César Award for Best Supporting Actress

César de la meilleure actrice dans un second rôle
César Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
2024 recipient: Adèle Exarchopoulos
Awarded forBest Actress in a Supporting Role
CountryFrance
Presented byAcadémie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma
First awarded1976
Currently held byAdèle Exarchopoulos for All Your Faces (2024)
Websiteacademie-cinema.org

The César Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (French: César de la meilleure actrice dans un second rôle) is one of the César Awards, presented annually by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma to recognize the outstanding performance in a supporting role of an actress who has worked within the French film industry during the year preceding the ceremony. Nominees and winner are selected via a run-off voting by all the members of the Académie.

History

[edit]

Superlatives

[edit]
Superlative Best Actress Best Supporting Actress Overall
(including Most Promising Actress)
Actress with most awards Isabelle Adjani 5 Dominique Blanc 3 Isabelle Adjani 5
Actress with most nominations Isabelle Huppert 14 Noémie Lvovsky 7 Isabelle Huppert 16
Actress with most nominations
without ever winning
Emmanuelle Béart
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Cécile de France
5 Noémie Lvovsky 7 Noémie Lvovsky 7
Film with most nominations Too Beautiful for You
The Ceremony
8 Women
Feelings
Polisse
In Safe Hands
2 The Crisis 3 Venus Beauty Institute
8 Women
Polisse
4
Oldest winner Emmanuelle Riva 85 Suzanne Flon 72 Emmanuelle Riva 85
Oldest nominee Emmanuelle Riva 85 Claude Gensac 87 Claude Gensac 87
Youngest winner Sandrine Bonnaire 18 Déborah Lukumuena 22 Sandrine Bonnaire 18
Youngest nominee Charlotte Gainsbourg 14 Christine Pascal 22 Charlotte Gainsbourg 14

As of 2019, 137 actresses have been nominated in the category, with a total of 34 different winners. The average age at first nomination is 41 and the average age of winners at first win is 38.

With three wins (1991, 1993, 1999), Dominique Blanc holds the record of most César Award for Best Supporting Actress. Eight actresses have won the César twice: Marie-France Pisier (1976, 1977), Nathalie Baye (1981, 1982), Suzanne Flon (1984, 1990), Annie Girardot (1996, 2002), Valérie Lemercier (1994, 2007), Julie Depardieu (2004, 2008), Anne Alvaro (2001, 2011) and Karin Viard (2003, 2019).

Marie-France Pisier and Nathalie Baye have won their two awards in consecutive years. Along with Adèle Haenel, they are the only three performers to have won two competitive acting César in a row. Including her Best Actress César won in 1983, Nathalie Baye is also the only performer to have won an acting César in three consecutive years, in 1981, 1982 and 1983.

Noémie Lvovsky and Karin Viard tie for the record of most nominations with 6, Lvovsky also holding the record of most nominations without ever winning the award. Stéphane Audran holds the record of most consecutive nominations with 3 (1982, 1983, 1984).

Nine women have won both the César Award for Best Supporting Actress and the César Award for Best Actress:

  • Nathalie Baye (Best Supporting Actress in 1981 and 1982, Best Actress in 1983 and 2006),
  • Annie Girardot (Best Actress in 1977, Best Supporting Actress in 1996 and 2002),
  • Dominique Blanc (Best Supporting Actress in 1991, 1993 and 1999, Best Actress in 2001),
  • Karin Viard (Best Actress in 2000, Best Supporting Actress in 2003 and 2019),
  • Marion Cotillard (Best Supporting Actress in 2005, Best Actress in 2008),
  • Emmanuelle Devos (Best Actress in 2002, Best Supporting Actress in 2010),
  • Adèle Haenel (Best Supporting Actress in 2014, Best Actress in 2015),
  • Catherine Frot (Best Supporting Actress in 1997, Best Actress in 2016).
  • Fanny Ardant (Best Actress in 1997, Best Supporting Actress in 2020),

Nathalie Baye is the only actress with multiple wins in both categories.

