| Famke Janssen Biography |
Famke Beumer Janssen, born November 5, 1965 in Amstelveen, The Netherlands, is a Dutch actress and former fashion model. She is perhaps best known for her roles in Goldeneye, Nip/Tuck and the X-Men film series.
Janssen moved to the United States in 1984 and began her professional career as a fashion model. She was signed with Elite Model Management, and worked for Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel and Victoria's Secret. After studying writing and literature at Columbia University she moved to Los Angeles where she appeared in guest roles on TV series (such as Star Trek: The Next Generation and Melrose Place).
Her first film role was with Jeff Goldblum in Fathers & Sons (1992), later she appeared in the first Pierce Brosnan James Bond film, GoldenEye, making an impression on the cinema world as femme fatale Xenia Onatopp. After her well-received performance, she became one of the most sought after actresses by many directors. In 1998 alone, she starred in eight films. She was also cast in Men in Black II as villainess Serleena in 2002, but had to drop out due to a death in the family. She was also offered the role of the T-X in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, but turned it down and was replaced by Kristanna Loken.
Janssen played the highly coveted character, superheroine Dr. Jean Grey/Phoenix in X-Men, X2, and X-Men: The Last Stand.
Famke also starred in the movies Lord of Illusions, The Faculty, House on Haunted Hill, I Spy, Rounders, and Deep Rising.
Janssen also had a prominent role in the second season of the popular TV show Nip/Tuck, as seductive and manipulative life coach Ava Moore.
She speaks Dutch, English, German, and French and is the only brunette in a family of blondes. While best known for her poise and great physical beauty, she is also recognized in Hollywood for her exceptionally large feet, which even made their way into a scene in her 2000 film Love & Sex (in which Jon Favreau's character teases a blushing Janssen about the size of her feet).
Famke currently lives in New York City, in Greenwich Village
Trivia
Height: 5' 11" (1.80 m)
Measurements: 36-24-36 (91-61-91 cm)
Shoe size: size 11 (US) 44 (European)
First name is pronounced "Fam-kuh" (the 'a' pronounced as in the word 'part')
Has two sisters, Antoinette Beumer (Director) and Marjolein Beumer (Actress)
Is the only one of her three sisters to keep her birth surname, Janssen. Sisters Marjolein and Antoinette chose to take the
last name Beumer, the maiden name of their mother, after their parents divorced.
Famke's name means little girl in Frisian, the native language of the Dutch province Friesland
Provides the Dutch-language narration for the Studio Tram Tour at all Disney parks
Was married to writer/director Tod Culpan Williams from 1995 to 2000, son of architect Tod Williams
Has a brindle Boston Terrier named Licorice, with whom she frequently travels.
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