Lou Doillon

Lou Doillon (born 4 September 1982) is a French-British singer and actress. She is the daughter of French director Jacques Doillon and English actress and singer Jane Birkin.

Doillon started her career as a model during her teenage years and later transitioned into acting and music. In the late 1990s and into the 2000s, she appeared in several French films for which she received recognition for her performances, credits that include Bad Company (1999) and Gigola (2010).

In addition to her acting career, Doillon has pursued a music career, releasing her debut album Places in 2012 to critical acclaim and commercial success. Her music blends elements of folk and indie rock.

Early life and education Doillon was born on 4 September 1982 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. She is the daughter of French writer/director Jacques Doillon and English actress/singer Jane Birkin. She has six brothers and sisters: Kate Barry and Charlotte Gainsbourg on her mother's side, and Lola Doillon, Lili Doillon, Lina Doillon and Lazare Doillon on her father's side. Doillon spent her school years between France and Saint Barthélemy until the age of 15, when she dropped out to become a full-time actress.

Career Film and TV

Doillon started acting at age five, starring in Kung Fu Master directed by Agnès Varda. She has since worked with directors including Jean Pierre Améris, Jacques Doillon, Guillaume Canet, Abel Ferrara and Maïwenn.

Modelling Doillon started modelling at the age of 16, becoming the ambassador of Givenchy. She has since been the "face" of Vanessa Bruno, Eres, Mango, H&M, Miu Miu, JBrand, Barney's, Gap, Maje and Chloé. She was featured alongside Sophia Loren and Penélope Cruz in the Pirelli Calendar. Doillon has worked with photographers Inez and Vinoodh, Mario Sorrenti, Mario Testino, Terry Richardson, Bruce Webber, Paolo Reversi, Corinne Day, Mert and Marcus, Ryan McGinley and Glen Lunchford. She has collaborated with Lee Cooper and La Redoute as a creative consultant and designer for six collections.

Theatre Doillon, alongside director Michel Didym, created a show based on letters written by French authors and singers (Louis-Ferdinand Celine, Marcel Proust and Édith Piaf), and monologues. She toured French-speaking theatres throughout Europe by herself for over two years.

In 2010, Doillon started working with director on Samuel Beckett's one sentence monologue "L'Image" in the National Theatre of Orléans. Alongside dancer Damien Jalet and conceptual musician Meelice, they performed throughout France and in New York for the Crossing the Line Festival. In 2017, for the National Theatre of Rennes, Doillon performed "L'Image" directed by Nauzyciel for a week.

Doillon has also collaborated on various performances (Paroles d'Exil/Musique Interdite with the French National Orchestra, Calamity Jane with singer/ musician John Mitchell and as a reader for many French-literature festivals).

Art

Doillon has been drawing since she was 10 and has often included her drawings in her other crafts (the vinyl edition of her album in 2016 and most of her merchandise on tour is drawn by her). She has been keeping a drawn and written diary since the age of 12. She works with an extra fine Sailor Pen on Sennelier paper or Moleskine diaries.

In September 2017, Doillon released a book, including 80 ink and pencil drawings alongside diary drawings, with Astier de Villatte. The release was followed by an exhibit of the original drawings at La maison Molière in Paris. She has also, for the brand Astier de Villatte, collaborated on a project of 18 different types of hand-backed ceramic mugs and 15 unique pieces, presented and sold in Tokyo during the launch of the collaboration in November 2017 with creative duo Benoit Astier de Villatte and Ivan Pericoli.

Music Doillon's love for music was enkindled by her father: "When my parents split, I discovered with Jacques, his taste for eclectic and a strange form of radicalness in music. He would say: 'sit down, shut up and listen to the music' while playing records from Chet Baker, Billie Holiday, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Patti Smith and Nick Drake."

She often quotes Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, and mentions Lhasa,

Personal life In 2002, at the age of 19, she gave birth to her son, whom she had with the musician Thomas-John Mitchell. Marlowe is named after Christopher Marlowe.

Partial filmography

Films Kung-Fu Master (1988) – directed by Agnès Varda Trop (peu) d'amour (1998) – directed by Jacques Doillon Mauvaises fréquentations (1999) – directed by Jean-Pierre Améris Mamirolle (2000) – directed by Brigitte Coscas Carrément à l'ouest (2001) – directed by Jacques Doillon Embrassez qui vous voudrez (2002) – directed by Michel Blanc Blanche (2002) – directed by Bernie Bonvoisin Saint Ange (2004) – directed by Pascal Laugier La Vida perra de Juanita Narboni (2005) – of Farida Benlyazid Sisters (2006) – directed by Douglas Buck Go Go Tales (2007) – directed by Abel Ferrara Boxes (2007) – directed by Jane Birkin and starring Birkin, Geraldine Chaplin, Michel Piccoli and Natacha Régnier Bazar (2009) – directed by Patricia Plattner and starring Bernadette Lafont Gigola (2010) – directed by Laure Charpentier Naked in London (2011) – directed by Mark Tierney Polisse (2011) – directed by Maïwenn Un enfant de toi (2012) – directed by Jacques Doillon Quasi a Casa (2024) - directed by Carolina Pavone

Television Scénarios sur la drogue (2000) – directed by Guillaume Canet and Jean-Christophe Pagnac (episode "Avalanche") Nana (2001) – directed by Édouard Molinaro The Private Life of Samuel Pepys (2003) – directed by Oliver Parker Gossip Girl (2010) – directed by Mark Piznarski and starring Doillon as herself

Discography Albums

Singles