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Biography
Born on November 5, 1965 in Amstelveen, Netherlands, Famke Janssen is a former fashion model turned actress best known for her roles in the series GoldenEye, Nip/Tuck, and the X-Men film trilogy. When Janssen was born, she found herself the only brunette in a family of blondes. Growing up, she learned to speak English, German, and French, aside from her native tongue, Dutch. She moved to the U.S. in 1984 to pursue a professional career in modeling. She was immediately signed up with Elite Model Management and worked with prestigious brands, such as Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, and Victoria’s Secret. She studied at Columbia University before moving to Los Angeles, majoring in writing and literature.
Shortly after settling in Los Angeles, Janssen started landing parts, mainly guest appearances on various television series. Her very first was in a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode as Kamala, opposite Patrick Stewart, whom she’d meet again in the X-Men films. In the same year, she was offered more permanent roles in the series but declined to focus on film-acting. Her first film role was in the 1992 drama Fathers and Sons. Her first big role was in a James Bond film, Pierce Brosnan’s first, GoldenEye as femme fatale Xenia Onatopp. Her most recognizable role would come in 2000 as the superhero Jean Grey in X-Men, X2, and Phoenix in X-Men: The Last Stand. Her character was central in this third installment. In addition, she also appeared in movies Lord of Illusions, The Faculty, House on Haunted Hill, I Spy, Rounders, Deep Rising, and Hide and Seek. She also played a prominent transsexual role in the series Nip/Tuck.
To avoid typecasting, Janssen appeared in Celebrity by Woody Allen, The Gingerbread Man, by Robert Altman, and City of Industry by John Irvin. She won the Special Jury Best Actress Award, meanwhile, at the 2007 Hamptons International Film Festival for Turn the River.
Place of Birth
.Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Birth Name
Famke Janssen
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Fun Facts
.Her name’s pronounced FAHM- kah not Fame-ki
Famke means little girl in Frisan, a dialect in north parts of Netherlands
She knows English, Dutch, German and French
She moved to US at the age of 19
Her shoe size is 11…and was made fun of in the movie “Love & Sex”
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