Juliette Binoche is a prominent French actress who has received much international acclaim for the sensitivity and emotional maturity with which she portrays complex roles on screen and stage. Born as the daughter of the actor and director Jean-Marie Binoche, she was exposed to the nuances of acting and film-making from an early age. Since her mother too was an actress, as were several of her relatives, it comes as no surprise that she was inclined towards acting from childhood. In spite of being an intelligent and bright girl, she was never particularly interested in academics and was more active in stage productions while at school. She enrolled at France’s national drama academy, The Conservatoire national supérieur d'art dramatique, in order to study acting but quit after a short time as she disliked the curriculum. Later on she began lessons with the famed acting coach Vera Gregh following which she embarked on her professional acting career. She started out as a stage actress and after appearing in several stage productions she forayed into the world of films. With her breathtaking beauty, poise, and acting skills, she easily transitioned into a popular movie star, eventually winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film ‘The English Patient’