Isabelle Adjani

Biography

Isabelle Yasmine Adjani was born in Gennevilliers, Hauts-de-Seine, a suburb of Paris, to Emma Augusta "Gusti" (Schweinberger) and Mohammed Adjani. Her father was a Kabyle Algerian, from Iferhounène, and her mother was a Bavarian German. She grew up speaking German fluently. After winning a school recitation contest, she began acting in amateur theater by the age of twelve. At the age of 14, she starred in her first motion picture, _Le petit bougnat (1970)_ (qv). Adjani has appeared in 30 films since 1970. She holds the record for most César Award for Best Actress (5), which she won for _Possession (1981)_ (qv), _L'été meurtrier (1983)_ (qv) (aka "One Deadly Summer"), _Camille Claudel (1988)_ (qv), _La reine Margot (1994)_ (qv) (aka "Queen Margot") and _La journée de la jupe (2008)_ (qv) (aka "Skirt Day"). She was also given a double Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Award in 1981. She also received two Academy Award nominations for Best Actress. She performs in French, English, Italian and German. Adjani was made a Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur in 2010.