Sophie Marceau’s career defies definition. Born Sophie Maupu, she started out as a true overnight success -- after being cast for the first part for which she auditioned, at 14, she became an instantly famous and valuable commodity in her native France. The rocket-to-the-top role was in the teen movie, La Boum (1981), which led to La Boum 2 (1982) and a Cesar award from the French Academy of Cinema. As a hot studio property, she was then cast in Gaumont Pictures’ Joyeuses Paques! (1984), Fort Saganne (1984) and Police (1985). That last year she met director and future husband, Andrzej Zulawski, and was required to buy back, for one million francs, her contract with Gaumont. Zulawski cast her in L’Amour Braque (1985), and his subsequent Mes Nuits Sont Plus Belles Que Vos Jours (1989) and La Note Bleue (1991). In between, she starred in Descente Aux Enfers (1986), Chouans! (1988 - for an International Film Festival award), L’Etudiante (1988), Pacific Palisades (1990), and Pour Sacha (1991). Marceau then debuted on stage with Euridyce and netted a Moliere award for Most Promising Newcomer. A variety of French films followed -- FanFan (1993), La Fille de d’Artangnan (1994), and Par-Dela Les Nuages (1995).

Although immensely famous in France and wildly popular in Asia, international (read: American) stardom began 15 years into her career with the Hollywood blockbuster, Braveheart. The lovely European went on to a cross-Atlantic career, making Marquise (1997), Anna Karenina (1997), Firelight (1998), Lost and Found (1999), William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1999) and The World Is Not Enough (1999 - a James Bond flick that resulted in two Movie Brazil award nominations and a Blockbuster nomination for the actor). Not content with one career only, Marceau dabbled in recording for children (her own son was born in 1995) with Pierre et le Loup (1994) and Histoire de Babar (1994). As well, she directed and wrote the screen play for the nine-minute Cannes hit film L’Aube a l’Envers, and published the semi-autobiographical novel Menteuse (Liar) in 1997.

Coming up for Marceau, on screen, are the movies Fidelite and Belphegor, and any number of other projects -- she seems most interested in furthering her writing career.

Internet shrines enthuse about the actor’s intelligence, elegance, charm and sensuality. Industry peers and critics are no less flattering. They would agree that Marceau, highly talented in a broad range of artistic disciplines, has what it takes to endure in show business. Her career -- whatever career she chooses -- is sure to remain extraordinary.