Vanessa Paradis

Vanessa Paradis rose to fame as a teenage pop sensation when her 1987 hit "Joe le taxi" topped the French charts for eleven weeks and broke into the UK market, a rare feat for a French‑language single. Born in Saint‑Maur‑des‑Fossés to interior‑designer parents, she began performing on television at seven and released her first single in 1983, laying the groundwork for a career that would span singing, acting, and modeling. By age fourteen she was already an international star, and at eighteen she captured France’s most prestigious accolades: the César Award for Most Promising Actress for Noce Blanche, the Prix Romy Schneider, and a Victoire de la Musique for Best Female Singer, cementing her dual identity as both musician and actress.

Her filmography includes collaborations with icons such as Gérard Depardieu in Élisa, Jean Reno in Witch Way Love, and an acclaimed turn in Café de Flore, which earned her a Genie Award. In music, she has worked with legends like Serge Gainsbourg, Lenny Kravitz, and Benjamin Biolay, producing a string of gold‑selling albums from the R&B‑infused Variations sur le même t'aime to the whimsical Divinidylle. As a model, she has graced over 300 magazine covers and served as Chanel’s muse for decades, starring in iconic campaigns directed by Jean‑Paul Goude. Beyond the spotlight, she has been a devoted philanthropist with Les Enfoirés, a juror at Cannes, and a stage actress nominated for a Molière Award, illustrating a multifaceted legacy that continues to influence French popular culture.