Three films have received both accolades: One Deadly Summer in 1984 (Best Actress to Isabelle Adjani, Best Supporting Actress to Suzanne Flon), Indochine in 1993 (Best Actress to Catherine Deneuve, Best Supporting Actress to Dominique Blanc) and Queen Margot in 1995 (Best Actress to Isabelle Adjani, Best Supporting Actress to Virna Lisi).

Three women have won the César Award for Best Supporting Actress after previously winning the César Award for Most Promising Actress:

  • Charlotte Gainsbourg (Most Promising Actress in 1986, Best Supporting Actress in 2000),
  • Julie Depardieu (Most Promising Actress in 2004, Best Supporting Actress in 2004 and 2008),
  • Cécile de France (Most Promising Actress in 2003, Best Supporting Actress in 2006).

Both Cécile de France and Julie Depardieu have won their two awards with a same role: Isabelle, an Erasmus student, in The Spanish Apartment (Most Promising Actress) and its sequel Russian Dolls (Best Supporting Actress) for de France, and Jeanne-Marie in Little Lili (both awards) for Depardieu.

Therefore, Depardieu is the only individual to have won two acting César for the same performance. This achievement is no longer possible as the Académie has since modified nomination rules to ensure that no individual could be nominated in more than one acting category (Best Actor/Actress or Best Supporting Actor/Actress or Most Promising Actor/Actress) for the same film.

Three films has received both accolades: An Impudent Girl in 1986 (Best Supporting Actress to Bernadette Lafont, Most Promising Actress to Charlotte Gainsbourg), Life Is a Long Quiet River in 1989 (Best Supporting Actress to Hélène Vincent, Most Promising Actress to Catherine Jacob) and Little Lili in 2004 (both awards to Julie Depardieu).

Thirteen women have received nominations in the three competitive acting categories: Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress and Most Promising Actress. They are Emmanuelle Béart, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Dominique Blanc, Anne Brochet, Karin Viard, Sandrine Kiberlain, Emmanuelle Devos, Cécile de France, Marion Cotillard, Sylvie Testud, Emilie Dequenne, Sara Forestier and Adèle Haenel. So far, no actress has achieved to win the three awards.

To date, the most long-lived winner is Suzanne Flon, who died at 87, and the most short-lived is Valérie Benguigui, who died at 47. The oldest alive winner is Hélène Vincent, aged 75, and the earliest alive winner is Nicole Garcia (Le Cavaleur, 1980).

International presence

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As the César Awards are centered on the French Cinema, the majority of recipients are French and performed in French language. However, the Best Supporting Actress César has been awarded five times to a non-French actress:

The Best Supporting Actress César has been awarded only once for a full foreign-language performance with Kristen Stewart's English-language performance. Nevertheless, Virna Lisi's and Carmen Maura's roles included some parts of Italian-language and Spanish-language, respectively.

International actresses who have received nominations are:

Winners and nominees

[edit]

Following the AATC's practice, the films below are listed by year of ceremony, which corresponds to the year following the film's year of release. For example, the César for Best Supporting Actress of 2010 was awarded on February 27, 2010 for a performance in a film released between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009.

Actresses are selected via a two-round vote: first round to choose the nominees, second round to designate the winner. All the members of the Académie, without regard to their branch, are eligible to vote on both rounds. Initially set to four, the number of nominees was expanded to five in 1984.

Winners are listed first in bold, followed by the other nominees in alphabetic order.

1970s

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Year Winner and Nominees Film Original Title Role(s)
1976
(1st)
Marie-France Pisier Cousin Cousine Karine
French Provincial Souvenirs d'en France Régina
Andréa Ferréol Cookies Les Galettes de Pont-Aven Madame Licquois
Isabelle Huppert Aloïse Young Aloïse
Christine Pascal Let Joy Reign Supreme Que la fête commence... Emilie
1977
(2nd)
Marie-France Pisier Barocco Nelly
Anny Duperey Pardon Mon Affaire Un Elephant ça trompe énormément Charlotte
Brigitte Fossey The Good and the Bad Le Bon et les méchants Dominique Blanchot
Francine Racette Lumière Julienne
1978
(3rd)
Marie Dubois La Menace Dominique Montlaur
Nelly Borgeaud The Man Who Loved Women L'Homme qui aimait les femmes Delphine Grezel
Geneviève Fontanel Hélène
Florence Giorgetti The Lacemaker La Dentellière Marylène Torrent
Valérie Mairesse Repérages Esther
1979
(4th)
Stéphane Audran Violette Nozière Germaine Nozière
Arlette Bonnard A Simple Story Une Histoire simple Gabrielle
Éva Darlan Anna
Nelly Borgeaud Le Sucre Hilda Courtois

