| Noémie Merlant | |
| Birth Date: | 27 November 1988 |
| Birth Place: | Paris, France |
| Occupation: | Actress, filmmaker |
| Years Active: | 2008–present |
Noémie Merlant (in French pronounced as /nɔemi mɛʁlɑ̃/; born 27 November 1988) is a French actress and filmmaker. She has been nominated for her performances three times at the César Awards, including a nomination for her breakout role in Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) and a win for The Innocent (2022).
Merlant was born on 27 November 1988 in Paris.[1] Both of her parents are real estate agents.[2] She was raised in Rezé near Nantes.[3]
Merlant began her career as a professional model before attending the Cours Florent acting school in Paris.[4] She had her first breakthrough in the 2016 film Heaven Will Wait for which she was nominated for the César Award for Most Promising Actress.[5]
In 2019, Merlant starred in Portrait of a Lady on Fire. She won the Lumières Award for Best Actress for her performance and was nominated for the César Award for Best Actress alongside her co-star Adèle Haenel.[6] [7]
In 2020, Merlant starred in Zoé Wittock's Jumbo, a film about a woman who falls in love with an amusement park ride.[8] She also starred in Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar's A Good Man.[9]
In 2022, Merlant portrayed Francesca Lentini, a musician and personal assistant to the celebrated composer/conductor Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett), in the movie Tár, directed by Todd Field.[10]
In 2023, it was announced that Merlant would play the titular character Emmanuelle in a reboot of the iconic franchise directed by Audrey Diwan.[11]
In June 2023, Merlant was invited to become a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[12]
Merlant has directed two short films, the 2017 film Je suis #unebiche and the 2019 film Shakira. In 2021, she made her feature directorial debut with Mi Iubita Mon Amour, which premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.[13] Her sophomore directorial effort, The Balconettes, premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Death in Love | Uncredited | ||
| 2011 | La Permission de minuit | Mathilde | ||
| L'Orpheline avec en plus un bras en moins | Éléonore | |||
| 2014 | La Crème de la crème | The redhead | ||
| Des lendemains qui chantent | Svetlana | |||
| Once in a Lifetime | Mélanie | |||
| 2015 | One Wild Moment | Linda | ||
| Newcomer | Anja | |||
| 2016 | Dieumerci! | Audrey | ||
| The Brother | Claire | |||
| Twisting Fate | Claire | |||
| Heaven Will Wait | Sonia Bouzaria | Nominated—César Award for Most Promising Actress Nominated—Lumières Award for Best Female Revelation | ||
| 2017 | Plonger | The young artist | ||
| 2018 | Return of the Hero | Pauline Beaugrand | ||
| All About Mothers | Coco | |||
| Paper Flags | Charlie | |||
| 2019 | Curiosa | Marie de Régnier | ||
| Portrait of a Lady on Fire | Marianne | Lumières Award for Best Actress Nominated - César Award for Best Actress | ||
| République | Nora | Interactive film | ||
| 2020 | Jumbo | Jeanne Tantois | ||
| A Good Man | Benjamin | |||
| 2021 | Mi Iubita Mon Amour | Jeanne | Also director, producer and writer | |
| Paris, 13th District | Nora Ligier | |||
| 2022 | One Year, One Night | Céline | Nominated – Gaudí Award for Best Actress | |
| The Innocent | Clemence | César Award for Best Supporting Actress | ||
| Tár | Francesca Lentini | |||
| Baby Ruby | Jo | |||
| 2023 | A Difficult Year | Valentine 'Cactus' | [14] | |
| Soul Mates | Jeanne | |||
| Lee | Nusch Éluard | |||
| 2024 | The Balconettes | Élise | Also director and writer | |
| Emmanuelle | Emmanuelle | [15] | ||
| Enrichetta Checci | Post-production[16] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Parigi | ||
| 2011 | Juste avant l'aube | Laura | |
| 2012 | Les Nerfs fument | ||
| 2013 | Pour le rôle | The secretary | |
| Lapsus | Angie | ||
| Némésis | Ange | ||
| Le Devoir | Agnes | ||
| L'Amour a la clé | |||
| 2017 | Unexpected | Agnès | |
| Je suis #unebiche | Also director and writer | ||
| 2019 | Shakira | Shakira |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Le Jour où tout a basculé | Annabelle | Episode: "Ma fille est amoureuse de son professeur" | |
| 2012 | Julie Lescaut | Lou de Salle | Episode: "Cougar" | |
| Enquêtes réservées | Garance Lasarthe | Episode: "Un témoin de trop" | ||
| 2013 | Dos au mur | TV series | ||
| 2014 | Le Voyage de monsieur Perrichon | Henriette | TV film | |
| 2016 | Elles... Les Filles du Plessis | Brigitte | ||
| The Law of ... | Katya Valle | Episode: "Christophe's Law: La ligne blanche" | ||
| 2021 | H24 | Episode: "17h - PLS" |
| Year | Title | Director | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Adriana Mater | Bertrand Dégremont | - | 2010 | Push Up | Suzanne Marot |
| 2011 | Les Lésions dangereuses | Julia Dunoyer |