Marina Foïs
Marina Foïs (born 21 January 1970) is a French actress renowned for her versatile performances in film, television, and theater, spanning comedy, drama, and character-driven roles.[1] Born in Boulogne-Billancourt to a psychologist mother and a nuclear physicist father, she discovered her passion for acting at age seven and trained at the prestigious Cours Florent drama school.[1] Foïs began her professional career on stage, initially performing solo before joining the comedy troupe Les Robins des Bois in 1996, which propelled her to national fame through their sketch show La Grosse Émission on Comédie! from 1997 to 1999, followed by Nulle part ailleurs on Canal+ from 1999 to 2001.[2] Her breakthrough in film came with the 2001 comedy La Tour Montparnasse infernale, followed by a prominent role as Sucettalanis in the blockbuster Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre (2002), which showcased her comedic timing and established her as a leading figure in French cinema.[1] Transitioning to more dramatic fare, Foïs garnered critical acclaim for her portrayal of a police officer in Maïwenn's Polisse (2011), earning a César Award nomination for Best Actress and contributing to the film's Jury Prize win at the Cannes Film Festival.[2] She has since delivered standout performances in films such as Darling (2007), for which she received another César nomination; Irréprochable (2016), nominated for Best Actress; and L'Atelier (2017), which premiered in Cannes' Un Certain Regard section and led to a César nomination for Best Actress.[2] Her role as Olga in the tense rural thriller The Beasts (2022) further highlighted her range, earning praise for its emotional depth in a story of neighborly conflict.[1] In recent years, Foïs has continued to diversify her portfolio, appearing in the Netflix action series Furies (2024) as a key figure in a crime syndicate narrative, and starring as Simone Signoret in the biographical drama Moi qui t'aimais (2025), which explores the iconic couple's life with Yves Montand.[3][4] On stage, she has excelled in productions like Ibsen's A Doll's House and Christophe Honoré's Les Idoles (2019), for which she won a Molière Award for Best Actress.[1] Throughout her career, Foïs has received five César nominations, solidifying her status as one of France's most respected performers, known for blending humor with profound dramatic insight.[2]Early life
Family background
Marina Foïs was born on January 21, 1970, in Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France.[5] She grew up in a multicultural family with diverse heritage, including Russian roots from her maternal grandfather and Jewish Egyptian ancestry from her maternal grandmother, alongside German and Italian origins on her paternal side.[5] This blend of backgrounds reflected the family's international and varied cultural influences during her early years.[6] Her parents were both professionals in intellectual fields: her mother worked as a psychologist, while her father was a researcher in nuclear physics.[7][1] The family was known for its progressive values, shaped by the events of May 1968, creating an environment that emphasized education, open discussion, and cultural exposure. Foïs has an older brother named Fabio, who died in an airplane crash in 1999, and two younger sisters—Giulia, who became a journalist, and Elena, a doctor.[8][5] This intellectually stimulating and multicultural household played a role in fostering Foïs's early curiosity toward the performing arts, though no direct family members pursued artistic careers.[7] The emphasis on emotional expression and creativity within the family dynamic, influenced by her mother's profession and the broader 1960s countercultural ethos, indirectly supported her developing interests in theater and performance.[9]Education and training
At the age of 16, Marina Foïs was discovered for her first major stage role as Agnès in a production of Molière's L'École des femmes, directed by Jean-Marc Brisset, marking her early entry into professional acting opportunities.[10] Due to her growing acting commitments, Foïs completed her baccalauréat via correspondence courses, earning the diploma with distinction in 1988.[11] With the support of her family, she then took a gap year to pursue further artistic development.[11] In the late 1980s, Foïs entered the classe libre at the Cours Florent in Paris after passing a competitive entrance exam, where she trained under instructor Isabelle Nanty alongside future collaborators.[11] There, she co-founded The Royal Imperial Green Rabbit Company with fellow students, including Maurice Barthélémy, Jean-Paul Rouve, Pascal Vincent, Pierre-François Martin-Laval, and Marina Tomé, which served as a precursor to the troupe Les Robins des Bois and provided informal training through collaborative sketch work and absurd humor exercises inspired by Monty Python.[12] This period of troupe involvement honed her comedic skills and stage presence in a hands-on, ensemble-based environment leading up to her professional debut.[11]Career
