Josiane Balasko

Josiane Balasko
Josiane Balasko in February 2014.
Born	Josiane Balašković (1950-04-15) 15 April 1950 Paris, France
Occupation	Actress, comedian, director, writer
Years active	1973–present
Spouse(s)	George Aguilar (2003–present)
Partner(s)	Bruno Moynot (1974-1981) Philippe Berry (1982-1999)
Children	2
Relatives	Marilou Berry (daughter) Richard Berry (brother in law) Rudy Berry (son) Joséphine Berry (niece)

Josiane Balasko (born Josiane Balašković; 15 April 1950) is a French actress, writer and director. She has been nominated seven times for César Awards, and won twice.

Career

One of Balasko's most recognized roles among English speakers is as a lesbian in 1995's Gazon maudit (French Twist). She won the 1996 César Award (shared with Telsche Boorman) for best screenplay, and was also nominated as best director. The movie itself was nominated for best film. Balasko's other César nominations for best actress were for Too Beautiful for You (1989), Tout le monde n'a pas eu la chance d'avoir des parents communistes (1993), and Cette femme-là (2003). She's one of the favorite actress of the French.^[1]

1973-1980 : The beginning

Josiane began her career in 1973. She was 23 years old when she first appeared on screen, in the short "L'Agression", with Patrick Bouchitey. She was also in the movie "L'an 01", directed by Jacques Doillon, with François Cavanna, Christian Clavier, Coluche, Gérard Depardieu, Lee Falk, Marcel Gotlib, Jacques Higelin, Gérard Jugnot, Nelly Kaplan, Patrice Leconte, Stan Lee, Thierry Lhermitte and Miou-Miou. After an absence of three years she returned to the screen in 1976 in the film The Tenant directed by Roman Polanski, with a screenplay was written by him and Gérard Brach. The movie was based on the novel written by Roland Topor and it starred Isabelle Adjani, Melvyn Douglas, Jo Van Fleet, Lila Kedrova, Claude Piéplu, Rufus, Jacques Monod, Michel Blanc and Shelley Winters.

Her career really exploded in 1977, with her appearing in seven films over the course of the year. She first appeared in "Solveig et le Violon turc", with Eugène Ionesco and Dominique Lavanant. Then, she played Simone in "Une fille unique" alongside her boyfriend at time, Bruno Moynot. She made an appearance in Animal, directed by Claude Zidi, on a screenplay written by him, Michel Audiard and Dominique Fabre. The movie starred Jean-Paul Belmondo, Raquel Welch, Jane Birkin, Johnny Hallyday, Yves Mourousi, Claude Chabrol, Julien Guiomar, Aldo Maccione and Richard Bohringer. It was a big success with more than three million attendances in France, the movie was #5 in 1977 in France.^[2] She also play in Pardon Mon Affaire, Too!, directed by Yves Robert and written by him and Jean-Loup Dabadie, it starred Jean Rochefort, Claude Brasseur, Guy Bedos, Victor Lanoux, Danièle Delorme, Marthe Villalonga, Jean-Pierre Castaldi and Daniel Gélin. The movie was also a big success with more than two million attendances in France, and was #8 in 1977 in France.^[3]

She played Nadine in This Sweet Sickness, directed by Claude Miller, based on the novel written by Patricia Highsmith. The movie starred Gérard Depardieu, Miou-Miou, Claude Piéplu, Dominique Laffin and Christian Clavier. She also acted, under the direction of Philippe Monnier, in "Monsieur Papa", in which the dialogue was written by Jean-Marie Poiré. She starred alongside Claude Brasseur, Nathalie Baye, Daniel Auteuil and Éva Darlan. Finally, she appeared (in an uncredited role) in Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo, directed by Vincent McEveety, written by Don Nelson and starring Dean Jones, Don Knotts, Julie Sommars, Jacques Marin, Roy Kinnear, Bernard Fox, Eric Braeden, Johnny Haymer and Gérard Jugnot. With almost three millions attendances in France and nearly 30 million worldwide, the movie was a big success.

In 1978, she played in "Si vous n'aimez pas ça, n'en dégoûtez pas les autres", with Gérard Jugnot and Thierry Lhermitte, and in "Les Petits Câlins", directed by Jean-Marie Poiré, alongside Dominique Laffin, Françoise Bertin and Gérard Jugnot. Then, she was in "La Tortue sur le dos", with Jean-François Stévenin, Bernadette Lafont, Claude Miller, Marion Game, Valérie Quennessen, Michel Blanc, Marie-Anne Chazel and Christian Clavier. She had the leading role in the comedy "Pauline et l'Ordinateur", for which she wrote the dialogue and where she acted next to Gérard Jugnot, Éva Darlan, Jacques Attali and Marie-Anne Chazel. Finally, she played Nathalie Morin in the cult comedy Les Bronzés, directed by Patrice Leconte, with her friends from Le Splendid, Marie-Anne Chazel, Michel Blanc, Gérard Jugnot, Thierry Lhermitte, Christian Clavier and Dominique Lavanant. The movie was a hit with more than two million attendances.^[4]

In 1979, She played Emma-Ammé in one episode of the TV Mini-Series, "Les Quatre Cents Coups de Virginie", alongside Anémone. Then Nathalie Morin again, in the sequel Les Bronzés font du ski with the same cast, which was also a success with more than a millions attendances.^[5] She also appeared as a client in the movie "Les héros n'ont pas froid aux oreilles", with Daniel Auteuil, Gérard Jugnot, Roland Giraud, Gérard Lanvin, Michel Blanc, Thierry Lhermitte, Marie-Anne Chazel and Christian Clavier.

