what movies has famke janssen been in: Famke Janssen has been making waves in the entertainment world since the early 1990s as an actress, writer, director, and former model.
What Movies Has Famke Janssen Been In to be the best-known for her roles as Xenia Onatopp from GoldenEye and Jean Grey/Phoenix from X-Men film series; Lenore Mills from Taken trilogy; Olivia Godfrey in Netflix series Hemlock Grove and many others ranging from comedy drama horror.
This article will highlight What Movies Has Famke Janssen Been in of her memorable performances through filmography exploration as well as highlight some of her most iconic performances from various movie and TV appearances throughout her filmography as we review some of her most notable performances across films and TV series from comedy drama to horror genres!
From Model to Movie Star: What Movies Has Famke Janssen Been In
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Famke Janssen was born in Amstelveen, the Netherlands on November 5th 1964. She has two sisters Antoinette Beumer (director) and Marjolein Beumer (actress), both of whom changed their surnames after their parents divorced3. Alongside Dutch, Janssen can speak both English and French fluently.
Janssen began her modeling career in the 1980s, What Movies Has Famke Janssen Been in for working Chanel in New York and appearing on covers of magazines like Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. However, in 1992 she made the switch from modeling to acting; enrolling at Columbia University majoring in literature as part of this plan.
Paul Mones directed her first feature film role as she made her cinematic debut in Fathers & Sons (1992). Following that role, she appeared as Kamala on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1992), alongside Patrick Stewart3 as an empathic metamorph. Additionally, What Movies Has Famke Janssen Been in for made appearances in various TV movie’s such as Model by Day (1994) and Relentless IV: Ashes to Ashes (1994).
Her breakthrough role came in 1995 when she was cast as Xenia Onatopp in James Bond: GoldenEye. Critics and audiences alike lauded her performance as the femme fatale, killing victims by crushing them between her thighs. Furthermore, she earned an MTV Movie Award for Best Fight Scene along with Pierce Brosnan.
The X-Factor: How Famke Janssen Became Part of the X-Men Franchise
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Janssen continued working across genres after GoldenEye, including Lord of Illusions (1995), directed by Clive Barker; City of Industry (1997) a crime thriller co-starring Harvey Keitel; Deep Rising (1998) an action-adventure film featuring mercenaries encountering an aquatic monster; and The Faculty (1998) which depicts a high school being invaded by alien parasites.
Janssen first made her mark as Jean Grey in 2000’s first installment of the X-Men film series directed by Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart). The movie proved hugely successful and earned over $296 million worldwide; its success launched a franchise that would span over two decades1. She reprised her role for two sequels (X2: X-Men United 2003 and The Last Stand 2006) as well as two spinoff films (The Wolverine 2013 and Days of Future Past 2014), eventually succumbing to corruption by an ancient cosmic entity called Phoenix Force that amplifies her powers while simultaneously driving her mad.
Janssen’s portrayal of Jean Grey/Phoenix was widely acclaimed by both fans and critics, who lauded her range and depth as an actress. Additionally, she earned several awards and nominations, such as the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress from X2: X-Men United.
Beyond X-Men: How Famke Janssen Explored Other Roles and Genres
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What Movies Has Famke Janssen Been In: Janssen not only featured prominently in the X-Men franchise but she was also seen in numerous films and TV shows which demonstrated her talent and versatility, such as:
- House on Haunted Hill (1999), a remake of the 1959 horror film, follows Evelyn Stockard-Price as she invites several guests for her husband’s birthday party in a haunted house.
- Kate Welles stars as an investigative journalist uncovering a conspiracy involving a secret society and mind control technology in Don’t Say a Word (2001), a psychological thriller co-starring Michael Douglas.
- Love & Sex (2000, directed by Jon Favreau & David Schwimmer) features Jessica as a successful lawyer who falls for a struggling writer in this romantic comedy film. Jon Favreau and David Schwimmer co-star.
- Janssen stars as Lenore Mills, the ex-wife of former CIA operative who is kidnapped by Albanian human traffickers in Taken (2008) – an action thriller which led to two sequels titled Taken 2 (2012) and Taken 3 (2014). She initially plays damsel-in-distress but becomes more involved with the action over time in these sequels.
- Muriel, leader of an evil coven hunted by Hansel and Gretel as grown-ups in Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013) is played by Jeremy Renner. Gemma Arterton joins them as co-stars.
- Olivia Godfrey stars as Olivia Godfrey, matriarch of an elite and mysterious family who run a biotechnology firm which conducts experiments on human-animal hybrids in Hemlock Grove (2013), an online horror series by Brian McGreevy based on his novel of the same name.
- Eve Rothlo is an old flame and former colleague of Annalise Keating, an brilliant law professor and defense attorney involved in a murder case with her students on How to Get Away With Murder (2015-20) an ABC legal drama created by Shonda Rhimes.
From Actress to Filmmaker: How Famke Janssen Made Her Directorial Debut
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Janssen also ventured into writing and directing. In 2011, she made her directorial debut with Bringing Up Bobby – a comedy-drama film she co-wrote and produced. Milla Jovovich stars as Olive, an ex-con artist trying to start a new life with son Bobby in Oklahoma before her past catches up with them; Bill Pullman, Marcia Cross and Rory Cochrane make appearances.
Janssen explained that her film was inspired by her personal experience of moving from Europe to America and explored themes of identity, culture and family in its production. Additionally, she expressed that she loved being behind the camera and hopes to direct more films in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions About Famke Janssen (FAQs)
Q: How should Famke Janssen’s name be pronounced?
A: Famke Janssen can be pronounced FAM-kuh YAN-suhn.
Q: How tall is Famke Janssen?
A: Famke Janssen stands at 5 feet 11 1/2 inches (182 cm).
Q: Is Famke Janssen married?
A: Famke Janssen was previously married to Tod Williams, an author and director, from 1995 until 2000; they later parted ways amicably while remaining close despite their separation; since then she has not remarried.
Q: Does Famke Janssen Have Children?
A: Famke Janssen does not have biological children of her own. Instead, in 2005 she adopted a dog named Licorice whom she considers her son. Additionally she is a staunch animal rights activist supporting organizations like PETA and Best Friends Animal Society.
Q: What are some of Famke Janssen’s upcoming projects?
A: Some of Famke Janssen’s upcoming projects include:
Janssen stars in The Experiment, a science fiction thriller about a group of volunteers participating in a clinical trial that goes wrong. Dr. Rachel McVeigh serves as leader of this experiment.
Locked In is an action thriller about a single mother who must protect her daughter from an unsavory group who are breaking into their storage facility and breaking in. Janssen stars in this role. Janssen plays Hilda Van Der Koy, leader of Boy Kills World cult.
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