Movie Stars: Bissett, Jacqueline–B-Level Actress and Star

Jacqueline Bisset LdH (born 13 September 1944) is a British actress, who began her film career in 1965.

She first came to prominence in 1968 with roles in The Detective, Bullitt, and The Sweet Ride, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination as Most Promising Newcomer.

She starred in Airport (1970), The Mephisto Waltz (1971), Day for Night (1973), which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Murder on the Orient Express (1974), St. Ives (1976), The Deep (1977), The Greek Tycoon (1978) and Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978), which earned her a Golden Globe nomination as Best Actress–Comedy.

Bisset’s other film and TV credits include Rich and Famous (1981), Class (1983), her Golden Globe-nominated role in Under the Volcano (1984), her CableACE Award-nominated role in Forbidden (1985), Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills (1989), Wild Orchid (1990), her Cesar Award-nominated role in La Cérémonie (1995), Dangerous Beauty (1998), her Emmy-nominated role in the miniseries Joan of Arc (1999), Britannic (2000), The Sleepy Time Gal (2001), Domino (2005), a guest arc in the fourth season of Nip/Tuck (2006), Death in Love (2008), and the BBC miniseries Dancing on the Edge (2013), for which she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film.

Bisset has since appeared in Welcome to New York (2014), Miss You Already (2015), The Last Film Festival (2016), Backstabbing for Beginners (2018) and Birds of Paradise (2021).

She received France’s highest honor, the Legion of Honour, in 2010.

She speaks English, French, and Italian.

Bisset was born Winifred Jacqueline Fraser Bisset in Weybridge, Surrey, England, the daughter of George Maxwell Fraser Bisset (1911–1982), a general practitioner, and Arlette Alexander (1914–1999), a lawyer-turned-housewife.

Her mother was of French and English descent and her father was of Scottish descent; Bisset’s mother cycled from Paris and boarded a British troop transport to escape the Germans during World War II.

Bisset grew up in Tilehurst, near Reading, Berkshire, in a 17th-century country cottage, where she now lives part of the year.[citation needed] She has a brother, Max (b. 1942). Her mother taught her to speak French fluently, and she was educated at the Lycée Français de Londres in London. She took ballet lessons as a child and began taking acting lessons while working as a fashion model to pay for them. When Bisset was a teenager, her mother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Bisset’s parents divorced in 1968 after 28 years of marriage.

Bisset first appeared uncredited as a prospective model in The Knack …and How to Get It (1965), directed by Richard Lester. She made her official debut the following year in Roman Polanski’s Cul-de-sac (1966).

In 1967, Bisset had her first noticeable part in the Albert Finney-Audrey Hepburn vehicle Two for the Road, as a woman in whom Finney’s character is romantically interested. It was made by 20th Century Fox, which put her under contract.

She had more sizeable role in the James Bond satire Casino Royale, as Miss Goodthighs.

Fox cast Bisset in her first lead part in The Cape Town Affair, opposite a then-unknown Fox contract star James Brolin, filmed in South Africa on a low budget. She gained mainstream recognition in 1968, when she replaced Mia Farrow in The Detective opposite Frank Sinatra.

She co-starred with Michael Sarrazin in Fox’s The Sweet Ride, which brought her a Golden Globe nomination for Most Promising Newcomer. She capped her year as Steve McQueen’s girlfriend in the police drama Bullitt, which was among the top five highest-grossing films of the year. In 1969, Bisset was top billed in The First Time and Secret World, appearing as a blonde in the latter.

In 1970, Bisset was one of the many stars in the disaster film Airport; her role was that of a pregnant stewardess carrying Dean Martin’s love child. It was a huge hit at the box office, ushering in an era of disaster films.

Bisset had another starring part in The Grasshopper (1970), which was little seen, and was in The Mephisto Waltz (1971) with Alan Alda.

She reteamed with her real-life romantic partner Michael Sarrazin for the romantic drama Believe in Me, in which she played a drug addict, and had the lead in the comedy Stand Up and Be Counted (1972). More popular was The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972), where she played the daughter of Paul Newman’s title character. She played the female lead in The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973) with Ryan O’Neal, stepping in for a pregnant Charlotte Rampling.

Bisset went to France to appear in François Truffaut’s Day for Night (1973), earning the respect of European critics and moviegoers as a serious actress. She stayed in France to make Le Magnifique (1973) with Jean-Paul Belmondo, a hit in France but little seen in English-speaking countries. She was one of many stars in the British whodunnit Murder on the Orient Express (1974), an enormous success. In Britain, she starred in the remake of The Spiral Staircase (1975). Bisset went to Germany for End of the Game (1975), co-starring Jon Voight. In Italy, she played opposite Marcello Mastroianni in Luigi Comencini’s The Sunday Woman (1975). She returned to Hollywood to support Charles Bronson in St. Ives (1976).