1980s

[edit]
Year Winner and Nominees Film Original Title Role(s)
1980
(5th)
Nicole Garcia Le Cavaleur Marie-France
Myriam Boyer Série noire Jeanne
Dominique Lavanant Courage – Let's Run Mathilda
Maria Schneider Memoirs of a French Whore La Dérobade Maloup
1981
(6th)
Nathalie Baye Every Man for Himself (a.k.a. Slow Motion) Sauve qui peut (la vie) Denise Rimbaud
Andréa Ferréol The Last Metro Le Dernier Métro Arlette Guillaume
Claire Maurier A Bad Son Un mauvais fils Madeleine
Delphine Seyrig I Sent a Letter to My Love Chère inconnue Yvette
1982
(7th)
Nathalie Baye Strange Affair Une étrange affaire Nina Coline
Stéphane Audran Coup de torchon Huguette Cordier
Sabine Haudepin Hotel America Hôtel des Amériques Elise Tisserand
Véronique Silver The Woman Next Door La Femme d'à côté Mathilde Bauchard
1983
(8th)
Fanny Cottençon L'Étoile du Nord Sylvie Baron
Stéphane Audran Paradis pour tous Edith
Danielle Darrieux Une chambre en ville Margot Langlois
Denise Grey La Boum 2 Poupette
1984
(9th)
Suzanne Flon One Deadly Summer L'Eté meurtrier Cognata
Victoria Abril Moon in the Gutter La Lune dans le caniveau Bella
Stéphane Audran Deadly Circuit Mortelle Randonnée Germaine
Sabine Azéma Life Is a Bed of Roses La Vie est un roman Elisabeth Rousseau
Agnès Soral So Long, Stooge Tchao Pantin Lola
1985
(10th)
Caroline Cellier Year of the Jellyfish L'Année des méduses Claude
Victoria Abril L'Addition Patty
Carole Bouquet Rive droite, rive gauche Babée Senanques
Élizabeth Bourgine La Septième Cible Laura
Maruschka Detmers The Pirate La Pirate Carole
1986
(11th)
Bernadette Lafont An Impudent Girl L'Effrontée Léone
Anémone Death in a French Garden Péril en la demeure Edwige Ledieu
Macha Méril Vagabond Sans Toit ni loi Madame Landier
Catherine Frot Escalier C Béatrice
Dominique Lavanant Three Men and a Cradle Trois Hommes et un couffin Madame Rapons
1987
(12th)
Emmanuelle Béart Manon des Sources Manon
Clémentine Célarié Betty Blue 37°2 le matin Annie
Danielle Darrieux Scene of the Crime Le Lieu du crime The Grandmother
Marie Dubois Descent Into Hell Descente aux enfers Lucette
Jeanne Moreau Le Paltoquet The Bartender
1988
(13th)
Dominique Lavanant Agent trouble Catherine "Karen" Dariller
Sylvie Joly The Miracle Le Miraculé Madame Fox Terrier
Anna Karina Cayenne Palace Lola
Marie Laforêt Fucking Fernand Lotte
Bernadette Lafont Masks Masques Patricia Marquet
1989
(14th)
Hélène Vincent Life Is a Long Quiet River La Vie est un long fleuve tranquille Marielle Le Quesnoy
María Casares The Reader La Lectrice The General's widow
Françoise Fabian Three Seats for the 26th Trois places pour le 26 Marie-Hélène
Dominique Lavanant Quelques jours avec moi Irène Frontin
Marie Trintignant Story of Women Une Affaire de femmes Lucie

