Jacqueline Bisset

Biography

Jacqueline Bisset has been a renowned international film star since the late 1960s. She was first noted as a stunning on-screen beauty, but over time has become known as a true actress. Bisset has worked with directors John Huston, François Truffaut, George Cukor and Roman Polanski. Her co-stars have included Anthony Quinn, Linda Hamilton, Paul Newman, Leelee Sobieski, Armand Assante, Candice Bergen.

Many people assume that Bisset is from France, but she was brought up in England and had to study to learn French. Her mother is French and was an attorney before being married. As a child, Jacqueline studied ballet. During her teenage years, her father left the family when her mother was diagnosed with disseminating sclerosis; Jacqueline worked as a model to support her ailing mother and eventually her parents divorced. She has said that she considers this to have been a character-strengthening experience. She took an early interest in film, and her modeling career helped pay for acting lessons.

In 1967, Bisset gained her first critical attention in Two for the Road (1967), and in that same year, she also appeared in the popular James Bond spoof Casino Royale (1967), portraying Miss Goodthighs. In 1968, her career got a boost when Mia Farrow unexpectedly dropped out of the shooting of The Detective (1968) when Farrow's marriage to co-star Frank Sinatra was on the rocks -- her role was then given to Bisset, who received special billing in the film's credits. In the following year, she played opposite Steve McQueen in the popular action film Bullitt (1968).

In 1973, Bisset became recognized as a serious actress in Europe when she played a lead character in Truffaut's "Day for Night" (Nuit américaine, La (1973)). However, it would be several years before her talents would be taken seriously in the USA.

Jacqueline's stunning good looks made quite a big splash in The Deep (1977). Her underwater swimming scenes in that movie inspired the worldwide wet T-shirt craze, and Newsweek magazine declared her "the most beautiful film actress of all time". However, she hated the wet shirt scenes because she felt exploited. At the time of filming, she was not told that the filmmakers would shoot the scenes in such a provocative way and therefore, she felt tricked.

Many Americans began to recognize Bisset as a serious actress in her performance in Rich and Famous (1981). She received Golden Globe nominations for her roles in Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978) and Under the Volcano (1984). In 1996, she was nominated for a César award, the French equivalent of the Oscar, for her role in Cérémonie, La (1995/I).

Bisset has never married, but has been involved in several long-term romantic relationships. She continues to make numerous films, and frequently participates in film festivals and award ceremonies around the world.