T-Shirt Contests

In 1977, Bisset gained wide publicity in America with The Deep, directed by Peter Yates, who had previously directed her in Bullitt. The film had several obvious tie-ins to Jaws, including actor Robert Shaw and screenplay writer Peter Benchley.

The Deep
Theatrical release poster

Marketing strategy based around Bisset appearing in some scenes underwater wearing only white T-shirt for top helped make the film a box-office success.

Producer Peter Guber quipped, “That T-shirt made me a rich man!”

Many credit her with popularizing wet T-shirt contests.

Bisset was disappointed that the marketing of her translucent costume detracted from the film’s technical achievements. As a tie-in with the film’s release, Newsweek published a cover story on Bisset named “A Beauty Named Bisset”, calling her “the most beautiful film actress of all time.”

On July 11, 1977, the Newsweek cover was counterpoint to the earlier February 14, 1977 Newsweek cover which featured Sissy Spacek, under the headline “The New Actresses.”

Nude Scenes

UK production, Secrets, that Bisset had made in 1971 was re-released in the United States. That movie featured the only extensive nude scenes of Bisset’s career and the producers cashed in on her fame.

By 1978, Bisset was a household name. She earned a Golden Globe nomination that year as Best Actress–Comedy for  performingopposite George Segal in Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?

She starred with Anthony Quinn in The Greek Tycoon, playing a role based on Jackie Onassis.

After these she made Together? (1979) in Italy with Terence Stamp and Maximilian Schell.

Big Flops

Bisset appeared in all-star films: When Time Ran Out (1980), starring alongside Paul Newman and William Holden, and Inchon (1981), with Laurence Olivier. Her fee around this time was $1 million a movie. Both When Time Ran Out and Inchon were big flops.

More popular was George Cukor’s Rich and Famous (1981) with Candice Bergen, where Bisset also served as co-producer.

One of her best-known roles came in the coming-of-age comedy Class (1983), as a married woman having an affair with her son’s (Rob Lowe) prep school roommate (Andrew McCarthy). Bisset received her third Golden Globe nom for John Huston’s Under the Volcano (1984) in the Best Supporting Actress category.

In 1984 Bisset made the wartime drama Forbidden with Jürgen Prochnow, and earned a CableACE Award nomination as Best Actress.

Abortion Drama

For television she played the title role in Anna Karenina (1985), opposite Christopher Reeve, and did abortion drama, Choices (1986).

Bisset portrayed Joséphine de Beauharnais in the miniseries Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story (1987) with Armand Assante.

She also had the lead in some comedies: High Season (1987) and Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills (1989), taking over for Faye Dunaway due to scheduling conflicts.

Between those she made La maison de jade (1988) in France with Vincent Perez. She was Carré Otis’ boss in the controversial erotic thriller Wild Orchid (1989) starring Mickey Rourke.

During the early 1990s, Bisset shot projects on multiple continents, co-starring in Mario Monicelli’s Rossini! Rossini! (1991), a biopic of Italian composer Gioachino Rossini; with Martin Sheen for a Paris-based TV movie called The Maid (1991); with Elliott Gould in the Dutch miniseries Hoffman’s honger (1993); with Jean-Hugues Anglade in the French language film Les marmottes (1993); and with one of Japan’s top stars, Masaya Kato in the Australian TV movie Crimebroker (1993). “I used to work [in the states] a lot, and then I started to go and do more of the intimate little films I wanted to do that I didn’t find here,” she said in 1994. “I started to have two lives, really. I was able to cover more of the ground that I wanted to as an actress. But now I need to do more things that get seen.” Bisset returned to North American screens with the TV movie Leave of Absence (1994), opposite Brian Dennehy.

In 1995, Bisset was nominated for a César Award for her role in the French film La Cérémonie, directed by Claude Chabrol.

She did a couple of period pieces, playing a spinster in 1890s New York in Linda Yellen’s End of Summer (1997), and a retired courtesan in 16th-century Venice in Dangerous Beauty (1998) with Catherine McCormack.

In 1999, Bisset appeared in two high-caliber TV projects, as the Virgin Mary in Jesus and Isabelle d’Arc in Joan of Arc, opposite Jeremy Sisto and Leelee Sobieski in the respective titular roles. Bisset earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actress for the latter performance.

Let the Devil Wear Black (1999) was an independent featuring Bisset in an ensemble cast, loosely retelling Shakespeare’s Hamlet in modern-day Los Angeles.

