OFFmag: Vanessa Paradis

. birthday _ 22 December 1972 _

Vanessa Paradis

(43th anniversary)

22 December 1972

Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, Val-de-Marne, France

5' 3" (1,6 m)

Vanessa Paradis is a renowned French actress, model and singer born in 1972. She started her career as a model and singer before becoming a movie star. Her song "Joe Le Taxi" brought her success in 15 countries at the age of 14.

Later, in 1990, she was awarded a 'César' (French equivalent of Oscar) for her debut movie Noce blanche (1989). For the next 5 years, she concentrated on her musical career, she rejected Pedro Almodóvar and John Boorman. In 1995, she appeared in Elisa, de Jean Becker (1995), but decided to concentrate on her private life with Johnny Depp and their children. After several years, Vanessa continued her singing and acting career. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Kornel Osvart < osvart@iname.com>

Trivia

Gave birth to her daughter Lily-Rose Melody Depp, with Johnny Depp, on 27 May 1999.

Her son John Christopher "Jack" Depp III was born on 29 April 2002.

Niece of Didier Pain.

Achieved the UK Top Ten hit singles twice in five years, with "Joe Le Taxi" (No. 3, March 1988) and "Be my baby" (No. 6, November 1992). Other less sucessful releases include "Sunday Mondays" (No. 49, March 1993) and "Just as long as you are there" (No. 57, July 1993). Her debut hit also spent eleven weeks at the top of the French chart.

Has her look-alike puppet in the French show Les guignols de l'info (1988).

Parents are André and Corinne Paradis.

Older sister of Alysson Paradis.

French citizen.

Her idols as a child were James Dean and Marilyn Monroe.

Is the face of Coco Chanel.

Sang with Johnny Depp and Iggy Pop at a concert.

Dedicated her 2000 album "Bliss" to Johnny Depp and their daughter Lily.

She and Johnny Depp reside in the Hollywood Hills and on a farm in Southern France; they also own apartments in Paris, Manhattan and in the Bahamas.

March 2008: Won "Female Artist of the Year" and "Best Song/Variety Album of the Year" at Victoires de la Musique, the top music award in France.

Became the new voice of Aéroports de Paris. The first commercial using her voice debuted June 2, 2008.

Was announced as being the new spokeswoman for the fashion line, "Miu Miu", after Kirsten Dunst was fired (2008).

Named 'Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres' (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) by the French government in 2007. The honour is bestowed upon people "who have significantly contributed to the enrichment of the French cultural inheritance".

Her 2007 album "Divinidylle" received an NRJ Music Award nomination for "Best French Album".

Was honored alongside Karl Lagerfeld at the Cannes Film Festival Madame Figaro party on May 18 at the Canal Plus Patio.

Has amicably separated from boyfriend of 14 years Johnny Depp [June 19, 2012].

Living in France with long term boyfriend, Johnny Depp, and their children, Lily (6) and Jack (4).

Personal Quotes

I liked to play dress-up.

Love is the strongest and most fragile thing we have in life.

I realize how unique my path has been. And I'm thankful for that.

My mum told me to have patience. It's about realising that when things aren't going the way you want them to, or you don't have inspiration, it will come.

Life is like the ocean, it goes up and down.

If you have the support of people with a heart and a brain, then you're good.

Fear can make all of us do the wrong things sometimes.

I don't believe you can say 'forever'; I don't believe it exists.

I'd rather sing a good lyric written by someone else than one of my own that is terrible.

Who said that artists should sell their soul, expose everything about themselves?

If your heart is in love, you can do anything.

'Singin' in the Rain' was the one for me. Yeah. I mean, Gene Kelly could just sway and never fall. He'd just sway and sway as he danced.

It's a courageous thing to do something that doesn't have rules or limits.

I do sometimes strongly hope that in a past life, my most recent life before this, I was absolutely horrible, evil, hideous. Because otherwise - well, hell, to even things up next time around, I'm going to have to pay for this one, am I not?

I just like putting outfits together without much thought and seeing what the outcome is.

I don't like things set in stone.

The idea of a soulmate is beautiful and very romantic to talk about it in a movie or a song, but in reality, I find it scary.

The only thing I want to say is, I know I'm not Einstein, but I'm not the queen of the imbeciles either.

Cafe De Flore speaks of love, its joys, its pains and its dramas - to love and to lose. This story upset me, I was upside-down, in the depths of myself.

You fall for who the chemistry is with.

Nothing is ever for sure, but when something in love doesn't work from the beginning, it's never going to work. Don't push it.

The songs from your childhood, when you hear them you get chills all over.

Not everyone is lucky enough to be given space and trust.

It's not my style to judge anybody.

I love the romance of 'let's get married,' but then, when you have it so perfect... I mean, I'm more married than anybody can be - we have two kids. Maybe one day, but it's something I can really do without.

My children are grown now, they are more independent.

People don't get through to the essence of you right away - it's always the famous 'girl' or the famous 'girlfriend'. I'd rather be known for myself.

It's difficult when you want it all.

The movies and the parts I'm being offered are becoming better and better.

My daughter loves singing above all else.

Sometimes you could be in an unhappy relationship; you are very much in love with someone, but it's making you unhappy and you think things can change and you can work it out.

I don't have the recipe for happiness, but I think the engine is simply having the desire.

How many times do I have to repeat this: my childhood was fantastic.

I don't have famous neighbours and if I did, I'd avoid them. I don't live the jet-set.

As long as you're fully present in what you're doing at the moment, you're doing it.

I was for sure not prepared for fame when it happened.

In the winter I separate, in the summer I marry. It's been 15 years since I've been getting married every year.

It amuses me when I'm described as 'chic.'

It has been extraordinary, wonderful, I've been three feet off the ground since I made that first record.

You know, when I eat three peas, I'm pregnant. When I visit a city, I'm buying a house.

I love what I do.

I am a complete sentimentalist when it comes to clothes. I have so many memories attached to them that I can't throw anything out.

I hate, for example, whenever you hear someone say, 'You have work at being a couple.'

I could sing in English before I could understand it because I phonetically learned it from the musicals.

Well, my type is obviously creative. Creative, with burning eyes and a pretty mouth.

I'm super lucky because I come home and I don't have to run errands and clean the house and do all that.

I was an only child until I was 11 years old, which is when my sister was born. So for 11 years, it was just me.

I understand those who don't like me.

I mostly want to be friends with my children.

I was born in a suburb of Paris, and I grew up there until I was 16, so there were always a lot of barbecues, a garden, friends.

I love clothes but I have spent so much of my professional life creating an image of one kind or another that it is nice not to care about it in life and let your skin breathe.

You keep learning all the time.

There are forms of art that I might not like to do myself, but I still have respect for the artists who create it.

The red carpet is not something I really know how to work. It intimidates me. I feel very tiny.

When you meet the love of your life, it's just obvious and natural and easier.

Women are the real superheroes because they're not just working. They have a life and everything.

When I started to record, I could sing in pitch, but that was maybe about it.