Comedy beginnings
Marina Foïs entered the professional entertainment scene in the mid-1990s through her involvement with the comedy troupe Les Robins des Bois, which she co-founded with fellow students from the Cours Florent acting school. The group, initially named The Royal Imperial Green Rabbit Company, formed in 1996 under the guidance of instructor Isabelle Nanty, building on connections made in the early 1990s during their training. Foïs played a central role as a performer and writer, contributing to the troupe's signature absurd and potache humor that broke traditional comedic codes through improvised sketches and recurring gags.[13][14] The troupe's breakthrough came when producer Dominique Farrugia discovered them in 1996, leading to their television debut on the show La Grosse Émission on the Comédie! channel starting in 1997. Foïs's performances, including her portrayal of the naive and bumbling character Sophie Pétoncule in various sketches such as those set at the post office or job center, exemplified the group's DIY aesthetic and Monty Python-inspired absurdity, quickly building a cult following among young audiences. This period on Comédie! lasted two seasons until 1998, during which the troupe developed running characters and satirical bits that highlighted everyday French life through exaggerated, chaotic scenarios.[2][13][14] In 1999, La Grosse Émission transitioned to Canal+, expanding the troupe's reach and solidifying their status as a cornerstone of French television comedy until the show's end in 2001. Foïs's contributions extended to segments like "L'Instant norvégien," where the group delivered surreal, language-twisting humor, further showcasing her versatility in physical comedy and character-driven satire. The troupe's run concluded amid creative fatigue and internal tensions, marking the end of their collaborative television era.[15][13][14] Prior to the troupe's formation, Foïs made her initial foray into film with a minor role as Solange in the 1993 short La Perme, a comedic extension of her early stage work that hinted at her emerging talent for humorous ensemble dynamics.[16][17]Film career
Following her comedic beginnings in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Marina Foïs transitioned to film with roles that introduced her to mainstream audiences while beginning to showcase her versatility. In 2002, she appeared in the blockbuster Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre, directed by Alain Chabat, where she played the supporting role of Sucettalanis, contributing to the film's massive commercial success as one of France's highest-grossing comedies.[18] That same year, Foïs took on a more introspective part in Claude Duty's Filles perdues, cheveux gras (translated as Hypnotized and Hysterical (Hairstylist Wanted)), portraying Natacha, a young woman grappling with personal loss, which marked an early foray into dramatic territory and earned her a César nomination for Most Promising Actress.[19] Foïs's breakthrough in dramatic roles came in the mid-2000s, as she increasingly embraced complex, emotionally charged characters. In Christine Carrière's 2007 film Darling, she delivered a standout performance as the titular Catherine "Darling" Nicolle, a mistreated rural woman seeking connection through a CB radio, blending vulnerability and resilience in a role that highlighted her shift from lighthearted comedy to poignant tragedy and garnered critical praise for its raw intensity.[20] This evolution culminated in her acclaimed turn in Maïwenn's 2011 ensemble drama Polisse, where she played Iris, a dedicated but frayed child protection officer, contributing to the film's Jury Prize win at Cannes and its exploration of the psychological toll of policing crimes against minors. Throughout the 2010s and into the 2020s, Foïs solidified her reputation for portraying intense, multifaceted women in socially resonant narratives. In Sébastien Marnier's 2016 thriller Irréprochable (known internationally as Faultless), she starred as Constance, a desperate real estate agent whose obsession with reclaiming her job spirals into sociopathic behavior, earning her a César nomination for Best Actress and praise for subverting her comedic image into chilling psychological depth.