Audrey Tautou

 
Audrey Justine Tautou (; born 1976 or 1978) is a French film actress, best known for playing the title character in the award-winning 2001 film Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain, Sophie Neveu in the 2006 thriller The Da Vinci Code, Irène in Priceless (2006) and Coco Chanel in Coco avant Chanel. She won the César Award for Most Promising Actress in Venus Beauty Institute (1999).

Early life

Tautou was born in Beaumont, in the Puy-de-Dôme département of Auvergne, and was raised in Montluçon in nearby Allier. Her father is an oral surgeon and her mother is a teacher. Tautou showed an interest in acting at an early age and started her acting lessons at the Cours Florent.

Career

In 1998, Tautou participated in a Star Search-like competition sponsored by Canal+ called "Jeunes Premiers" (The Young Debut) and won Best Young Actress at the 9th Béziers Festival of Young Actors. Tonie Marshall gave her a role in the César-winning Venus Beauty Institute (1999, aka Vénus beauté (institut)). In 2000, she won the Prix Suzanne Bianchetti as her country's most promising young film actress.