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Agnès Jaoui

Agnès Jaoui

Actor, writer and director · Born October 19, 1964 (62) · Antony, Hauts-de-Seine, France

Agnès Jaoui (born 19 October 1964) is a French actress, screenwriter, film director and singer. Jaoui has won six César Awards, three Lumières Awards, and a Best Screenplay Award at the Cannes Film Festival. She has received numerous other awards and nominations, including a nomination for Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Jaoui was born in Antony, Hauts-de-Seine, and is of Tunisian Jewish descent. She is the daughter of Hubert Jaoui and Gyza Jaoui, who are both writers. They moved to Paris when she was 8 years old. She started theatre when she was in high school at the Lycée Henri-IV in Paris. She entered the Cours Florent when she was 15. Patrice Chéreau, director of the Théâtre des Amandiers in Nanterre where she began attending drama classes in 1984, gave her a role in the film Hôtel de France in 1987. That same year, she appeared in Harold Pinter's L'anniversaire with Jean-Pierre Bacri, who later became a faithful colleague and companion. Jaoui and Bacri wrote the play Cuisine et dépendances, which was adapted onscreen in 1992 by Philippe Muyl. In 1993, director Alain Resnais asked them to write an adaptation of Alan Ayckbourn's 8-part play Intimate Exchanges, which became the 2-part film Smoking/No Smoking. This ironic diptych about free will and destiny won the César Award for Best Writing in 1994. In 1996, they came to know greater success with Cédric Klapisch's adaptation of their play Family Resemblances (Un air de famille), which showed their ability to observe and depict everyday life, and to criticize the social norms through bitter and corrosive humor. Once again, they won the César Award for Best Writing in 1997 and the same year collaborated again with Resnais on Same Old Song (On connaît la chanson), which they wrote but also interpreted: together, they won their third César Award for Best Writing, and Jaoui her first César Award for Best Supporting Actress. Jaoui directed her first feature film, The Taste of Others (Le Goût des autres, 2000, written with Bacri), which questions social-cultural identities. The film was a huge success in France and attracted 4 million spectators. It also won 4 César Awards in 2001 including Best Film and Best Writing, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In 2004, Jaoui's second film as a director, Look at Me (Comme une image), co-written with Bacri, was selected for the Cannes Festival and won the prize for Best Screenplay. She starred in the last Richard Dembo's film, La maison de Nina (2005) and then focused on music and released her album of Latin songs, Canta (2006). She returned to cinema in 2008 with Let's Talk About the Rain (Parlez-moi de la pluie), with French humorist Jamel Debbouze in a different role from what he was used to. In 2012, Jaoui directed her latest film to date, Under the Rainbow (Au bout du conte), also co-written with Bacri. She revisits several fairy tales such as Cinderella, Snow White, and Little Red Riding Hood. It received acclaim from critics and audiences for originality and humor in the writing and dialogue. ... Source: Article "Agnès Jaoui" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 19, 1964 (62)
From
Antony, Hauts-de-Seine, France
Works as
Actor, writer and director
Titles
17 on MovieCove · 51 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Up 92% in 30 days

What are Agnès Jaoui's films like?

Across their 16 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
37%
Self
31%
Morality
9%
Survival
7%
Power
7%
Society
6%
Ideas
3%
Family bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass2 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 15 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 12 · Serious 2 · Dark 1

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 11 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 8 · Charged 7 · Intense 0

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 10 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 4

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 5

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 9 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 8 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 3

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

12 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 5 of 12 analyzed roles.