[21] The following year, in Laurent Cantet's L'Atelier (The Workshop), Foïs portrayed novelist Olivia Dejazet, leading a writing group amid rising tensions in a post-industrial town, a role that delved into themes of radicalization and class divide while premiering in Cannes' Un Certain Regard section. Her performance in Rodrigo Sorogoyen's 2022 rural thriller As bestas (The Beasts) further exemplified this phase, as the expatriate farmer Olga Denis, caught in escalating neighborly conflict in Galicia, which contributed to the film's nine Goya Awards, including Best Film, and earned praise for her command of simmering dramatic tension.[22] In 2021, Foïs hosted the 46th César Awards ceremony at the Olympia in Paris, where her sharp monologue critiquing government cultural policies during the COVID-19 pandemic set a defiant tone for the event amid industry protests.[23] Foïs's recent projects continue this thematic shift toward demanding dramatic roles, emphasizing personal and societal reckonings. In 2024, she appeared in Samuel Theis's Je le jure (I Swear), playing the presiding judge in a tense courtroom drama about a juror's moral crisis during a rape trial, which premiered at Cannes' Directors' Fortnight and highlighted her authoritative presence in legal procedurals. In 2025, Foïs starred in Thierry Klifa's La femme la plus riche du monde (The Richest Woman in the World), released on October 29, portraying a key figure in a family saga of wealth, secrets, and political intrigue centered on Liliane Bettencourt's scandal, which was selected for Cannes' Official Selection.[24] She also led Diane Kurys's Moi qui t'aimais (The One I Loved), released on October 1, embodying Simone Signoret opposite Roschdy Zem's Yves Montand in a biopic tracing the iconic couple's passionate yet turbulent romance from the 1950s onward.[25] These roles, which received positive early reception for their depth and Foïs's performances, reflect her enduring acclaim for embodying resilient, often tormented women navigating power dynamics, betrayal, and redemption, cementing her as a cornerstone of contemporary French cinema.[18][26]Personal life
Relationships
Marina Foïs began a long-term partnership with French film director Éric Lartigau in 1999, which lasted over two decades and was occasionally highlighted in media coverage of joint public appearances at events such as fashion shows and award ceremonies.[27][28] The couple separated amicably in 2021, with Foïs describing their relationship as multifaceted and emphasizing mutual respect post-breakup in interviews, though she has since maintained a low profile regarding any subsequent romantic involvements.[29][28] Foïs has consistently approached her personal relationships with a strong emphasis on privacy, rarely sharing details beyond what is necessary for public context and expressing in recent discussions that fame complicates intimate connections, preferring to shield them from scrutiny.[27][30] This discretion has extended to the impact on her family life, where she prioritizes stability amid personal changes.[31]Family
Marina Foïs has two sons from her long-term relationship with director Éric Lartigau: Lazare, born on December 3, 2004, at Hôpital Saint-Antoine in Paris, and Georges, born on September 25, 2008.[32][33] These children have been central to her family life, with Foïs occasionally sharing moments of their involvement in her public appearances, such as attending sports events together.[34] Foïs experienced a profound family loss in 1999 when her older brother, Fabio Foïs, a polytechnicien aged 32, died in a plane crash during an aerobatics demonstration at an air show.[35][36] She has described the grief as uniquely challenging, feeling a sense of abandonment since Fabio had been her protector in childhood, defending her against their parents; this tragedy led her to avoid Italy, their ancestral homeland, for a decade.[35] In adulthood, Foïs maintains close bonds with her younger sisters, Giulia Foïs, a journalist, and Elena Foïs, a doctor.[8] Following Fabio's death, Foïs assumed a leadership role in the family, providing emotional and practical support to her sisters, which has fostered a strong support network among them.[35] This familial structure has been instrumental in helping her balance her demanding acting career with personal responsibilities.[37]Awards and nominations
César Awards
