Singer and actress Vanessa Paradis was born on December 22, 1972, in Vin-de-Marne, France. Her uncle, actor Didier Pin, helped her make her television debut at the age of seven. Her role as the heroine Mathilde in the 1989 film "The White Wedding" earned her the César Award for Best Newcomer and the Romy Schneider Award. Meanwhile, as a singer, she made her debut in 1987 with the single "Dreaming Joe," which topped the charts in France for 11 consecutive weeks. Her subsequent album, "Marilyn & John," also met with rave reviews, quickly establishing her as one of France's leading young artists. She then released "Variations" in 1990, produced by renowned French entertainer Serge Gainsbourg. In 1993, she released "Vanessa Paradis," produced by Lenny Kravitz, a leading rock artist of the time, and both albums became huge hits worldwide.

After that, while continuing her career as a singer, she appeared in the 1998 comedy action film "Half a Chance" and Patrice Leconte's "The Girl on the Bridge." She co-starred with such leading French actors as Alain Delon, Jean-Paul Belmondo, and Daniel Auteuil. In 2004, she starred as Concha in the unique sci-fi comedy "Alien vs. Vanessa Paradis."

In her personal life, she had two children with actor Johnny Depp, but they are currently separated.