Laura Weissbecker
Laura Weissbecker
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Laura Weissbecker

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Laura Weissbecker (born October 3, 1984) is an international multilingual French-American actress, comedian, writer and producer. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Chinese Huading award for best new actress in 2013 for her role in Jackie Chan's CZ12. She has worked in France, Germany, USA and China, with directors such as Jackie Chan, Cedric Klapisch, Elie Chouraqui, Mark Romanek and Tonie Marshall. Weissbecker was chosen by Jackie Chan for one of the leading roles in the film Chinese Zodiac 12, starring and directed by Jackie Chan. The film was a huge commercial success in Asia, in particular in mainland China where it is listed as amongst the top 5 biggest box-office hits for 2012.[1][2]

Key Information

Personal life

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Weissbecker grew up in the east of France, in the city of Strasbourg, surrounded by a very heteroclite and European environment. She has a brother and a sister, who is a solo aerial artist with Cirque du Soleil.[3]

Film career

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Weissbecker in January 2009

Weissbecker began her film career in 2002, when director Tonie Marshall (winner of the 2000 Cesar French Academy Award for best film, best director and best screenwriter) offered her a small role opposite Francois Cluzet in her feature film ‘’France Boutique’’.

In France, Weissbecker is best known for her role in ‘’Versailles, the Dream of a King’’ directed by Thierry Binisti, a TV movie which aired on France 2, Japan (NHK) and UK (BBC), and her role in ‘’Russian Dolls" directed by Cedric Klapisch (also starring Audrey Tautou, Romain Duris, Cecile de France).[4]

A multilingual actress, Weissbecker was featured in a German TV movie Love Hurts [de] directed by German TV director Rolf Silber [de], which was shot in Berlin.

She shows her comedic talent starring opposite Jackie Chan in ‘’Chinese Zodiac 12,’’ an international feature film directed by Chan.[5] Weissbecker was awarded ‘’Best New Global Actress’’ at the Chinese Huading awards in Macao in October 2013 for her performance.

In the US, she had a recurring role in the Amazon-Sony TV series "Mad Dogs".

In 2019, she studied boxing and MMA for a role in the Chinese movie "My Hero" directed by Fan Haolun. Weissbecker was awarded Best Supporting Actress at the Vancouver Chinese Film festival for this role.

She also played in Mandarin and French in the movie "the Pink Thief" directed by Mustafa Ozgun.[6]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Weissbecker has written several comedy sketches in which she executes a parody of Melania Trump.[1]

In 2022, she was in the movie Covid 19 Ground Zero based on the true story of hospital workers in New York City.[7] The movie has been awarded Best Foreign Film at the Sant Andreu de la Barca Festival in Barcelona, Best Cinematography and Best Story at the Focus International Film festival, as well as nominations for Best Actress and other categories. The film made its US premiere at the Chelsea Film Festival in New York.[8][9][10] It was included in the Festival of Colmar and the San Diego French Film Festival 2023 of which she was the patron.[11][12][13]

Books

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Weissbecker's first book, a memoir entitled "How I became Chinese" was published in France end of 2016; the book won the award the Prix du Lys.[14] The book was translated into mandarin and published in China end of 2018 under the title "Studying to become Chinese"

Education

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Weissbecker has a master's degree from one of the top engineering schools in France.[15] She was trained in Los Angeles with leading acting coach Howard Fine and studied as well with Larry Moss, Jack Waltzer and comedy master Gary Austin, founder of the Groundlings, an established improvisation troupe. Weissbecker is fluent in French, English, Chinese and German.

Awards

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Weissbecker has been part of the jury of Shanghai film festival 2013.

Laura won the Best Emerging Global Actress of Huading Awards. Nicole Kidman won the Best Global Actress award at the same Huading Awards ceremony.[16][17]

The 10th Huading Awards Global Entertainment Celebrities Satisfaction Survey Release Ceremony, hosted by Global Talents Media Group and Macao Foundation, was held on 7 October 2013 (Monday) in Macao, China. Great congratulation that Laura has nominated for the "Best Emerging Global Actress" of 10th Huading Awards, and she attended the ceremony where she received her first Chinese award and gave her acceptance speech in Chinese.