Marina Foïs has earned multiple nominations at the César Awards, France's equivalent to the Oscars, highlighting her versatility and growth as an actress in French cinema. Despite not securing a win, her consistent recognition underscores her impactful performances in both comedic and dramatic roles.[2] Her first César nomination came in 2003 for Most Promising Actress for her role in the comedy-drama Hypnotized and Hysterical (Filles perdues, cheveux gras), directed by Claude Duty, where she played Natacha, one of three young women each on a personal quest to recover something lost.[38] Foïs received subsequent nominations in the competitive Best Actress category, reflecting her evolution toward more complex dramatic characters:| Year | Category | Film | Director | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Best Actress | Darling | Christine Carrière | Nominated [39] |
| 2012 | Best Actress | Polisse | Maïwenn | Nominated [40] |
| 2017 | Best Actress | Faultless (Irréprochable) | Sébastien Mounier | Nominated [41] |
| 2018 | Best Actress | The Workshop (L'Atelier) | Laurent Cantet | Nominated [42] |
Other awards
In addition to her César nominations, Marina Foïs has received recognition from various international and French film awards, underscoring her versatility and impact in global cinema. These accolades span drama and thriller genres, often highlighting her performances in ensemble-driven narratives. She earned nominations at the Lumière Awards for Best Actress for her role in Darling in 2008 and for Polisse in 2012, alongside Karin Viard (also for Polisse).[44] Foïs shared the Globe de Cristal for Best Actress with Viard for Polisse in 2012, celebrating the film's raw portrayal of social issues.[44] Her performance as Olga in the Spanish-French thriller The Beasts (2022) garnered international acclaim, including a nomination for Best Actress at the 10th Feroz Awards in 2023.[45] She also received a nomination for Best Lead Actress at the 37th Goya Awards in 2023 for the same role.[46] Additionally, the cast of The Beasts, including Foïs, won the Silver Hugo for Best Ensemble Cast Performance at the 58th Chicago International Film Festival in 2022.[47] Foïs won the Molière Award for Best Actress in 2019 for her role in Christophe Honoré's Les Idoles. Foïs was honored with the Étoile d'Or for her career achievements at the 19th Marrakech International Film Festival in 2022, recognizing her contributions to French and international cinema alongside luminaries like Tilda Swinton and James Gray.[48]Filmography
Feature films
Marina Foïs debuted in feature films in 1993 and has since built an extensive filmography, with notable recurring collaborations with director Éric Lartigau on projects including Mais qui a tué Pamela Rose? (2003), Un ticket pour l'espace (2006), L'Homme qui voulait vivre sa vie (2010), and Cet été-là (2022).[49] Her roles range from supporting parts in comedies to leads in dramas, as detailed in the following chronological list of feature films:| Year | Title | Role | Type | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Casque bleu | Julie | Supporting | Gérard Jugnot |
| 1997 | Et si on faisait un bébé ? | Marianne | Supporting | Coline Serreau |
| 1998 | Serial Lover | Mina | Supporting | James Huth |
| 2000 | La Tour Montparnasse infernale | Marina | Supporting | Charles Nemes |
| 2001 | Le Raid | La jeune nurse | Supporting | DJ Pone, Cut Killer |
| 2001 | Jojo la frite | Personnage de la crèche 2 | Supporting | Jonathan Chiche |
| 2001 | Astérix et Obélix : Mission Cléopâtre | Sucettalanis | Supporting | Alain Chabat |
| 2002 | Filles perdues, cheveux gras | Natacha | Lead | Claude Duty |
| 2002 | Mais qui a tué Pamela Rose ? | La cliente de la pharmacie | Supporting | Éric Lartigau |
| 2002 | Bienvenue au gîte | Caroline | Supporting | Claude Duty |
| 2003 | J'me sens pas belle | Fanny | Supporting | Bernard Jeanjean |
| 2003 | A boire | Bénédicte | Supporting | Marin Karmitz |
| 2003 | Casablanca Driver | Sandy | Supporting | Maurice Barthélemy |
| 2003 | Les Clefs de bagnole | Une comédienne qui refuse de tourner avec Laurent Baffie | Cameo | Laurent Baffie |
| 2003 | RRRrrrr !!! | Guy | Supporting | Alain Chabat |
| 2004 | Un petit jeu sans conséquence | Axelle | Lead | Bernard Rapp |
| 2005 | Madagascar | Gloria (voice) | Supporting | Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath |
| 2005 | Essaye-moi | La mère de Firmin | Supporting | Pierre-François Martin-Laval |
| 2006 | Un ticket pour l'espace | Soizic | Lead | Éric Lartigau |
| 2006 | Un vrai conte de fées | Cécile | Supporting | Olivier Dahan |
| 2007 | Darling | Darling | Lead | Christine Carrière |
| 2007 | La Personne aux deux personnes | Muriel Perrache | Supporting | Nicolas & Bruno |
| 2007 | Le Plaisir de chanter | Muriel | Supporting | Ilan Duran Cohen |
| 2007 | Le Bal des actrices | Herself | Supporting | Maïwenn |
| 2008 | Un coeur simple | Mathilde Aubain | Supporting | Marion Laine |
