Fanny Ardant: Armenian roots are family matters, not journalists business

 July 10, 2011 - 15:54 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - “My Armenian roots are family matters, and not journalists' business,” said world known French actress Fanny Ardant when commenting on her Armenian origin during the meeting with journalists in Yerevan.

Ardant is currently in Armenia for participation in the Golden Apricot eighth international film festival. Her films Ashes and Blood (2009) and Departed Dreams (2010) are to be shown soon.

The actress said that she began directing films when wrote scenarios.

“When I wrote scenarios I had all material in my imagination. Direction was continuation of my scenarist work,” Ardant said.

Fanny Ardant was born on March 22, 1949 in Saumur, Maine-et-Loire, France. The daughter of a cavalry officer in the French army, Fanny later moved to Monaco with her family where she grew up. Her father was a friend of the Royal household who was also a governor at the palace. She often visited the palace and made acquaintance with Princess Grace

At the age of 17, Fanny moved to Aix-en-Provence where she attended university majoring in political science. She later studied drama and made her stage début in Corneille's Polyeucte in 1974. Her first big break came in 1979 when she landed a role on the TV drama Les Dames de la côte (The Ladies of the Coast). Her appearance on the series caught the attention of the celebrated director François Truffaut, who offered her a role in his next film La Femme d'à côté (The Woman Next Door) in 1981, starring opposite Gérard Depardieu.

It was a role that changed her life both professionally and personally. Her performance in the film brought her international recognition and her first César nomination for best actress in 1982. On the personal front, she became Truffaut's companion and remained with him until his death in 1984. They had a daughter, Joséphine, who was born the previous year. Fanny starred in Truffaut's last film Vivement dimanche! (Confidentially Yours), and received her second César nomination for best actress.

Throughout the 80's and 90's, Fanny continued to give strong performances, cementing her reputation with serious and dramatic roles. In 1994, she teamed up once again with Gérard Depardieu in Le Colonel Chabert, playing the role of a complex widow.

In 2004, Fanny appeared alongside Gérard Depardieu in the stage adaptation of Henry James' novel The Beast In The Jungle (La Bête Dans La Jungle), which had been adapted into French by Marguerite Duras. The play attracted an international audience to the Théâtre de la Madeleine in Paris.

Fluent in French, English, Italian and Spanish, Fanny occasionally ventured outside of French cinema and worked in such productions as La Famiglia (The Family) and Le Cena for Italian director Ettore Scola, the Italian version of Chekov's Three Sisters (Paura e amore), and the provocative film version of L'odore del sangue. She was also seen in a small supporting role in the 1995 Sydney Pollack's film Sabrina. And in 1998, she appeared in the Oscar-nominated drama Elizabeth, in which her presence highlighted the small but important role of the ruthless and deliciously flirtatious Mary of Guise.

Fanny Ardant resides in Paris, France. She has three daughters, Lumir, Joséphine and Baladine.