Biography for
Jacqueline Bisset More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

13 September 1944, Weybridge, Surrey, England, UK

Birth Name

Winnifred Jacqueline Fraser-Bisset

Height

5' 6½" (1.69 m)

Mini Biography

Jacqueline Bisset has been an international film star since the late 1960s. She received her first roles mainly because of her stunning beauty, but over time she has become a fine actress respected by fans and critics alike.

Her somewhat French-sounding name has led many to assume that she 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, an experience she has said she considered character-strengthening. She took an early interest in film, and her modeling career helped pay for acting lessons.

Two years after her film debut, Bisset gained attention for her role in Two for the Road (1967) with Audrey Hepburn, and in that same year appeared in the popular James Bond spoof Casino Royale (1967), playing Miss Goodthighs. In 1968 her career got a boost when Mia Farrow unexpectedly dropped out of the shooting of The Detective (1968); Farrow's marriage to co-star Frank Sinatra was on the rocks, and her role was eventually given to Bisset, who received special billing in the film's credits. Her breakout role was as Steve McQueen's girlfriend in the classic action film Bullitt (1968). In the popular "disaster film" Airport (1970), Bisset played a pregnant stewardess carrying Dean Martin's love child, and she also had a memorable scene slapping Helen Hayes. Although these films were very successful at the box office, Jacqueline found such "window dressing" parts unsatisfying, and she searched for more compelling material. She became recognized in Europe as a serious actress when she played the lead in the French film "Day for Night" (La nuit américaine (1973)). However, it would be several years before her talents would be taken seriously in the US. The following year she appeared in the hit film Murder on the Orient Express (1974) with an ensemble cast.

Jacqueline's stunning looks and figure made quite a 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 T-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 she felt tricked.

She received critical acclaim for her performance in Rich and Famous (1981) opposite Candice Bergen. She made another memorable appearance in Class (1983), starring opposite "Brat Pack" members Rob Lowe and Andrew McCarthy. Jacqueline has received four Golden Globe nominations between 1969 and 2000, for her performances in The Sweet Ride (1968), Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978), Under the Volcano (1984), and Joan of Arc (1999) (TV). She was also nominated for a César award, the French equivalent of the Oscar, for her role in La cérémonie (1995).

Bisset has worked with such directors as John Huston, François Truffaut, and Roman Polanski and co-starred with actors of the caliber of Sean Connery, Paul Newman, Anthony Perkins, Albert Finney, Mickey Rourke, Anthony Quinn, Nick Nolte, William Holden, Charles Bronson, Linda Hamilton, Ingrid Bergman, Meg Ryan, Leelee Sobieski, Shirley MacLaine and Naomi Watts.

She made a successful transition from leading lady to character actress. Her notable productions include the Biblical epics Jesus (1999) (TV) and In the Beginning (2000) (TV). She also played Keira Knightley's mother in the action movie Domino (2005), and in 2006 Jacqueline had a recurring role in the fourth season of "Nip/Tuck" (2003). She made an appearance in the movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) with her goddaughter, Angelina Jolie, but her scenes were cut from the theatrical release.

Jacqueline has never married, although she has had lengthy romances with Canadian actor Michael Sarrazin, mogul Victor Drai, Russian actor Alexander Godunov, French actor Vincent Perez, and martial arts instructor Emin Boztepe. She continues to make numerous appearances in movies and television and frequently participates in film festivals and award ceremonies around the world.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Roger Burns

Trade Mark

Frequently plays sexy, intelligent women who take control of a situation.

Trivia

Her first job was a waitress in a Chinese restaurant.

Favorite films: Brief Encounter (1945), Splendor in the Grass (1961).

Favorite actresses: Jeanne Moreau, Jessica Lange

Favorite actors: Marlon Brando, Anthony Hopkins, Montgomery Clift

Her most fulfilling role: "Julie" in François Truffaut's "Day for Night" (La nuit américaine (1973).

Her favorite scene: fighting with Anthony Quinn in The Greek Tycoon (1978).

Godmother of actress Angelina Jolie.

Measurements: 36C-24-36 1/2 (as starlet 1973), 37C-25-36 (filming The Deep (1977) (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine).

Member of the jury at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2001

No relation to Josie Bissett.

She said her last name is pronounced "Bissit" and rhymes with "Kiss it".

Had long-term relationships with Michael Sarrazin (1968-1974), Victor Drai (1975-1980), Alexander Godunov (1981-1988), Vincent Perez (1988-1991) and Emin Boztepe (1994-2005).

Reignited her romance with Emin Boztepe [August 27, 2009].

Politely turned down a date with older costar Frank Sinatra (because of his "hot reputation") and a dance with Marlon Brando (because she was with another man).

Narrated a documentary, "The Essence of Cool," about her friend and Bullitt (1968) costar Steve McQueen.

Drives a vintage Cadillac El Dorado convertible, which she bought used in 1976.

Her father, Max Sr., was a doctor who died of a brain tumor in 1982. Her mother, Arlette, died in 1999.

Her parents divorced in 1968 after 28 years of marriage.

Has one brother, Max, who is a car dealer.

Her primary residence is in Benedict Canyon.

Personal Quotes

Character contributes to beauty. It fortifies a woman as her youth fades.

I'm fascinated by a man with a twinkle in his eye.

[speaking in 1980] I'm either offered window-dressing parts in large movies or little art films no one ever sees. People think the movies I end up doing are my real choices. I do the best things I'm offered.

After filming The Deep (1977), all they talked about was my tits for the next four years. God, if I was going to do a picture like that, I'd have done it a lot sexier. That looked like two fried eggs on a platter.

The picture is called Class (1983) but the ad campaign is anything but. They've put my head onto another body and given me enormous bosoms. All the guys are going to be disappointed.

[on her childhood home] Not one newspaper that came into the house ever left it. There were masses of books everywhere and furniture enough for three homes. My brother and I were extremely upset by it - and have now turned into clean freaks.

I grew up in a small town, so it was thrilling to come to London in the 1960s. Everyone was experimenting and having fun. We would go to Soho and meet all those incredible image changers: Roman Polanski, David Bailey, The Beatles, Ursula Andress and Terence Stamp, who is still a close friend.

I look at photos of myself and think, "God, if I had realized I was so cute, I would have been naughtier!" But you could put any woman in a wet T-shirt and men would lust after her.

[on plastic surgery] I have never had any cosmetic surgery. I've never worried about age. I don't think all the nips and tucks look good. If these women who've had work done looked sideways in the mirror, they would see that they get a stiff curtain across their face. I think they do it because they are terrified of not being loved and of other people's opinions. Things on my body are not up as much as they used to be, and that's a bore. So I just smile more, which helps. I am becoming a fuller person as I get older.

[on boyfriend Emin Boztepe] Our age gap is not a big issue. It just depends on what you have in common and, although Emin is much younger, he's a very mature man. There are things that are different about someone who is not of the same generation as you: they don't know everything you know; they look at things differently, but things can work out just fine.

[on Steve McQueen] It was exciting working with him. But he was a hip American and I was very English. His phrases would drive me nuts. I didn't know what a dude was or a soul chick. I did find him attractive, but a little bit scary. He'd get on his bike and take off like a wild alley cat; that was his escape from fame

Salary

Inchon (1981)

$1,650,000

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