1990s

[edit]
Year Winners and nominees English title Original title Role
1990
(15th)
Suzanne Flon La Vouivre Louise Muselier
Clémentine Célarié Indian Nocturne Nocturne indien Christine
Sabine Haudepin Force majeure Jeanne
Ludmila Mikaël White Wedding Noce blanche Catherine Hainaut
Micheline Presle I Want to Go Home Isabelle Gauthier
1991
(16th)
Dominique Blanc Milou in May Milou en mai Claire
Catherine Jacob Tatie Danielle Catherine Billard
Odette Laure Daddy Nostalgie Miche
Danièle Lebrun Uranus Mrs. Archambaud
Thérèse Liotard My Father's Glory La Gloire de mon père Aunt Rose
My Mother's Castle Le Château de ma mère
1992
(17th)
Anne Brochet All the Mornings of the World Tous les matins du monde Madeleine
Jane Birkin The Beautiful Troublemaker La Belle Noiseuse Liz Frenhofer
Catherine Jacob Thank You Life Merci la vie Evangéline Pelleveau
Valérie Lemercier L'Opération Corned-Beef Marie-Laurence Granianski
Hélène Vincent I Don't Kiss J'embrasse pas Evelyne
1993
(18th)
Dominique Blanc Indochine Yvette
Brigitte Catillon A Heart in Winter Un cœur en hiver Regine
Michèle Laroque The Crisis La Crise Martine
Maria Pacôme Mrs. Barelle
Zabou Breitman Isa Barelle
1994
(19th)
Valérie Lemercier The Visitors Les Visiteurs Frénégonde de Pouille / Béatrice de Montmirail
Myriam Boyer 1, 2, 3, Sun Un, deux, trois, soleil Daniela Laspada
Judith Henry Germinal Catherine Maheu
Marie Trintignant Les Marmottes Lucie
Marthe Villalonga My Favourite Season Ma saison préférée Berthe
1995
(20th)
Virna Lisi Queen Margot La Reine Margot Catherine de' Medici
Dominique Blanc Queen Margot La Reine Margot Henriette de Nevers
Catherine Jacob Neuf mois Dominique
Michèle Moretti Wild Reeds Les Roseaux sauvages Madame Alvarez
Line Renaud I Can't Sleep J'ai pas sommeil Ninon
1996
(21st)
Annie Girardot Les Misérables Madame Thénardier
Jacqueline Bisset The Ceremony La Cérémonie Catherine Lelièvre
Clotilde Courau Élisa Solange
Carmen Maura Happiness Is in the Field Le Bonheur est dans le pré Dolores Thivart
Claire Nadeau Nelly and Mr. Arnaud Nelly & Monsieur Arnaud Jacqueline
1997
(22nd)
Catherine Frot Family Resemblances Un air de famille Yolande Ménard
Valeria Bruni Tedeschi My Man Mon homme Sanguine
Agnès Jaoui Family Resemblances Un air de famille Betty Ménard
Sandrine Kiberlain A Self Made Hero Un héros très discret Yvette
Michèle Laroque Pédale douce Marie Hagutte
1998
(23rd)
Agnès Jaoui Same Old Song On connaît la chanson Camille Lalande
Pascale Roberts Marius and Jeannette Marius et Jeannette Caroline
Mathilde Seigner Dry Cleaning Nettoyage à sec Marylin
Marie Trintignant The Cousin Le Cousin Judge Lambert
Karin Viard Hikers Les Randonneurs Coralie
1999
(24th)
Dominique Blanc Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train Ceux qui m'aiment prendront le train Catherine
Anémone Lautrec Countess Adèle de Toulouse-Lautrec
Arielle Dombasle Boredom L'Ennui Sophie
Catherine Frot The Dinner Game Le Dîner de Cons Marlène Sasseur
Emmanuelle Seigner Place Vendôme Nathalie

