Alexandra Lamy (; born 14 October 1971) is a French actress, director, and screenwriter. She gained widespread recognition for her role as "Alex" or "Chouchou" in the television series Un gars, une fille (1999–2003), and has since established herself as a leading figure in French cinema, earning a nomination for the César Award for Best Actress in 2019.
Early life and education Lamy was born in Villecresnes, near Paris, but spent most of her childhood in the south of France, primarily in La Grande-Motte and Alès.
She developed an interest in acting and took classes at the Nîmes Conservatory. After completing her baccalaureate, she moved to Paris to pursue her career, studying at the prestigious Cours Florent. During this time, she deliberately worked on eliminating her Southern French accent for professional reasons.
Her younger sister, Audrey Lamy, is also a well-known actress in France.
Career Television breakthrough (1999–2003) Lamy's career began in the mid-1990s with various theatre roles. Her breakthrough came in 1999 when she was cast as Alex, opposite Jean Dujardin's character, in the French adaptation of the Canadian comedy sketch show, Un gars, une fille. The series, which chronicled the daily life and relationship challenges of a couple, became a huge cultural success in France, running for 439 episodes until 2003.
Film and theatre success (2004–2015) Following the conclusion of the series, Lamy focused on diversifying her career. She returned to the stage and earned her first major acting nomination in 2004, receiving a nomination for the Molière Award for Best Female Newcomer for her performance in the play Théorbe.
She transitioned to film, appearing in supporting roles in comedies like L'Antidote (2005) and Brice de Nice (2005). Lamy demonstrated her dramatic range by starring in François Ozon's fantasy drama Ricky (2009) and later earned significant praise for her role as a dedicated mother in the 2013 drama The Finishers (De toutes nos forces).
Leading roles and critical acclaim (2016–present) The latter half of the 2010s saw Lamy taking on a series of highly successful leading roles. Her performance in the comedy Back to Mom's (Retour chez ma mère, 2016) was a major box-office hit. She cemented her critical success in 2018 with Rolling to You (Tout le monde debout), directed by Franck Dubosc, for which she received a nomination for the César Award for Best Actress in 2019. For the same role, she won the Globe de Cristal Award for Best Comedy Actress.
In 2022, Lamy made her directorial debut with the television film Touchées (Touched), which focuses on the lives of women victims of domestic violence.
Lamy was appointed a Knight (Chevalier) of the Ordre national du Mérite in November 2017. She was also inducted into the Musée Grévin in 2018.
Personal life Lamy was in a relationship with actor Thomas Jouannet from 1995 to 2003. They have one daughter, Chloé Jouannet, born in 1997, who has also pursued an acting career.
She began dating her Un gars, une fille co-star Jean Dujardin in 2003. They married in 2009 and were officially divorced in December 2014.
Theatre Year Title Author Director Notes 1994 La Poule aux œufs d'or Alexandre Vial Michel Galabru 2003 Théorbe Christian Siméon Didier Long Nominated – Molière Award for Best Female Newcomer 2006–2007 Two for the Seesaw William Gibson Bernard Murat Co-starred with Jean Dujardin
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2003 Rien que du bonheur Manon 2005 L'Antidote Elisabeth Brice de Nice Alice de Nice 2006 Au suivant ! Joséphine 2008 Modern Love Marie 2009 Ricky Katie Lucky Luke Belle 2010 L'Oncle Charles Alexandra 2011 Possessions Gladys 2012 J'enrage de son absence Mado The Players (Les Infidèles) Lisa Segment: La Mouche 2013 The Finishers (De toutes nos forces) Claire Amblard 2014 Jamais le premier soir Julie 2015 Bis Caroline 2016 Back to Mom's (Retour chez ma mère) Stéphanie Mazerin Vincent Nathalie 2017 L'embarras du choix Juliette Nos Patriotes The Doctor 2018 Rolling to You (Tout le monde debout) Florence Le Poulain Agnès 2019 Chamboultout Béatrice 2020 Fahim MathildeBelle filleLouise 2021 Un tour chez ma fille Stéphanie MazerinThe Test (Le test)Annie Castillon2023Alibi.com 2AufreyPrinces of the Desert (Zodi & Tehu, frères du désert)Julia The Book of Wonders (La Chambre des merveilles) Thelma 2024 The Green Promise (La Promesse verte) Carole CaronLouise VioletLouise Violet2025Moon the Panda (Moon le Panda)Emma ZhaoJean ValjeanMagloire2026Santiago: The Camino Therapy (Compostelle)FredGood Vibes Only (Pour le plaisir)FannyL'île de la DemoiselleMarguerite de Navarre
Television Year Title Role Notes 1999–2003 Un gars, une fille Alex "Chouchou" Series regular (439 episodes) 2007 Palizzi Madame de Saxe 1 episode 2008 A Man and His Dog (Un homme et son chien) The young woman Television film 2013 Avis de Mistral Alice Television film 2015 Une chance de trop Alice Lambert Miniseries (6 episodes) 2017 Scènes de ménages Adeline 1 episode (Guest star with her sister Audrey Lamy) 2020 Les Petits Meurtres d'Agatha Christie Annie Greco Episode: La Nuit qui ne finit pas 2022 Touchées — Television film; Director and Screenwriter2023Killer CoasterSandrineMiniseries (8 episodes)Quentin Blake's Box of Treasures1 episode
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref 2004 Molière Award Best Female Newcomer Théorbe Nominated: Molière Award for Best Female Newcomer 2017 L'Alpe d'Huez International Comedy Film Festival Best Acting Award L'embarras du choix Won 2019 César Award Best Actress Rolling to You (Tout le monde debout) Nominated 2019 Globes de Cristal Awards Best Comedy Actress Rolling to You (Tout le monde debout) Won
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