Bisset returned to the Biblical genre with In the Beginning (2000), playing Sarah, wife of Abraham. She had the leading role in The Sleepy Time Gal (2001), which premiered on SundanceTV and was cited by the Village Voice in its annual survey of the year’s best undistributed films. One of her later TV movies, in 2003, was America’s Prince: The John F. Kennedy Jr. Story, in which she portrayed Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. She did guest shots on Hey Arnold!, Ally McBeal and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and had key roles in the independent features Swing (2003), Latter Days (2003) and Fascination (2004).

In 2005, Bisset was seen in the Domino Harvey bio film Domino with Keira Knightley, directed by Tony Scott, playing a fictionalized version of Paulene Stone (renamed “Sophie Wynn”), whom she actually knew from their time as models in London.

She filmed a cameo appearance for Mr. & Mrs. Smith, but her performance was cut from the movie.

In 2006, Bisset had a recurring role on the FX series Nip/Tuck as the ruthless extortionist James LeBeau.

Her next role was in Save the Last Dance 2 (2006) as the protagonist’s ballet instructor.

On Lifetime she appeared in an adaption of the Nora Roberts novel Carolina Moon (2007).

Bisset starred in the lead role of Boaz Yakin’s Death in Love, which premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Fest. Her performance as volatile Holocaust survivor earned her Best Actress award at the Boston Film Festival.

Later that year, she starred in An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving for the Hallmark Channel, and was nominated for a Satellite Award as Best Actress.

In 2009, Bisset reunited with Linda Yellen for The Last Film Festival, which was Dennis Hopper’s final screen appearance. Hopper’s untimely death in spring 2010 occurred before Yellen could begin postproduction, and she eventually launched a crowd funding campaign to complete the movie. It finally premiered in 2016.

In 2010, Bisset was awarded the Legion of Honour insignia, with French President Nicolas Sarkozy calling her “a movie icon.”

Later that year she reprised her role in the sequel to An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving, An Old Fashioned Christmas.

Afte recurring role on Rizzoli & Isles from 2011 to 2012, Bisset returned to the UK for Stephen Poliakoff’s 1930s jazz drama series Dancing on the Edge, which started on BBC2 in 2013. For her work, she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Next, she played Gérard Depardieu’s wife in Welcome to New York (2014) for controversial director Abel Ferrara.

In 2015, she co-starred with Drew Barrymore and Toni Collette in Miss You Already.

The same year, she received a Stanislavsky Award at the 37th Moscow Film Festival.

Bisset had a recurring role in the TV series Counterpart in 2017.

On the indie circuit, Bisset featured in four films in 2018: Head Full of Honey, which reunited her with The Deep co-star Nick Nolte; Backstabbing for Beginners (opposite Ben Kingsley); Here and Now with Sarah Jessica Parker; and Asher with Famke Janssen and Ron Perlman.

In 2019, she co-starred with Fabio Testi in the Lifetime movie Very Valentine.

In 2020, Bisset joined the cast of Birds of Paradise from Amazon Studios, shot in Budapest.

She plays a title character in Loren & Rose (2021) and has a co-starring role in the fantasy/horror film The Lodger alongside Alice Isaaz.

Bisset has never married.

But had long-term romances with French-Canadian actor Michael Sarrazin, Moroccan real estate magnate Victor Drai, Russian dancer-actor Alexander Godunov, Swiss actor Vincent Perez, and Turkish martial arts instructor Emin Boztepe.

Bisset is often asked about being unmarried and childfree. When she was 32, she told the press: “I couldn’t in all conscience do what I do and have children. Could you imagine being the daughter of Raquel Welch? I’ve heard such horror stories, about the children in Hollywood.”

Bisset is godmother to Angelina Jolie.

Filmography

1965 The Knack …and How to Get It Model Uncredited
1966 Cul-de-sac Jacqueline
1966 Drop Dead Darling Dancer AKA Arrivederci, Baby!
1967 Casino Royale Giovanna Goodthighs
1967 Two for the Road Jackie
1967 The Cape Town Affair Candy
1968 The Sweet Ride Vickie Cartwright Nominated—Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year
1968 The Detective Norma Maclver

