Famke Janssen
Famke Janssen
Famke Beumer Janssen]; born c. 1964) is a Dutch actress, director, screenwriter and former fashion model. She played Xenia Onatopp in GoldenEye, Jean Grey/Phoenix in the X-Men film series, Ava Moore on Nip/Tuck and Lenore Mills in Takenand its sequels, Taken 2and Taken 3. In 2008, she was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for Integrity by the United Nations. She made her directorial debut with Bringing Up Bobby in 2011. Janssen is scheduled to star in an upcoming NBC crime thriller, The...
NationalityDutch
ProfessionMovie Actress
Date of Birth5 November 1964
CityAmstelveen, Netherlands
I personally like to do independent films.
Every single time when you act in a film, and there's a different director, which of course as actors we're used to experiencing that's what we do, it's a different experience.
I love scary movies. The Shining and Don't Look Now are two of the best.
I try not to have high expectations of people because it just sets you up for disappointment, but it's great to work with actors who are that talented and accomplished.
It's never been important to be a huge star or to have some breakout role. If you're the lead, you get a lot more screen time and you get a lot more chances to develop that character more thoroughly than you would if you do it in a little supporting part.
I want to work with great directors. I want to work on good material with good actors. I've probably done 20 movies at this point and a lot of independents. It's been an incredible ride and I love it and I'm just going to keep going and doing what I'm doing.
Triple tonguing? It was sort of invented. It wasnt in the script. It was something that I came up with.
Jean Grey, the Phoenix … she finds a way to reincarnate herself constantly, so one never knows.
I'm a firm believer in taking risks in life, because you'll never get anywhere unless you do, and the more risk involved the greater the outcome -- or the worse, but you never know so you've got to go for it.
There's certain things I try to avoid, as an actress, just to keep my world from being as narrow as it could be.
I'm trying to fight typecasting as hard as I can, while I have time.
I'm 5' 11" as I proudly say - just so I don't have to say six feet.
The biggest challenge is how you get money for independent films, in these ever-changing times when most people don't really want to invest in that anymore.
Film has played such a big part in my life, in my impressions of the United States.