Audran, Stéphane (1932–)

French actress. Born Colette Suzanne Jeannine Dacheville in Versailles, France, Nov 2, 1932; m. Jean-Louis Trintignant (div.); m. Claude Chabrol (director), 1964 (div. in late 1980s).

An enormously popular star in France, is known for her ability to play the vapid sophisticate or elegant mannequin, while hinting at far more intensity below the surface; 1st starred in L'Oeil du Matin (The Third Lover, 1962); appeared in nearly 50 films, 21 of them directed by her exhusband Claude Chabrol, including Paris Vu Par (Six in Paris, 1965) and Les Biches (1968); was also lauded for her performance in the title role of Babette's Feast (1987); other films include Le Signe de Lion (The Sign of Leo, 1962), Landru (Bluebeard, 1963), La Ligne de Démarcation (1966), Le Scandale (The Champagne Murders, 1967), La Femme Infidèle (1969), La Rupture (The Break Up, 1970), Le Boucher (1970), La Dame dans l'Auto avec des Lunettes et us Fusil (The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun, 1970), La Peau de Torpedo (1970), Folies Bourgeoises (1976), And Then There Were None (1974), Le Gagnant (1979), The Big Red One (1980), Brideshead Revisited (1981), Le Beau Monde (1981), Boulevard de Assassins (1982), Thieves After Dark (1983), The Sun Also Rises (1984), La Cage aux Folles III (1985), Les Saisons du Plaisir (1987), Poor Little Rich Girl (1987), Sons (1989), Jours tranquilles à Clichy (Quiet Days in Clichy, 1990), and Betty (1993). Received Britain's Academy Award for Juste Avant la Nuit (Just Before Nightfall, 1971) and The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972); won a César award for performance in Violette Nozière (Violette, 1978).

See also Women in World History.