Catherine Deneuve has been called many things but the descriptions nearly always consist of something very cold – the “ice princess”, the “ice queen” or “frozen elegance” and such like. It’s not often, however, that her out of the ordinary good looks aren’t also mentioned. One journalist was typical when he wrote that “her beauty has always been – and, more remarkably , still is – of an order of magnitude that requires different methods of measurement.” Francois Truffaut, who directed her in two films (La sirène du Mississipi and La Dernier Métro) once remarked that Deneuve was so beautiful “that a cinema-goer finds his happiness simply by looking at her. Her face alone repays the price of a man’s ticket.” Alexandre Fache in his biography of Deneuve took this even further and compared her beauty to France itself:
She who for almost four decades has symbolised, represented, personified, both in France and beyond its borders, not only French cinema but France itself; its classical elegance, haughty charm, its innumerable paradoxes.
Deneuve was born Catherine Dorleac, the third of four daughters, in 1943 to two actors, Maurice Dorleac and Renee Deneuve (from whom Catherine took her stage name). Catherine’s first role was in a film called Collegiennes/The Twilight Girls made in 1956 – a piece of soft core erotica set in a boarding school starring veteran French actress Gaby Morlay. Her second film Les Petits Chats, released in 1960, was actually banned until 1965 – censored because the story of a group of schoolgirls planning murder far too disturbing for general release.
Deneuve’s iconic blonde hair didn’t appear until Les Parisiennes (titled in the States as Beds and Broads) in 1961 when she played a schoolgirl seduced by the up and coming pop idol Johnny Hallyday. By now she was notorious in France, not for her acting abilities but for moving in with director Roger Vadim at the age of sixteen. Once described as the “Svengali of French Cinema” Vadim would later write of Deneuve: “Her body was very white, rather fragile, and as delicate as the features on her face. I remember thinking I’d never seen such beautiful breasts.” He also said of their first year together that “she hardly spoke at all”. Deneuve’s notoriety intensified in 1963, when as part of an unmarried couple, she had a son – Christian Vadim.
As an actor Catherine Deneuve’s first major breakthrough in France was in Jacques Demy’s poignant 1964 musical Les Parapluies de Cherbourg which won the Cannes Palme d’Or in 1964 and subsequently the best foreign-language film Oscar. Her performance, however, eclipsed that of her sister’s who appeared in Truffaut’s La Peau Douce, released at roughly the same time. Les Parapluies de Cherbourg proved to be a turning point in Deneuve’s career and she went on to star in films such as Polanski’s Repulsion and Bunuel’s Belle de Jour. She married the British photographer David Bailey in 1965 (her only marriage and an institution she would later describe as ‘obsolete and a trap’) and appeared in another musical directed by Demy Les Demoiselles de Rochefort in 1967. Not long after the film’s completion, however, her co-star and sister Francoise, died in a car crash on the French Riviera. By now her marriage was over and she became involved with actor Marcello Mastroianni, with whom she had a daughter, Chiara, in 1972.
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/in-London-for-the-premiere-of-her-new-film-‘Repulsion’-a-thriller-directed-by-Roman-Polanski-11th-June-1964..jpg)
Deneuve in London for the premiere of her new film ‘Repulsion’, a thriller directed by Roman Polanski, 11th June 1964.
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Catherine-Deneuve-arriving-at-a-Royal-Film-Performance-of-James-H.-Hill’s-movie-Born-Free-at-the-Odeon-Leicester-Square-London-14th-March-1966.jpg)
Catherine Deneuve arriving at a Royal Film Performance of James H. Hill’s movie Born Free, at the Odeon, Leicester Square, London, 14th March 1966
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Jean-Paul-Belmondo-and-Catherine-Deneuve-in-La-Sirene-du-Mississippi-directed-by-François-Truffaut-1969.jpg)
Jean Paul Belmondo and Catherine Deneuve in La Sirene du Mississippi directed by François Truffaut, 1969
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Julie-Christie-Ursula-Andress-and-Catherine-Deneuve-attend-a-Royal-Film-Performance-of-Born-Free-at-the-Odeon-Leicester-Square-14th-March-1966.-Photo-by-George-Freston-1200x1139.jpg)
Julie Christie, Ursula Andress and Catherine Deneuve attend a Royal Film Performance of Born Free at the Odeon, Leicester Square, 14th March 1966. Photo by George Freston
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/David-Bailey-and-Catherine-Deneuve-are-surrounded-by-press-photographers-as-they-leave-st.-Pancras-after-their-wedding-august-1965-1200x1485.jpg)
David Bailey and Catherine Deneuve are surrounded by press photographers as they leave st. Pancras after their wedding, august, 1965
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Catherine-Deneuve-arriving-at-London-airport.-She-is-wearing-a-white-square-cut-coat-by-Andre-Courreges.jpg)
Catherine Deneuve arriving at London airport. She is wearing a white square cut coat by Andre Courreges
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/director-Jean-Paul-Rappeneau-gets-a-close-up-of-the-star-of-his-new-fim-‘La-Vie-De-Chateau’-Catherine-Deneuve-15th-January-1966..jpg)
director Jean-Paul Rappeneau gets a close up of the star of his new fim ‘La Vie De Chateau’, Catherine Deneuve, 15th January 1966.
