rest of the world was more on top of acknowledging her.
I wouldn't say that she and Liv Ullman are more deserving of an Honorary Oscar than Angela Lansbury or Cicely Tyson but they are surely equally so.
Place Vendôme, yes! She’s iconic in Belle du Jour and, though I do admire the Gallic cultural sensibility toward sex (i.e. the laissez-faire, matter-of-fact sex positivity), there does seem to be quite a bit of internalized misogyny that manifests itself in such films and statements like hers and Bardot’s. Which is a shame, because being a libertine doesn’t have to mean being neutral about sexploitation, abuse and harassment. She’s an international treasure nonetheless.
In 1985, Deneuve was chosen to be the new face of “Marianne”, the symbol of the French Republic. Busts, sculptures, stamps, etc. are made with the current Marianne’s face, often wearing a red cap that symbolizes freedom and the rights of the citizen. She is bare breasted, because “she feeds the people”. It is one of France’s great honours to be chosen.
I kind of like it that the face of the every day woman, Marianne, is always a great beauty. It’s like “we are beautiful. We see ourselves that way”.
Rita Hayworth wednesday and today Catherine Deneuve. True movie stars/fashion icons/beauty-sex symbols.
I'm with Peggy Sue. This is not an exact science but you just have to compare filmographies to see that she's right.
One made a legacy for herself on television and the other was restricted from having a Hollywood career because of systemic prejudice. This should not prevent them from honorary recognition for already lionized international film darlings.
Catherine Deneuve.... a legend. 75 and still going strong. She's a joy to watch as I'll enjoy anything she does. Give her a honorary Oscar. She's overdue.
Unlikely Jane Fonda and Faye Dunaway, during the 1970s she kept the glamourous look. Like Lana Turner, Deneuve will be gorgeous, blonde and glamourous till death.
La Denuve is one of the glories of world cinema- an iconic beauty for the ages.
/3rtful -- Then you're accepting they're pity awards.
Bon Anniversaire, La Deneuve!!
Such delicate ethereal beauty! She reminds me in her younger days o Grace Kelly, w/o the frigidness.
Belle de Jour, Missi Mermaid, etc really capture her fire n ice quality at its peak! She's oso v lovely n vulnerable in Umbrella of Cherboug!!
Tres Chic! 😘
How is acknowledging someone who was a respected and trice nominated major supporting performer in film for over 20 years before she moved on and conquered two other mediums a pity award?
Deneuve and Ullman are deserving of Honoraries-and it would be great to still see them win competitives-but just because they are above the title stars and someone else made their mark in support is no reason to diminish their contribution.
She has a terrific filmography. And she hasn't been as celebrated as Huppert as of lately because Huppert has not stopped being her usual talented self. She's by far the superior actor of the two of them and relies mostly on her sensuality (I'd be lying if I didn't say how crazy hot I found her to be as this age) and her acting while Deneuve did most of her career on her beauty (even as of recently in the weird ass movie Le Tout Nouveau Testament, which I recommend).
Ugh. This universe just isn't worthy.
Repulsion. Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Belle de freaking Jour. Tristana. Dancer in the Dark. Kings and Queen. Whose filmography could even compare.
She's in the pantheon forever.
Now that many of you talk about the awards i would like to say thst for me a good parameter of talent ( at least from actors ) is the European Crown of Acting and not the Oscars.
In addition to the only two winners from the three awards Julianne Moore and Juliette Binoche is interesting the list of actors who been win two of them like Isabelle Huppert, Maggie Cheung, Javier Bardem and Charlotte Rampling.
Can you Nataniel made a post of another actors that can be included in the list? I'm just doing it because i know you love the lists and interest facts and records from movie awards, dont you think that is just a selfish desire....
* cough cough * please at least consider it * cough cough *
She was outstanding in Repulsion, Belle de Jour and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Her pictures when she was young(er) remind me so much of Julie Christie and Vanessa Redgrave.