1968 Bullitt Cathy Laurel Award Female New Face (2nd place)

1969 The First Time Anna
1969 Secret World Wendy Sinclair Original titles: L’échelle blanche AKA La Promesse
1970 Airport Gwen Meighen
1970 The Grasshopper Christine Adams Nominated—Laurel Award for Best Female Dramatic Performance
1971 The Mephisto Waltz Paula Clarkson
1971 Believe in Me Pamela
1971 Secrets Jenny
1972 Stand Up and Be Counted Sheila Hammond
1972 The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean Rose Bean
1973 The Thief Who Came to Dinner Laura Keaton
1973 Day for Night Julie Baker Original title: La nuit américaine
1973 Le Magnifique Tatiana/Christine AKA How to Destroy the Reputation of the Greatest Secret Agent. and The Man from Acapulco
1974 Murder on the Orient Express Countess Elena Andrenyi/Helena Arden
1975 The Spiral Staircase Helen Mallory
1975 End of the Game Anna Crawley Original title: Der Richter und sein Henker
1975 The Sunday Woman Anna Carla Dosio Original title: La donna della domenica
1976 St. Ives Janet Whistler
1977 The Deep Gail Berke
1978 The Greek Tycoon Liz Cassidy
1978 Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? Natasha O’Brien Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical
1979 Together? Louise
1980 When Time Ran Out Kay Kirby
1981 Inchon Barbara Hallsworth
1981 Rich and Famous Liz Hamilton
1983 Class Ellen Burroughs
1984 Under the Volcano Yvonne Firmin Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
1984 Forbidden Nina von Halder Nominated—CableACE Award for Actress in a Movie or Miniseries
1987 High Season Katherine Shaw
1988 La maison de Jade Jane Lambert
1989 Scenes from Class Struggle in Beverly Hills Clare Lipkin
1990 Wild Orchid Claudia Dennis
1991 Rossini! Rossini! Isabella Colbran
1993 Corrupt Justice Holly McPhee AKA CrimeBroker
1993 Les marmottes Frédérique
1995 La Cérémonie Catherine Lelievre Nominated—César Award for Best Supporting Actress
1998 Dangerous Beauty Paola Franco
1999 Let the Devil Wear Black Helen Lyne
2000 Les Gens qui s’aiment Angie
2001 The Sleepy Time Gal Frances
2001 New Years Day Geraldine
2003 Latter Days Lila Montagne
2003 Swing Christine / Mrs. DeLuca
2004 Fascination Maureen Doherty
2005 The Fine Art of Love: Mine Ha-Ha Headmistress
2005 Domino Sophie Wynn
2006 Save the Last Dance 2 Monique Delacroix
2008 Death in Love Mother
2008 Nick Nolte: No Exit Herself Documentary
2012 Two Jacks Diana
2014 Welcome to New York Simone Devereaux
2015 Peter and John[35][36] Unknown
2015 Miss You Already Miranda
2016 The Last Film Festival Claudia Benvenuti
2017 L’Amant double Mrs. Schenker
2017 9/11 Diane
2018 Backstabbing for Beginners Christina Dupre
2018 Here and Now Jeanne
2018 Asher Dora
2018 Head Full of Honey Vivian
2021 Birds of Paradise Valentine Louvet
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1985 Anna Karenina Anna Karenina Television movie
1986 Choices Marisa Granger Television movie
1987 Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story Josephine de Beauharnais 3 episodes
1991 The Maid Nicole Chantrelle Television movie
1993 Hoffman’s honger Marian Hoffman Television mini-series
1996 September Pandora Television movie
1996 Once You Meet a Stranger Sheila Gaines Television movie
1997 End of Summer Christine Van Buren Television movie
1999 Witch Hunt Barbara Thomas Television movie
1999 Joan of Arc Isabelle d’Arc 2 episodes
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
1999 Jesus Mary Television movie
1999 Hey Arnold! Madame Parvenu (voice) Episode: “Polishing Rhonda”
2000 Britannic Lady Lewis Television movie
2000 Sex & Mrs. X Madame Simone Television movie
2000 In the Beginning Sarah Television movie
2001–2002 Ally McBeal Frances Shaw 2 episodes
2002 Dancing at the Harvest Moon Maggie Webber Television movie
2003 America’s Prince: The John F. Kennedy Jr. Story Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis Television movie
2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Juliet Barclay Episode: “Control”
2004 The Survivors Club Carol Rosen Television movie
2005 Summer Solstice Alexia White Television movie
2006 Nip/Tuck James LeBeau 7 episodes
2007 Carolina Moon Margaret Lavelle Television movie
2008 An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Isabella Television movie
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film
2009 The Eastmans Emma Eastman Unsold TV pilot
2010 An Old Fashioned Christmas Isabella Television movie
2011–2012 Rizzoli & Isles Constance Isles 3 episodes
2013 Dancing on the Edge Lady Lavinia Cremone 4 episodes
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series,

Miniseries or TV Film

2017 Graves Diana Scott Episode: “Something Left to Love”
2018 Counterpart Charlotte Burton Episode: “Love the Lie”
2019 Very Valentine Teodora Angelini TV movie