2000s

[edit]
Year Winner and nominees English title Original title
2000
(25th)
Charlotte Gainsbourg Season's Beatings La bûche
Catherine Mouchet My Little Business Ma petite entreprise
Bulle Ogier Venus Beauty Institute Vénus beauté (institut)
Line Renaud Beautiful Mother Belle maman
Mathilde Seigner Venus Beauty Institute Vénus beauté (institut)
2001
(26th)
Anne Alvaro The Taste of Others Le Goût des autres
Jeanne Balibar Tomorrow's Another Day Ça ira mieux demain
Agnès Jaoui The Taste of Others Le Goût des autres
Mathilde Seigner Harry, He's Here to Help Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien
Florence Thomassin A Question of Taste Une affaire de goût
2002
(27th)
Annie Girardot The Piano Teacher La Pianiste
Nicole Garcia Betty Fisher and Other Stories Betty Fisher et autres histoires
Noémie Lvovsky My Wife Is an Actress Ma femme est une actrice
Isabelle Nanty Amélie Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain
Line Renaud Chaos
2003
(28th)
Karin Viard Summer Things Embrassez qui vous voudrez
Dominique Blanc Special Delivery C'est le bouquet!
Danielle Darrieux 8 Women 8 femmes
Emmanuelle Devos The Adversary L'adversaire
Judith Godrèche The Spanish Apartment (a.k.a. Pot Luck) L'Auberge espagnole
2004
(29th)
Julie Depardieu Little Lili La Petite Lili
Géraldine Pailhas The Cost of Living Le Coût de la vie
Judith Godrèche France Boutique
Isabelle Nanty Not on the Lips Pas sur la bouche
Ludivine Sagnier Swimming Pool
2005
(30th)
Marion Cotillard A Very Long Engagement Un long dimanche de fiançailles
Ariane Ascaride A Common Thread Brodeuses
Mylène Demongeot Department 36 36 Quai des Orfèvres
Julie Depardieu Podium
Émilie Dequenne The Light L'Équipier
2006
(31st)
Cécile de France Russian Dolls Les Poupées russes
Catherine Deneuve Palais royal!
Noémie Lvovsky Backstage
Charlotte Rampling Lemming
Kelly Reilly Russian Dolls Les Poupées russes
2007
(32nd)
Valérie Lemercier Orchestra Seats Fauteuils d'orchestre
Christine Citti When I Was a Singer (a.k.a. The Singer) Quand j'étais chanteur
Dani Orchestra Seats (a.k.a. Avenue Montaigne) Fauteuils d'orchestre
Mylène Demongeot French California La Californie
Bernadette Lafont I Do Prête-moi ta main
2008
(33rd)
Julie Depardieu A Secret Un secret
Noémie Lvovsky Actrices
Bulle Ogier Let's Dance Faut que ça danse!
Ludivine Sagnier A Secret Un secret
Sylvie Testud La Vie en Rose La môme
2009
(34th)
Elsa Zylberstein I've Loved You So Long Il y a longtemps que je t'aime
Jeanne Balibar Sagan
Anne Consigny A Christmas Tale Un conte de Noël
Édith Scob Summer Hours L'Heure d'été
Karin Viard Paris