Hero
5 of 12
Shadow
2 of 12
Ally
2 of 12
Threshold guardian
1 of 12
Mentor
1 of 12
Shapeshifter
1 of 12
Show the 12 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
10
Contemplative
5
Tense
5
Melancholic
5
Joyful
4
Other
12

How their films linger

Feel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet2
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous6
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Agnès Jaoui's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 4 of their 17 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (2).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Agnès Jaoui's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

51 credits, 17 with a MovieCove page; 17 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Crescendo(2026)

    Director · Screenplay · as Hannah Liebmann

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Le Temps des femmes(2025)

    Writer · as Narrator (voice)

  • This Life of Mine(2024)

    as Barberie Bichette

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Becoming Karl Lagerfeld(2024)

    Show 4 episodes · as Gabrielle Aghion

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • Dans le Rétro (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • This Is My Mother(2023)

    as Judith

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • A Nice Jewish Boy(2024)

    as Giselle

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • A Wonderful Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Claire Bloch

  • Wow! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Josépha

  • Life Lessons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Noémie Capdenac

  • Cherchez la femme ! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as (voice)

  • Yuku and the Flower of the Himalayas(2022)

    as La Renarde (voice)

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Singing Jailbirds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Catherine

  • The Companions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Hélène

  • In Treatment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 35 episodes · Director · as Rebecca

  • Foodie Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Best Intentions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Isabelle

  • Place publique (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director · Writer · as Hélène

  • I Got Life!(2017)

    Writer · as Aurore Tabort

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • I'm All Yours(2015)

    as Simone Belkacem

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Sweet Escape(2015)

    as Laëtitia

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • The Easy Way Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Ariel

  • The Scent of Carrots (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as (voice)

  • Under the Rainbow(2013)

    Director · Screenplay · as Marianne

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Dandelions(2012)

    as Colette Gladstein

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Sous un coin de ciel bleu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Princess (voice)

  • Let it Rain(2008)

    Director · Screenplay · as Agathe Villanova

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Nina's House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Nina

  • Look at Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director · Screenplay · as Sylvia Millet

  • The Role of Her Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Elisabeth Becker

  • 24 Hours in the Life of a Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Marie Collins Brown

  • The Taste of Others(2000)

    Director · Screenplay · as Manie

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Une femme d'extérieur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Françoise

  • On the Run (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Kirstin

  • La méthode (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Cécile

  • The Cousin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Claudine Delvaux

  • Same Old Song(1997)

    Screenplay · as Camille Lalande

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Le déménagement(1997)

    as Claire

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Family Resemblances (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Theatre Play · Writer · as Betty Ménard

  • No Smoking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Writer

  • Smoking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Writer

  • Smoking / No Smoking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Writer

  • Kitchen with Apartment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Screenplay · Writer · as Charlotte

  • Canti (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Actor

  • Women in Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Agathe

  • Hôtel de France(1987)

    as Mme Bouguereau

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • The Hawk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Sandra

  • Cinéma 16 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Agathe

  • A Primeira Música (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • De l'autre côté de l'été (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Muriel

  • Harmonie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Magda

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 51 titles, 48 of them dated from 1975 to 2026; peak year 2024.

Biggest box office

Let it Rain (2008)

$10M worldwide

Highest rated

The Taste of Others (2000)

Midcredits 88th

Most popular right now

Becoming Karl Lagerfeld (2024)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19752026

Peak 2024 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 3 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1993Screen debut· Kitchen with Apartment
  • 2000First top-billed film· The Taste of Others
  • 2000Breakout· The Taste of Others
  • 2000Career best· The Taste of Others

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting48 of 51: 37 only acting, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thDirecting7 of 51: 0 only directing, 7 with another roleWriting13 of 51: 3 only writing, 10 with another role · typical Midcredits score51st

51 titles, 11 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 10 of them.

By decade

1970s1 · acting1980s3 · acting1990s11 · 8 acting · 6 crew2000s8 · 8 acting · 3 crew2010s10 · 10 acting · 2 crew2020s15 · 15 acting · 3 crew

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 42% of 26 roles
93981318

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Agnès Jaoui's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 51st percentile, the median of the 15 of 16 with a score; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 62nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 16 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

None of their 16 titles divides audiences: 8 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed4

Most loved · actor, director, writer

The Taste of Others (2000)

Midcredits 88th · 76% liked

Reviewers score the acting 79/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 83, detractors 48. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Agnès Jaoui work with?

People who share at least 2 of Agnès Jaoui's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jean-Pierre Bacri shares the most, 4.

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles