Joséphine Japy

Career At the age of 8, Japy decided she wanted to be actress and started taking acting classes. Spotted by a casting director, she asked her photographer uncle to take photos of her that she later slipped into an envelope with the message: "My name is Joséphine, I'm 8 years old, I want to be in the movies." Two days later, the phone rang, the production company was worried because she had not specified her last name,

Japy credits her encounter with French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet as being decisive in her desire to become an actress. She was auditioning for the role of a child in Jeunet's film A Very Long Engagement (2004) when the director came up to her and standing at her height, said: "Joséphine, can I talk to you like an adult? Today, it won't be you, but one day, we'll meet again...". Japy said that Jeunet's words had a real resonance and made her "want to hang on, believe and keep going", and if Jeunet had not taken the time to say that to her that day, she might not be here [talking to the interviewer].

In 2009, she appeared in the comedy film Neuilly Yo Mama! (2009), and reprised her role 9 years later in the sequel Neuilly sa mère, sa mère! (2018).

In 2011, she starred in the thriller drama film The Monk, an adaptation of Matthew Lewis's 1796 gothic novel of the same name, directed by Dominik Moll.

In 2012, she portrayed French singer France Gall in the Claude François biopic My Way, directed by Florent-Emilio Siri. Her performance in the film earned her a nomination for the César Award for Most Promising Actress and for the Lumière Award for Best Female Revelation.

In 2015, she starred in the dramatic comedy film Paris-Willouby, directed by Arthur Delaire and Quentin Reynaud. In 2016, she starred in the thriller Faultless, directed by Sébastien Marnier.

In 2019, Japy co-starred with François Civil in the romantic comedy film Love at Second Sight, directed by Hugo Gélin.

In 2023, she starred in the thriller , directed by Denis Imbert; and portrayed Bernard Tapie's wife, Dominique Damianos, in the Netflix biographical miniseries Class Act.

In September 2024, Japy started filming her directorial debut, The Wonderers. Based on the true story of her younger sister, Bertille, who has a rare genetic disease that leads to autistic behavior, it follows a family navigating the severe disability of the youngest daughter.

Filmography

Awards and nominations Year Award / Festival Category Work Result 2015 César Awards Most Promising ActressBreathe FEST International Film Festival Best Actress (shared with Lou de Laâge) Prix Romy Schneider 2024 French Association of Series Critics Awards Best Supporting Actor Class Act