Noémie Merlant


Noémie Merlant is a French actress and filmmaker. She has been nominated for her performances three times at the César Awards, including a nomination for her breakout role in Portrait of a Lady on Fire and a win for The Innocent.
𝕏 NoemieMerlantIG noemiemerlant

Career

Merlant was born on 27 November 1988 in Paris. Both of her parents are real estate agents. She was raised in Rezé near Nantes.
Merlant began her career as a professional model before attending the Cours Florent acting school in Paris.
She had her first breakthrough in the 2016 film Heaven Will Wait for which she was nominated for the César Award for Most Promising Actress.
In 2019, Merlant starred in Portrait of a Lady on Fire. She won the Lumière Award for Best Actress for her performance and was nominated for the César Award for Best Actress alongside her co-star Adèle Haenel.
In 2020, Merlant starred in Zoé Wittock's Jumbo, a film about a woman who falls in love with an amusement park ride. She also starred in Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar's A Good Man.
In 2022, Merlant portrayed Francesca Lentini, a musician and personal assistant to the celebrated composer/conductor Lydia Tár, in the movie Tár, directed by Todd Field.
In 2023, it was announced that Merlant would play the titular character Emmanuelle in a reboot of the iconic franchise directed by Audrey Diwan.
In June 2023, Merlant was invited to become a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
In April 2025, she joined the cast of Bertrand Mandico's upcoming film Roma elastica.

Directing

Merlant has directed two short films, the 2017 film Je suis #unebiche and the 2019 film Shakira. In 2021, she made her feature directorial debut with Mi Iubita Mon Amour, which premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. Her sophomore directorial effort, The Balconettes, premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

Filmography

Feature films

YearTitleRoleNotes
2008Death in LoveUncredited
2011La Permission de minuitMathilde
2011L'Orpheline avec en plus un bras en moinsÉléonore
2014La Crème de la crèmeThe Redhead
2014Des lendemains qui chantentSvetlana
2014Once in a LifetimeMélanie
2015One Wild MomentLinda
2015NewcomerAnja
2016Dieumerci!Audrey
2016The BrotherClaire
2016Twisting FateClaire
2016Heaven Will WaitSonia BouzariaNominated—César Award for Most Promising Actress
Nominated—Lumière Award for Best Female Revelation
2017PlongerThe Young Artist
2018Return of the HeroPauline Beaugrand
2018All About MothersCoco
2018Paper FlagsCharlie
2019CuriosaMarie de Régnier
2019Portrait of a Lady on FireMarianneLumière Award for Best Actress
Nominated - César Award for Best Actress
2019RépubliqueNoraInteractive film
2020JumboJeanne Tantois
2020A Good ManBenjamin
2021Mi Iubita Mon AmourJeanneAlso director, producer and writer
2021Paris, 13th DistrictNora Ligier
2022One Year, One NightCélineNominated – Gaudí Award for Best Actress
2022The InnocentClemenceCésar Award for Best Supporting Actress
2022TárFrancesca LentiniHollywood debut
2022Baby RubyJo
2023A Difficult YearValentine "Cactus"
2023Soul MatesJeanne
2023LeeNusch Éluard
2024The BalconettesÉliseAlso director and writer
2024EmmanuelleEmmanuelle
2025DuseEnrichetta Checci
Filming

Discography

Singles

  • "Fate"