Irene Jacob is an actress from Switzerland, winner of the Cannes Film Festival award for her role in the drama “Double Life of Veronica”. Jacob starred in the film "Prediction" directed by Eldar Ryazanov. Since 2000, Irene has been married to French actor Jerome Kirsher.
General information
Irene was born July 15, 1966 in the capital of Switzerland, Geneva. Her full name is Irene Marie Jacob. By origin, the actress belongs to the Swiss French. Father Irene worked as a physicist, and his mother as a psychologist. The girl was the fourth child in the family.
Jacob from early childhood was very musical. Back in school, Irene learned to play the violin and piano, regularly attended classes at the school at the Geneva Conservatory.
After leaving school, Irene studied first at the drama studio in Geneva, then at the music conservatory, and then at the National Drama School in Paris.
Carier start
In 1987, the girl played her first role in the movie. In Louis Mull's film “Goodbye, Children,” Jacob played the role of music teacher. In the film, the actress played the piano, so the role was given to her easily. Irene noticed, they began to invite to new films.
The dramatic film "Double Life of Veronica"
In 1991, Jacob came to popularity. The reason for this was two roles brilliantly performed at once in the picture of Veronica’s Double Life by Krzysztof Keselowski. The music for the picture was written by Zbigniew Praisner. An elevated sad melody set the tone for the film and in many ways served as the reason for its popularity.
The plot is based on the life of two girls named Veronica. One is Polish, the other is French. Girls of the same age, they are twenty. Both are in love, both are fond of music, both are left-handed. Veronica are very similar, almost the same face. The culmination of the picture is a sudden chance meeting of girls so alike.
The painting “Double Life of Veronica” was shown at the Cannes Film Festival. For her role in this film, Jacob was awarded the Cannes Film Festival Award in the category "Best Actress".
Other jobs
After the film “Double Life of Veronica”, the actress again starred in the director Krzysztof Keslowski. In the film “Three Colors: Red”, Jacob played the main role - Valentina Dussont.
The films Irene Jacob “The Secret Garden”, directed by Agnieszka Holland, “Beyond the Clouds,” directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, although they received good ratings, were not nominated for prestigious awards.
Irene also played in the film adaptation of the director Othello, directed by Lawrence Fishburnem. In Othello, the actress had to reincarnate as the jealous wife, Desdemona.
Jacob collaborates with many European directors. She likes to repeat that it is not important for her in which country to work, it is important - with whom to work. Irene collaborates with the best European film masters.
In 1993, Jacob starred with Oleg Basilashvili, Roman Kartsev and Alexei Zharkov in the film "Prediction" by Eldar Ryazanov. In this melodramatic thriller, the actress played the role of a girl named Luda. For the role in this film, Irene was nominated for the Nika film award in 1994.
In the late 90s, the actress starred in several American films. One of them is “Servants of the Law” directed by Stuart Baird. In this film, together with Irene, the famous American actors Wesley Snipes, Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Downey Jr. played.
Theatrical career
In 2000, the actress resumed work in the theater. The actress did not stop acting in films, she just started playing in theatrical productions in between filming.
In 2000, on the stage of the London Theater, paired with actor Macaulay Culkin, known for the comedy Home Alone, Jacob performed the role of Madame Melville in the same production.
Among other well-known theatrical roles of the actress are Nina Zarechnaya from the production of The Seagull by Anton Chekhov and Zhanna d'Arc from the production of Zhanna d'Arc at the stake.
In 2005, Irene played the role of Mademoiselle Dreyfus in the production of her husband Jerome Kirscher based on the work of Romain Gary “I Know That Mutual Love”.
Awards
The actress has so far only one significant award - the award of the Cannes Film Festival in 1991 for her role in the film “Double Life of Veronica”.
For the same role, Irene was nominated for the Cesar Prize in 1992.
In 1994, the actress was nominated for the Nika film award for her role in the film Prediction, and in 1995, two prizes at once - Cesar and the British Academy Award for her work in the film Three Colors: Red.
Personal life
Irene Jacob was married to Lucien d'Lavier. In this marriage, she gave birth to two children. Over the years, children grew up, and the marriage broke up. Now the actress is married to a French actor and director Jerome Kirsher.
Jerome is known as an actor in the films “Family of Underwear”, “Revenge of the Poor”, “Long Engagement”, “Cafe de Flor” and others. Kirsher directs theatrical productions. In some productions, Jerome also plays Irene. Jacob and Kirsher married in 2000.
Irene lives with her husband in France, she received French citizenship.
Selected Filmography
Irene Jacob over the years of her career has played more than sixty roles in film and television. The best ones are:
- In 1987 - “Goodbye, Children”;
- In 1989 - The Gang of Four;
- In 1991 - “The Double Life of Veronica”;
- In 1993 - “The Mysterious Garden”, “Prediction”;
- In 1994 - "Three colors: Red";
- In 1995 - Beyond the Clouds and Othello;
- In 1996 - “Victory”;
- In 1997 - Incognito;
- In 1998 - “Servants of the Law” and “American Cuisine”;
- In 1999 - “Irrefutable evidence”, “My cheerful life” and “Spy games, or History is completed at night”;
- In 2001 - "Londinium" and "Letter to a Stranger";
- In 2004 - “New France”;
- In 2007 - “The Inner World of Martin Frost”;
- In 2008 - “Dust of Time”;
- In 2009 - "Handsome Guys";
- In 2014 - the television series "Lovers" and the picture "Dying Light";
- In 2016 - the series “Collection” and the film “Eternity”;
- In 2018 - the mini-series "Patrick Melrose".