Actress Marion Cotillard was born on September 30, 1975, in Paris, France. Influenced by her acting parents, she began performing on stage at a young age. After graduating with honors from the Conservatoire Nationale Supérieure des Dramatices in Orléans, she made her film debut at the age of 16. She played the role of the protagonist's girlfriend, Lily, in Luc Besson's 1998 film "Taxi," for which she was nominated for a César Award for Best Promising Young Actress. She continued to appear in French films, including sequels to the "Taxi" series, before making her Hollywood debut in Tim Burton's "Big Fish" in 2003. The following year, she returned to France and starred in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "A Very Long Engagement," for which she won a César Award for Best Supporting Actress. Marion continued to appear in numerous French films, most notably in the 2007 film "La Vie en Rose." Her portrayal of the tragic life of Edith Piaf, France's most famous chanson singer, was met with rave reviews, earning her numerous Best Actress awards, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA. She achieved the remarkable feat of becoming only the second French actress to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, following Simone Signoret. In recognition of these achievements, she was awarded the Order of Arts and Letters in 2010. In 2013, she was ranked number one in the "100 Most Beautiful Faces in the World" list compiled by the film information website TC Candler. She has also served as a muse for Dior's iconic bags since 2008, appearing in numerous campaign visuals and appearing at parties wearing Dior dresses. In her private life, she is dating Guillaume Canet, with whom she co-starred in the 2003 film "I Am the Unluckiest and Happiest Person in the World." They had their first son, Marcel, in 2011. She is also passionate about environmental issues and is well-known as a member of the environmental protection organization Greenpeace.