On 13 January 2008, French actress Marion Cotillard bagged the award for the ‘Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy’ category for her role in the film, La Vie En Rose. Cotillard played the character of legendary singer Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose. The beautiful French actress defeated five other nominations in this category to bag the coveted award.
Nominations for the ‘Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy’ category in the Golden Globe Awards 2008 were -
- Amy Adams – Enchanted
- Nikki Blonsky – Hairspray
- Helena Bonham Carter – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
- Marion Cotillard – La Vie En Rose (winner)
- Ellen Page – Juno
Character ‘Edith Piaf’ Played by Actress Marion Cotillard in La Vie En Rose
Singer Edith Piaf is regarded no less than a legend in her native France, where her life-story has become like a national folklore. Her’s is very touching story. Piaf was deserted by her alcoholic mother during childhood, whereas her father, who was a performer in the circus dumped her into a brothel operated by her grandmother.
Piaf was blinded due to an ailment for four long years, but finally cured miraculously after paying a visit to the shrine of St Therese De Lisieux. Thereafter she scampered off to Paris at the age of 15, where in 1935 she was spotted by cabaret impresario Louis Leplee begging on a street with her best friend Momone.
Louis invites Piaf to join his camp and proffers hers a singing job in his club. Rechristened with a new name, La Mome Piaf, the girl gets a new lease of life. The very same Paif after becoming famous goes on to have famous names on her lover’s list like Maurice Chevalier, Yves Montand, Charles Aznavour and world boxing champ Marcel Cerdan, who died in a plane crash.
Marion Cottilard as Piaf
The role of the French legendary singer Piaf played by the 31-year-old actress Marion Cottilard in the movie La Vie En Rose met with applause from all. Marion Cottilard has played Piaf satisfactorily in every aspect - the gruff, domineering voice, the stoop, the penciled-in eyebrows and slash of a red mouth – all of its there. As was the case with the real Piaf, the audience could actually sense the caged animal within the diva in her performance. Infact after seeing Marion Cottilard as Piaf in La Vie En Rose, one doubts if any other actress would have been able to do justice to the dynamic character!