| 2009 | Le Code a changé | Mélanie | Supporting | Danièle Thompson |
| 2009 | Non ma fille, tu n'iras pas danser | Frédérique | Supporting | Christophe Honoré |
| 2010 | L'Immortel (22 Bullets) | Marie Goldman | Supporting | Richard Berry |
| 2010 | Les Yeux de sa mère | Maylis Tremazan | Supporting | Thierry Klifa |
| 2010 | L'Homme qui voulait vivre sa vie (The Big Picture) | Sarah | Lead | Éric Lartigau |
| 2010 | Happy Few | Rachel | Lead | Antony Cordier |
| 2011 | Polisse | Iris | Lead | Maïwenn |
| 2011 | Maman | Alice | Supporting | Alexandra Leclère |
| 2012 | Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (Madagascar 3, Bons Baisers d’Europe) | Gloria (voice) | Supporting | Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, Conrad Vernon |
| 2013 | Bodybuilder | Léa | Supporting | Roschdy Zem |
| 2013 | Boule & Bill | Maman Boule | Supporting | Alexandre Charlot, Franck Magnier |
| 2013 | 100% Cachemire | Sophie | Supporting | Valérie Lemercier |
| 2013 | Tout est permis | La psy | Supporting | Émilie Deleuze |
| 2013 | Tiens-toi droite | Louise | Lead | Katia Lewkowicz |
| 2013 | Vandal | Hélène | Supporting | Hélier Cisterne |
| 2014 | La Ritournelle (Headstrong) | Christiane | Supporting | Marc Fitoussi |
| 2014 | La Tour 2 contrôle infernale | La Conseillère du Ministre | Supporting | Éric Judor |
| 2014 | Démons (Wild) | Katarina | Supporting | Thomas Bidegain |
| 2015 | Irréprochable | Constance | Lead | Sébastien Marnier |
| 2015 | Papa ou maman | Florence Leroy | Lead | Martin Bourboulon |
| 2015 | Orage | Maria | Supporting | Fabrice Camoin |
| 2016 | Périclès le noir | Anastasia | Supporting | Damien Faure |
| 2016 | Papa ou maman 2 | Florence Corrigan | Lead | Martin Bourboulon |
| 2017 | Gaspard va au mariage | Peggy | Supporting | Antony Cordier |
| 2017 | Une intime conviction (Custody) | Nora | Lead | Antoine Raimbault |
| 2017 | L'Atelier (The Workshop) | Olivia | Lead | Laurent Cantet |
| 2018 | Le Grand Bain (Sink or Swim) | Claire | Supporting | Gilles Lellouche |
| 2019 | Énorme | Claire Girard | Lead | Sophie Letourneur |
| 2019 | La Salamandre | Catherine | Supporting | Lisa Azuelos |
| 2021 | La Fracture (The Divide) | Julie | Lead | Catherine Corsini |
| 2021 | Barbaque (Bloody Milk) | Sophie Pascal | Supporting | Fabrice Éboué |
| 2021 | Ils sont vivants (Incredible But True) | Béatrice | Supporting | Quentin Dupieux |
| 2022 | Stella est amoureuse | La mère | Supporting | Sylvie Verheyde |
| 2022 | En roue libre | Louise | Supporting | Vincent Mariette |
| 2022 | L'Année du requin | Maja Bordenave | Lead | Ludovic & Zoran Boukherma |
| 2022 | La Syndicaliste (The Union) | Anne Lauvergeon | Lead | Jean-Paul Salomé |
| 2022 | As bestas (The Beasts) | Olga Denis | Lead | Rodrigo Sorogoyen |
| 2022 | Cet été-là | Sarah | Lead | Éric Lartigau |
| 2023 | Captives | La Douane | Supporting | Arnaud Desplechin |
| 2025 | Je le jure (I Swear) | La Présidente de la Cour d’Assises | Supporting | Samuel Theis |
| 2025 | Magma | Katia Reiter | Lead | Cyprien Vial |
| 2025 | Moi qui t'aimais | Simone Signoret | Lead | Diane Kurys |
| 2025 | Leila et la nuit | TBD | Lead | Fellipe Barbosa |
| 2025 | La Femme la plus riche du monde (The Richest Woman in the World) | Frédérique Spielman | Supporting | Thierry Klifa |
Television
Marina Foïs began her television career as part of the comedy troupe Les Robins des Bois, contributing to sketch-based programs in the early 2000s.[55] Her notable television appearances, including series, miniseries, and specials, are listed below in chronological order:| Year | Title | Role | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | L'instant norvégien | Various | TV series | Sketch comedy; co-created with Les Robins des Bois.[55] |
| 2000–2001 | La cape et l'épée | La reine Pupute / Petite Moule | TV series | 24 episodes; burlesque costume comedy.[56] |
| 2014 | 3 x Manon | Monique | TV mini-series | 3 episodes; mother of protagonist Manon.[49] |
| 2017 | Calls | N/A | TV series | Episode 10; audio anthology series (voice).[49] |
| 2017 | Manon 20 ans | Monique | TV series | Sequel to 3 x Manon; 6 episodes.[49] |
| 2019 | Les Sauvages | Marion Ribheiro | TV mini-series | 6 episodes; political drama on Canal+.[49][57] |
| 2023–2024 | En place | Corinne Douannier | TV series | 9 episodes across 2 seasons; eco-feminist politician on Netflix.[49] |
| 2024–2025 | Furies | Selma (la Furie) | TV series | 16 episodes across 2 seasons; action thriller on Netflix.[49][58][59] |
| 2024 | LOL : Qui rit, sort! | Herself | TV series | Season 4; comedy competition.[49] |
| 2024 | Le monde magique de Jérôme Commandeur | Herself | TV special | Holiday variety special.[49] |