Mathilda May (born Karin Haïm; 8 February 1965) is a French film actress and director. Her best-known roles include Space Girl in Lifeforce (1985) and Jeanne Gardella in Toutes peines confondues (1992).
May's film work is primarily in French and made for the European market. She was the recipient of the César Award for Most Promising Actress in 1988 for her role in Le Cri du Hibou (The Cry of the Owl) and the Romy Schneider Prize for best up and coming actress in 1989. In 1992, she also recorded an album called Joy of Love. May was the writer and director for the theater show Open Space, which ran from 2013 to 2015.
Early life May was born in Paris, France. Her father, the playwright,C.R.I.S, Association. "Actualités de Victor Haïm, actualités, textes, spectacles, vidéos, tous ses liens avec la scène - theatre-contemporain.net". theatre-contemporain.net (in French). screenwriter, and actor Victor Haïm, is of Sephardic Jewish (Greek and Turkish) descent. Her mother is the Swedish ballet teacher and choreographer Margareta Hanson. May studied under Christiane Vaussard at the Conservatoire de Paris, graduating at age 16.
Career May's film work is primarily in French and made for the European market. She was the recipient of the César Award for Most Promising Actress in 1988 and the Prix Romy Schneider in 1989. Non-French films she has appeared in include Naked Tango (1990), Becoming Colette (1991), and The Tit and the Moon (1994). In the United States, she is best known for her role as an alien vampire in the Tobe Hooper science fiction horror film Lifeforce (1985), in which she is nude for much of her performance. May was 18 during production, and the extensive nudity required for the role presented difficulties during filming. She also appeared in the 1996 space adventure game Privateer 2: The Darkening. She played Isabella in The Jackal, a 1997 action film.
May recorded an album in 1992 called Joy of Love.
May was the writer and director for the theater show Open Space, which was performed in the Théâtre Jean-Vilar in the commune of Suresnes, the Théâtre du Rond-Point, and the Théâtre de Paris from 2013 to 2015. Open Space was a show without words; the story was presented by movement, music, and sound. May said of the show "[i]t will be choreographed without it being dance, and musical without an instrument".
Personal life May has been married four times. Her first husband was Paul Powell. Her second husband was Gérard Darmon, with whom she has two children, a daughter and a son. Her third husband was Philippe Kelly. Her fourth husband was Sly Johnson.
Filmography Year Title Role Director Notes 1984 Nemo Alice 1985 Lifeforce Space Girl Les Rois du gag Alexandra 1987 La vie dissolue de Gérard Floque Pauline The Cry of the Owl Juliette César Award for Most Promising Actress1988 La passerelle Cora Elbaz Three Seats for the 26th Marion 1990 Naked Tango Alba/Stéphanie 1991 Isabelle Eberhardt Isabelle Eberhardt Scream of Stone Katharina Becoming Colette Sidonie Gabrielle Colette 1992 Toutes peines confondues Jeanne Gardella 1994 Le voleur et la menteuse Suzanne Henson Dead Tired Herself The Tit and the Moon Estrellita 1996 Celluloide Cameo 1997 The Jackal Isabella Zanconia 1999 Entrevue Alix Short2000 Là-bas... mon pays Nelly Azera 2004 Love Express Anne-Charlotte 2007 New délire Fanny's voice A Girl Cut in Two Capucine Jamet (2) 2012 The Players Ariane 2019 Je ne rêve que de vous Cora Madou 2021 Le Chemin du bonheur Sarah Glücksmann
Television +YearTitleRoleNotes1985Giorno dopo giornoTV series1986Les louvesAgnèsMiniseriesSe un giorno busserai alla mia portaTV film1988The Secret of the SaharaMyriamMiniseriesPiazza NavonaJeanneEpisode 6L'heure SimenonEdméeEpisode 101994The Whipping BoyBetsyTV film1996Noces cruellesSandraTV filmLa ferme du crocodileSandrine JaussierTV film1998Only LoveSilvia RinaldiTV film2000Les redoutablesMilitary womanEpisode 62001De toute urgenceJulieTV filmCaméra CaféThe Boss's wife1 episode2002Fabio MontaleHélène Pessayre2 episodesPerlasca – Un eroe ItalianoContessa EleonoraTV film2003Soyez prudents...TV filmSorayaTV film2005L'homme presséIrène DebordTV filmL'homme qui voulait passer à la téléMélanieTV film2009Au siècle de MaupassantThérèse de Marsanne1 episode2010Les nuits d'AliceAngéliqueTV film2011Une vie françaiseAnna BlickTV film2012ClashLaure Rossignol3 episodes2013La croisièreFrançoise1 episodeDélit de fuiteCécileTV film2014Crossing LinesAudrey St. Marie1 episode2015On se retrouveraHélène JansonTV film2016Mystère à l'OpéraÉva FontaineTV film2018AccessValérie Couderq11 episodes2020Coup de foudre à BangkokSandrine LaforeTV film2023DaronCoco
Video Games +YearTitleNotes1996Privateer 2: The DarkeningMelissa Banks
Awards and accolades The César Award (the national film award of France): 1988 Best Young Female Newcomer for The Cry of the Owl The 1989 Romy Schneider Award The 2019 Molliere for Best Director of a Public Theatre Show for The Wedding Banquet The 2020 Molliere for Best Solo Performance for her production of Monsieur X starring Pierre Richard at the Théâtre de l’Atelier.Palmares 1987 - 2023.docx (lesmolieres.com) The 2020 SACD (Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques) for Best Director
References
Further reading
External links
Mathilda May at Yahoo! Movies