Hump Day Hottie, Juliette Binoche

I've been thinking of Juliette Binoche a lot lately. Pouvez-vous me blâmer? The Oscar winning French beauty hasn't been as visible in mainstream media as she was in the 90s but her talent, class and beauty endure. These thoughts I've had have mostly involved guilt that I didn't nominate her in my own personal awards for Flight of the Red Balloon last year. I saw the movie at the last minute and I didn't want to be one of those people (*cough* most awards groups) who just give all their kudos to whatever they saw most recently as if long term memory was dreadfully uncool. But her performance has lingered (and how!) and I can still feel her Suzanne drifting off, distracted, into complex private thoughts, needs, history and damage she just can't share. At least not with her little boy and his nanny.

And then today there's news of Binoche finishing up performances on a dance piece in Hong Kong. Say what?!? I hadn't heard a peep about this but it sounds like a delightful detour for an artist of her caliber.

Binoche and her dance partner Akram Khan in the performance In-I

Imagine an American actress just deciding to go on a modern dance tour in her mid 40s. They grow them differently in France... and for that I can only say 'merci beaucoup'.

I hadn't really thought of Binoche as a physical actress before... I think it was the strange not-very-French-of-her news that she had used a body double in those scrumptious sex scenes in Horsemen on the Roof (1995) that led to believe she was primarily a face actor. Some screen actors unmistakably use their body when they perform and with others the mystery and magic is all in their closeups. Binoche's general warmth and sensuality have always been in ample evidence and maybe the physicality was there, too. Which movies should I rescreen? What are your favorite Binoche films?

She must not be as shy as that Horsemen situation suggested. She did pose nude for French Playboy in 2007 (apparently it's a classier affair overseas) after all.

Click to embiggen unless gauzy 40something nudity offend thee

Nudity, warmth, great acting and an international dance tour? She's earned this celebratory post, wouldn't you say?

previous hump day hotties
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