Fun Facts About Marion Cotillard

French actress Marion Cotillard will soon grace US screens in the Steven Soderbergh thriller "Contagion". The film revolves around the possible outbreak of a deadly disease, and she will be playing Dr. Leonara Orantes. Here is a brief look into the actress' life and some fun facts:

Background Facts

Marion Cotillard grew up in Orleans, Paris. Her parents were actors as well. Despite having a loving family, she spent her childhood feeling as if something was missing and questioning life's meaning. And it wasn't till she found her place in drama class as a teenager that she began to feel good about herself. Although, her sadness continued into her twenties.

She began acting at age 16 with a part on the TV series Highlander. Her first film role came about five years later with the French film Taxi. It would be another five years before she would make her US debut in the film Big Fish as Billy Crudup's pregnant wife.

American audiences didn't really take notice of her until she won a Best Actress Oscar for her performance as Edith Piaf in the French film La Vie en Rose. Fun fact: The only other person to win an Oscar for a different language film was Sophia Loren for Two Women.

Since then, Marion Cotillard has been in movies such as Public Enemies, Nine, Inception, and Midnight in Paris. Besides Contagion coming out soon, fans can look forward to seeing her in The Dark Knight Rises next year.

Fun Facts

Marion Cotillard sometimes performs using the name "Simone" with musician Yodelice. In fact, she actually performed with Yodelice at the Olympia where Edith Piaf used to perform.

She looks at her characters as an anthropologist might.

She is a supporter of Greenpeace.

She says she has stopped asking herself meaning of life questions, and instead tries to focus more on connecting with people.

Playing off the theme of her movie Inception, she thinks it would be awesome to go into a lion's dream.

Fact Sources
Interview, "Marion Cotillard" by Nicole Kidman. (www.interviewmagazine.com)
Telegraph, "Inception: Marion Cotillard Interview" by John Hiscock. (www.telegraph.co.uk)
Ask Men, "Marion Cotillard Interview" by Anne Brodie. (www.askmen.com)