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/30-Sep-1967-Paris-France-—-French-actress-Catherine-Deneuve-in-the-film-Manon-70-directed-by-Jean-Aurel.-Photo-Jack-Burlot-1200x805.jpg)
30 Sep 1967, Paris, France — French actress Catherine Deneuve in the film Manon 70, directed by Jean Aurel.
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Nino-Castelnuovo-and-Catherine-Deneuve-walk-down-a-wet-sidewalk-in-a-scene-from-the-film-‘The-Umbrellas-Of-Cherbourg’-1964..jpg)
Nino Castelnuovo and Catherine Deneuve walk down a wet sidewalk in a scene from the film ‘The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg’, 1964.
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/negli-anni-70-lattrice-francese-catherine-deneuve-c3a8-protagonista-di-una-serie-di-spot-televisivi-diretti-da-helmut-newton-nel-marzo-del-1968-durante-le-riprese-di-22mayerling22-di.jpg)
French actress Catherine Deneuve starred in a series of television commercials directed by Helmut Newton In March 1968, during the filming of “Mayerling” of Venice
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Catherine-Deneuve-and-Francoise-Dorleac-1942-–-1967-at-the-filming-of-“Les-Demoiselles-de-Rochefort”-1966.jpg)
Catherine Deneuve and Francoise Dorleac (1942 – 1967) at the filming of “Les Demoiselles de Rochefort” 1966
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Catherine-Deneuve-on-the-set-of-Et-Satan-conduit-le-bal-written-and-directed-by-Grisha-Dabat-1962-Photo-Henri-Bureau.jpg)
Catherine-Deneuve on the set of Et Satan conduit le Bal written and directed-by Grisha Dabat 1962. Photo Henri-Bureau
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Catherine-Deneuve-And-Françoise-Dorléac-The-sisters-in-their-matching-stripes-smothered-a-feline-with-kisses-in-an-outdoor-portrait-series-from-1960-1200x1281.jpg)
Catherine Deneuve And Françoise Dorléac The sisters, in their matching stripes, smothered a feline with kisses in an outdoor portrait series from 1960
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Catherine-Deneuve-and-Françoise-Dorléac-in-Les-demoiselles-de-Rochefort-directed-by-Jacques-Demy-1967.-Photo-by-Reg-Lancaster.jpg)
Catherine Deneuve and Françoise Dorléac in Les demoiselles de Rochefort directed by Jacques Demy, 1967. Photo by Reg Lancaster
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Catherine-Deneuve-Françoise-Dorléac-and-Gene-Kelly-on-the-set-of-Les-demoiselles-de-Rochefort-directed-by-Jacques-Demy-1966-1200x1267.jpg)
Catherine Deneuve, Françoise Dorléac and Gene Kelly on the set of Les demoiselles de Rochefort directed by Jacques Demy, 1966
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Catherine-Deneuve-and-Françoise-Dorléac-on-the-set-of-Les-demoiselles-de-Rochefort-directed-by-Jacques-Demy-1967-1200x810.jpg)
Catherine Deneuve and Françoise Dorléac on the set of Les demoiselles de Rochefort directed by Jacques Demy, 1967
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Gene-Kelly-Catherine-Deneuve-and-Jacques-Demy-by-Hélène-Jeanbrau-on-the-set-of-Les-demoiselles-de-Rochefort-1967-1200x907.jpg)
Gene Kelly, Catherine Deneuve and Jacques Demy by Hélène Jeanbrau on the set of Les demoiselles de Rochefort, 1967
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Françoise-Dorléac-and-Catherine-Deneuve-by-Hélène-Jeanbrau-in-Les-demoiselles-de-Rochefort-directed-by-Jacques-Demy-1967.jpg)
Françoise Dorléac and Catherine Deneuve by Hélène Jeanbrau in Les demoiselles de Rochefort directed by Jacques Demy, 1967
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Catherine-Deneuve-in-Manon-70-directed-by-Jean-Aurel-1968-1200x800.jpg)
30 Sep 1967, Paris, France — French actress Catherine Deneuve in the film Manon 70, directed by Jean Aurel. — Image by Jack Burlot
![](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Jean-Paul-Belmondo-and-Catherine-Deneuve-in-La-Sirène-du-Missippi-directed-by-François-Truffaut-1969-1200x956.jpg)
Jean Paul Belmondo and Catherine Deneuve in La Sirène du Missippi directed by François Truffaut, 1969
![Catherine Deneuve](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Nino-Castelnuovo-and-Catherine-Deneuve-in-Les-Parapluies-de-Cherbourg-directed-by-Jacques-Demy-1964.jpg)
Nino Castelnuovo and Catherine Deneuve in Les Parapluies de Cherbourg directed by Jacques Demy, 1964
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