Vanessa Paradis Biography

Singer, actress. Born Vanessa Chantal Paradis in Saint-Maur-des-Fosses, France on December 22, 1972, to interior designers Andre and Corrine. Paradis enjoyed singing from an early age. Her career began to develop when she was eight years old, after her uncle, record producer Didier Pain, used his connections to get his nice on the popular French TV show L'Ecole Des Fans(The School of Fans). The program gave children the opportunity to perform their own renditions of popular songs on a a television talent show. Paradis sang a song from the musical Emilie Jolie by Philippe Chatel, who was the special guest on the program.

At the age of 13, Vanessa Paradis recorded her first single, "La Magie Des Surprises-Parties" ("The Magic of Surprise Parties"). But her career didn't take off until the age of 16, when she released her first single "Joe le Taxi" (1987). The song became a No. 1 hit in France, and a year later she launched her debut album, M&J (1988). The album, featuring her popular single "Joe le Taxi," peaked at No. 13 on the French Album Chart, making Paradis an overnight sensation.

Soon after she began her singing career, Paradis crossed over into acting. She made her debut in the film Noce blanche (White Wedding) in 1989 at the age of 17. In the film, Paradis played a teenage drug addict who has a love affair with her older professor. Her performance earned her a Cesar, France's most prestigious acting award.

Her next album, Variations Sur Le Mme T'aime (1990) (Variations on the Same Theme) featured a remake of the Lou Reed hit, "Walk on the Wild Side," and was produced with the help of French actor and producer, Serge Gainsbourg. The new record was an even greater success, ranking No. 6 on the French charts and receiving high praise from critics. This same year, Vanessa's nymphish looks attracted the attention of the Chanel fashion and cosmetics company. The talented actress and singer became the face of Chanel's perfume line, Coco, in 1991.

When Vanessa turned 20, she released her first English album, the self-titled Vanessa Paradis. Her boyfriend at the time, American musician Lenny Kravitz, helped Paradis write and produce the album. Critics lauded the record as Paradis' greatest achievement to date, and fans agreed. Vanessa Paradis landed at No. 1 on the French music charts, and the single "Be My Baby" made it into the Top 40 in the U.K., Sweden and Austria.

After the success of her third recording, Paradis launched a European tour. She played more than 70 concerts, and released the album Vanessa Paradis Live (1994) before returning to France to star in the drama Elisa (1995) opposite Gerard Depardieu. Once again, Paradis' performance garnered rave reviews from critics, and propelled the starlet firmly into the ranks of A-list actors. After the success of this film, Paradis devoted herself almost entirely to acting.

Paradis, known for her dark, dramatic roles, surprised audiences with her next film choice: the romantic comedy Un Amour de Sorciere (1997) (Witch Way Love). She followed up her performance with the action comedy Une Chance Sux Deux (1998). That same year, Paradis met American actor Johnny Depp while he was in France filming his new movie The Ninth Gate (1999). They instantly hit it off, and by the end of the year the couple announced that they were expecting their first child.

Vanessa Paradis