Sophie Marceau was born Sophie Maupuis on November 17, 1966, in Paris. She began acting in films at age 14, her first role coming in Claude Pinoteau's hugely successful comedy La Boum. This led to a sequel, for which she received the 1983 César for Most Promising Actress, the first time this award was presented.
Marceau has since become one of the most popular and respected actresses in France, though she has only recently started appearing in international productions. Her role in Mel Gibson's Academy Award-winning Braveheart was her first English-speaking part. Asked why he chose Sophie for the character of Princess Isabelle, Gibson replied, "Well, she's beautiful, she's French and she's a good actress. The character needed to be at least two of those things." Marceau will team with Gibson again in his production of Anna Karenina, her next film. The title role will be her first "classical" part. Of it,