2010s

[edit]
Year Winner and nominees English title Original title
2010
(35th)
Emmanuelle Devos In the Beginning À l'origine
Aure Atika Miss Chambon Mademoiselle Chambon
Anne Consigny Rapt
Audrey Dana Welcome
Noémie Lvovsky The French Kissers Les Beaux Gosses
2011
(36th)
Anne Alvaro The Clink of Ice Le Bruit des glacons
Valérie Bonneton Little White Lies Les Petits Mouchoirs
Laetitia Casta Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life Gainsbourg (Vie héroïque)
Julie Ferrier Heartbreaker L'Arnacœur
Karin Viard Potiche Potiche
2012
(37th)
Carmen Maura The Women on the 6th Floor Les Femmes du 6ème étage
Zabou Breitman The Minister L'Exercice de l'État
Anne Le Ny Intouchables
Noémie Lvovsky House of Pleasures L'Apollonide: Souvenirs de la maison close
Karole Rocher Polisse
2013
(38th)
Valérie Benguigui What's in a Name? Le Prenom
Judith Chemla Camille Rewinds Camille redouble
Yolande Moreau
Isabelle Huppert Amour
Édith Scob Holy Motors
2014
(39th)
Adèle Haenel Suzanne
Marisa Borini A Castle in Italy Un château en Italie
Françoise Fabian Me, Myself and Mum Les Garçons et Guillaume, à table!
Julie Gayet The French Minister Quai d'Orsay
Géraldine Pailhas Young & Beautiful Jeune & Jolie
2015
(40th)
Kristen Stewart Clouds of Sils Maria Sils Maria
Marianne Denicourt Hippocrates Hippocrate
Claude Gensac Lulu in the Nude Lulu femme nue
Izïa Higelin Samba
Charlotte Le Bon Yves Saint Laurent
2016
(41st)
Sidse Babett Knudsen Courted L'Hermine
Sara Forestier Standing Tall La Tête haute
Agnès Jaoui The Sweet Escape Comme un avion
Noémie Lvovsky Summertime La Belle Saison
Karin Viard 21 Nights with Pattie 21 nuits avec Pattie
2017
(42nd)
Déborah Lukumuena Divines
Nathalie Baye It's Only the End of the World Juste la fin du monde
Valeria Bruni Tedeschi Slack Bay Ma Loute
Anne Consigny Elle
Mélanie Thierry The Dancer La Danseuse
2018
(43rd)
Sara Giraudeau Bloody Milk Petit Paysan
Laure Calamy Ava
Anaïs Demoustier The House by the Sea La Villa
Adèle Haenel BPM (Beats per Minute) 120 battements par minute
Mélanie Thierry See You Up There Au Revoir là-haut
2019
(44th)
Karin Viard Little Tickles Les Chatouilles
Isabelle Adjani The World Is Yours Le monde est à toi
Leïla Bekhti Sink or Swim Le Grand Bain
Virginie Efira Sink or Swim Le Grand Bain
Audrey Tautou The Trouble with You En liberté !

2020s

[edit]
Year Winner and nominees English title Original title Role
2020
(45th)
Fanny Ardant La Belle Époque Marianne Drumond
Josiane Balasko By the Grace of God Grâce à Dieu Irène Thomassin
Laure Calamy Only the Animals Seules les bêtes Alice
Sara Forestier Oh Mercy! Roubaix, une lumière Marie
Hélène Vincent The Specials Hors normes Hélène
2021
(46th)
[1]
Émilie Dequenne Love Affair(s) Les Choses qu'on dit,
les choses qu'on fait
Louise
Fanny Ardant DNA ADN Caroline
Valeria Bruni Tedeschi Summer of 85 Été 85 David's mother
Noémie Lvovsky How to Be a Good Wife La bonne épouse Marie-Thérèse
Yolande Moreau Gilberte Van der Beck
2022
(47th)
[2]
Aïssatou Diallo Sagna The Divide La fracture Kim
Jeanne Balibar Lost Illusions Illusions perdues Marquise d'Espard
Cécile de France Louise de Bargeton
Adèle Exarchopoulos Mandibles Mandibules Agnès
Danielle Fichaud Aline Sylvette Dieu
2023
(48th)
[3]
Noémie Merlant The Innocent L'innocent Clemence
Judith Chemla The Sixth Child Le Sixième Enfant Meriem
Anaïs Demoustier November Novembre Ines
Anouk Grinberg The Innocent L'innocent Sylvie
Lyna Khoudri November Novembre Samia
2024
(49th)
[4]
Adèle Exarchopoulos All Your Faces Je verrai toujours vos visages Chloé Delarme
Leïla Bekhti All Your Faces Je verrai toujours vos visages Nawelle
Galatea Bellugi Junkyard Dog Chien de la casse Elsa
Élodie Bouchez All Your Faces Je verrai toujours vos visages Judith
Miou-Miou Sabine

Multiple wins and nominations

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "'Bye Bye Morons' Wins Best Film at France's Cesar Awards". Hollywood Reporter.
  2. ^ "Lea Seydoux, Adam Driver Among Nominees for France's Cesar Awards". Hollywood Reporter.
  3. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (24 February 2023). "France's Cesar Awards Announced (Updating Live)". Variety. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  4. ^ "Cesar Nominations: 'Anatomy of a Fall,' 'The Animal Kingdom' Lead the Pack for French Film Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
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