1981-1990 : Success & Directing Debut

Josiane Balasko in October 2013 to Namur

The year 1981 was very successful for Josiane. First, she played Louise in Clara et les Chics Types, with Daniel Auteuil, Christian Clavier, Thierry Lhermitte, Isabelle Adjani, Roland Giraud and Philippe Nahon. Then, she had the leading role in the very successful comedy Les hommes préfèrent les grosses. The movie was a big success with almost two millions attendances.^[6] It was directed by Jean-Marie Poiré, written by Balasko and him and starred Daniel Auteuil, Dominique Lavanant, Thierry Lhermitte, Martin Lamotte and François Berléand. After this, she was in another comedy named Le Maître d'école, directed by Claude Berri. She played Mlle Lajoie alongside Coluche, Charlotte de Turckheim and Roland Giraud. The movie was also a huge success with more than 3 million attendances, this was the #9 movie at the French Box Office in 1981.^[7] She then played Colette, a supporting role, in Hotel America directed by André Téchiné, with Catherine Deneuve, Patrick Dewaere and DominiqueLavanant.

In 1982, she was back with Le Splendid (and Anémone) and together they made an other cult movie : Le Père Noël est une ordure. Josiane was directed for the third time by Jean-Marie Poiré. The movie was again a big success with more than a million and a half attendances in France.^[8]

In 1983, she continued to follow her road with two comedy hits. First, another cult movie with Le Splendid, Papy fait de la résistance. The movie was again directed by Jean-Marie Poiré, and Le Splendid play alongside Michel Galabru, Dominique Lavanant, Jacques Villeret, Roland Giraud, Martin Lamotte, Pauline Lafont, Julien Guiomar, Jean Carmet, Jean-Claude Brialy and Bernard Giraudeau. There were more than 4 million attendances for this movie which become #7 in the 1983 French box office.^[9] Then, she played the leading role in the comedy Signes extérieurs de richesse, directed by Jacques Monnet. Claude Brasseur, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Roland Giraud, Pascale Ogier, Charlotte de Turckheim and Jean Reno also starred in the movie. It was another success for Balasko, with more than a million attendances at the box office.^[10]

In 1984, she played a supporting role in the comedy P'tit Con, directed by Gérard Lauzier. The cast include Guy Marchand and Daniel Auteuil. Then, she had the leading role in another comedy, La smala, directed by Jean-Loup Hubert alongside Victor Lanoux, Dominique Lavanant, Thierry Lhermitte and Martin Lamotte. Finally, she played a supporting role in the comedy La vengeance du serpent à plumes directed by Gérard Oury. Coluche had the leading role in this comedy. The movie was Josiane biggest success of the year with more than two and a half million attendances in France.^[11]

In 1985, she appeared in the movie Tranches de vie directed by François Leterrier. In the cast were Laura Antonelli, Michel Boujenah, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Christian Clavier, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Audrey Dana, Marie-Anne Chazel, Roland Giraud, Pierre Mondy, Daniel Prévost, Gérard Jugnot, Michel Galabru, Anémone and Martin Lamotte. But the year will be mostly important for Balasko who made her directional debut with the comedy Sac de noeuds. She directed, write and starred in the movie. The cast included Isabelle Huppert, Jean Carmet, Coluche and Dominique Lavanant.

1990 onward : Continuing success

Since 1990 she has enjoyed a busy career acting in numerous films in a very wide variety of roles but having an international directing success in 1995 with Gazon Maudit (French Twist) in which she co-starred with Alain Chabat and gained her a César for best screenplay and a nomination for best film. In 2006 she was re-united once again with the Le Splendid team for another Bronzés film Bronzés 3: Amis pour La Vie (Friends for life).

Personal life

Bruno Moynot was her partner from 1974 to 1981. In a second union with sculptor Philippe Berry (brother of actor Richard Berry), she has a daughter, Marilou Berry, born February 1, 1983 in Paris, actress herself, and an adopted son, Rudy Berry born in 1988.

Divorced from Philippe Berry in 1999, she remarried Native American actor George Aguilar in 2003, she met on the set of The Frenchman's Son in 1999.

Filmography

Actress

Director

Box-office

Movies starring Josiane Balasko with more than a million of entries in France.

Theater

Writer

• 2004 : Cliente, it became a movie in 2008 directed and starring Balasko, with Nathalie Baye, Éric Caravaca, Isabelle Carré, Catherine Hiegel, Marilou Berry, George Aguilar, Richard Berry and Maria Schneider.
• 2006 : Parano express
• 2011 : La nuit sera chaude, it became a play in 2011-2012

References

1. ↑ http://www.allocine.fr/diaporamas/cinema/diaporama- 18640763/
2. ↑ http://www.jpbox- office.com/charts_france.php?qpage=datefr&infla=no&variable=1977
3. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/charts_france.php?qpage=datefr&infla=no&variable=1977
4. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/charts_france.php?qpage=datefr&infla=no&variable=1978
5. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=7634
6. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=7248
7. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/charts_france.php?qpage=datefr&infla=no&variable=1981
8. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=7055&affich=france
9. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/charts_france.php?qpage=datefr&infla=no&variable=1983
10. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=6856
11. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=6611
12. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=6457
13. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=5966
14. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=5054
15. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=3974
16. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=3108
17. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=747
18. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=10048
19. ↑ http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=13569

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Josiane Balasko.

• Josiane Balasko at the Internet Movie Database
• Josiane Balasko at AllMovie
• Josiane Balasko in Barbara's Law on Eurochannel