Person Details

Birthday:

Aliases: Maïwenn Le Besco , Maiwen Lebesco , Maiwen , מייוון , Maïwenn Aurélia Nedjma Le Besco

Gender: Female

Place of birth: Les Lilas, Seine-Saint-Denis, France

Homepage:

Movie Involvements: 30

TV Involvements: 4


Most Famous Work

Biography

Maïwenn Aurélia Nedjma Le Besco, known mononymously as Maïwenn, is a French actress and filmmaker. Maïwenn starred in several films as a child, then teen, actress—notably as "Elle, as a child" (the child version of the lead role played by Isabelle Adjani) in the 1983 hit film L'été meurtrier (One Deadly Summer). Following her marriage to director Luc Besson and the birth of their daughter in 1993, Maïwenn interrupted her career for several years. During this period, she only appeared in a supporting part in Besson's Léon (1994), in which she was credited as Ouin-Ouin. She also directed the film's making-of. Perhaps Maïwenn's most internationally-seen film role was her appearance as the alien Diva Plavalaguna in Besson's The Fifth Element (1997). After she and Besson divorced, Maïwenn returned to France. She performed as a stand-up comedian in an autobiographical one-woman-show, and reentered the movie business after several filmmakers saw her comedy routine in Paris. She appeared in several notable movies, including the horror film Haute Tension (English title: High Tension), in which she starred opposite Cécile de France. By the time the film came out in 2003, she had decided she wanted to try directing. In 2006, Maïwenn wrote and directed her first feature film, Pardonnez-moi, a drama about a dysfunctional family.[6][10] She also starred in the film which earned her nominations for the César Award for Best First Feature Film and César Award for Most Promising Actress in the 2007. Her second film was Le bal des actrices (2009, All About Actresses), in which she appears as herself making a documentary. She achieved international recognition when her third film, the social drama Polisse (2011), won the Jury Prize at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Maïwenn's 2015 film Mon roi was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. She co-wrote, directed, and starred in the 2020 film, DNA, an Official Selection of the 2020 Cannes Film Festival which was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. She co-wrote, directed, and starred in her first period film, the 2023 film Jeanne du Barry about the life of Madame du Barry with Louis XV portrayed by Johnny Depp, which opened the 2023 Cannes Film Festival out of competition and earned the highest French gross for a Cannes opening film since 2013.

Most Famous Work

Zone interdite
Average
7

Zone interdite

(1993) Self
The Fifth Element
Average
8

The Fifth Element

(1997) Diva Plavalaguna
Léon: The Professional
Average
8

Léon: The Professional

(1994) Blond Babe
Jeanne du Barry
Average
7

Jeanne du Barry

(2023) Jeanne Du Barry
High Tension
Average
7

High Tension

(2003) Alexia
Polisse
Average
8

Polisse

(2011) Melissa
Love Is the Perfect Crime
Average
6

Love Is the Perfect Crime

(2013) Anna Eggbaum
One Deadly Summer
Average
7

One Deadly Summer

(1983) Eliane, child

Acting

Year Character Movie/Tv
2023 Jeanne Du Barry
Marianne Bellage
2022 Emma
2021 Barbara
Norah
2020 Neige
Chloe
2019 Paloma
2018 Julie Susini
2017 Linda
2016 Self - Guest
2013 Anna Eggbaum
2012 Yasmina
2011 Melissa
Self (archive footage)
2009 Maïwenn
2006 Violette
Self (guest)
2005 Shaa
2004 Rôle : une Parisienne qui galère
une amie à la fête
Isabelle, the mother
2003 Alexia
2002 Scarecrow (segment "Promises")
2001 Diane
1997 Diva Plavalaguna
1994 Blond Babe
1993 Self
1992 Carole Lambert
1990 Hermine
1988 Joan
1987 la fillette
1986 N/A
1983 Eliane, child
N/A
N/A
Year Character Movie/Tv

Directing

Writing

Creator

Year Role Movie/Tv
2017 Creator
Year Role Movie/Tv

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