Leslie Caron

An American in Paris in 1951 and Lili in 1953 and Gigi in 1958 are movies that made her famous. Leslie Claire Margaret Caron was born on July 1, 1931 in France. She is both an actress and a dancer. She was discovered by Gene Kelly for his Oscar Winning An American in Paris who loved Leslie's pixie like appeal. Leslie started taking dance lessons at 11 and she attended the Convent of the Assumption for ballet training. She appeared at 14 in the Pearl Diver and at 16 she was hired by the Ballet des Champs-Elysees.
After An American in Paris, Leslie was put under contract with MGM where her dancing and acting skills would be used in Glory Alley in 1952, The Story of Three Loves in 1953 and in Lili in 1953. She earned critical acclaim in Daddy Long Legs in 1955 and the Glass Slipper also in 1955. Leslie continued to make films with Baggy in 1956 and Gigi in 1958. This film received nine Academy Awards and Leslie was nominated for a Golden Globe.
She acted and danced in several forgettable film until Fanny in 1961 and The L-Shaped Room in 1962. She won a British Academy Award and a second Oscar nomination for this role. Leslie went on stage in London with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Ondine in 1961. 1977 gave Leslie the role with Rudolf Nureyev in Valentino. During the 1980s Leslie appeared in Can-Can, On Your Toes and One for the Tango. These were all stage productions. She won her first Emmy at the age of 75 with her portrayal on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2006. She filmed Damage in 1992, Chocolat in 2000 and Le divorce 2003.
Leslie continues to play limited parts and in 2008 published her memoirs Thank Heaven. In2010 she was on the stage in Paris in A Little Night Music. Leslie has been married three times to Geordie Hormel, Peter Hall and Michael Laughlin. She has two children and lives between Paris, London and New York.