References

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Laura Weissbecker

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''Laura Weissbecker'' is a French actress known for her multilingual performances in French, American, and Chinese cinema, highlighted by her receipt of the Huading Award for Best Global Emerging Actress in 2013 for her role in Jackie Chan's ''Chinese Zodiac'' (CZ12). [1] [2] She began her career in France, collaborating with notable directors such as Cédric Klapisch and Tonie Marshall, before expanding internationally to Hollywood and other global projects. [3] [4] Described as an award-winning, international actress with over 15 years of experience, Weissbecker has also engaged in writing, producing, and singing, including co-writing and co-producing the film ''COVID-19 Ground Zero'' during the pandemic. [2] [4] Her career reflects a versatile presence in the industry, bridging European and Asian film markets through acclaimed roles and prestigious recognitions. [1]

Early life and education

Upbringing and family background

Laura Weissbecker was born on October 3, 1984, in Strasbourg, France. [1] She grew up in the city of Strasbourg in eastern France, surrounded by a diverse European environment shaped by its location on the border with Germany and its multicultural influences. [1] Weissbecker was raised in a multilingual setting, becoming fluent in French, English, Chinese, and German. [5] [1] She has one brother and one sister, the latter of whom is a solo aerial artist with Cirque du Soleil. [1]

Academic background and acting training

Laura Weissbecker earned a master's degree from one of the elite engineering schools in France. [5] Upon moving to Paris for her scientific studies, she began taking acting classes while also appearing in short films, commercials, and theater productions, which allowed her to build a professional reel and secure an agent. [6] This period marked her initial transition from engineering to the performing arts, as she balanced academic pursuits with emerging artistic endeavors. She later pursued further acting training in Los Angeles, where she studied with leading coaches including Howard Fine, Jack Waltzer, and Gary Austin, founder of The Groundlings improv troupe. [1] Weissbecker is fluent in French, English, Chinese, and German. [5]

Acting career

Early roles in French film and television

Laura Weissbecker began her acting career with a minor role in the 2003 French comedy France Boutique, directed by Tonie Marshall, where she appeared as "Fille en collant #3" (credited as Laure Weissbecker) in a small part opposite François Cluzet. [7] She followed this with a supporting role as Odile in Cédric Klapisch's 2005 film Russian Dolls (Les Poupées russes), the sequel to L'Auberge espagnole. [1] Weissbecker gained further exposure in French television through the high-profile TV movie Versailles, le rêve d’un roi, directed by Thierry Binisti, which dramatized the life of Louis XIV and aired on channels including France 2, NHK, and BBC. [5] In 2011, she appeared in the German television film Achtung Arzt!, directed by Rolf Silber, playing the role of Maharani. [1] During this early period, she also took on guest roles in French television series such as Le proc, Femmes de loi (Ladies of the Law), and Duval et Moretti, alongside appearances in short films. [1] These initial credits established her presence in French and German screen productions before her later international work.

Breakthrough role in Chinese Zodiac

Laura Weissbecker achieved her international breakthrough with her leading role in the 2012 action-adventure comedy Chinese Zodiac (also known as CZ12 or Armour of God III: Chinese Zodiac), written, produced, and directed by Jackie Chan, who also starred in the film. [1] She was personally handpicked by Chan for the role of Catherine de Sichel, showcasing her comedic talent opposite the martial arts icon in this high-profile international production. [1] Her fluency in Chinese, alongside French, English, and German, supported her seamless involvement in the Chinese-language project. [1] The film became a major commercial success across Asia, particularly in mainland China, where it grossed $137,120,000 and ranked among the top 5 biggest box-office hits for a Chinese movie in the country's history at the time of its release. [8] [1] For her breakout performance, Weissbecker won the Chinese Huading Award for Best Global Emerging Actress (also referred to as Best New Global Actress) at the awards ceremony in Macao in October 2013. [2] [1]

Work in American and other international productions

Following her breakthrough in Chinese Zodiac (2012), which served as a catalyst for international opportunities, Laura Weissbecker appeared in several American and other non-French productions.[1] In 2016, she had a recurring role as Agnes in the Amazon Prime Video series Mad Dogs, appearing in two episodes of the Sony-produced adaptation of the British crime drama, which was filmed in Puerto Rico.[1] Two years later, Weissbecker starred as Sophie in the 2018 American independent film Breaking Brooklyn, directed by Paul T. Murray and co-starring Louis Gossett Jr. in one of his final screen roles.[1] She returned to Chinese-language cinema in 2019 with the role of Tairuo in the action film Life Punch, directed by Fan Haolun.[1]

Recent independent and multimedia projects

In recent years, Weissbecker has focused on independent filmmaking, often expanding beyond acting to take on writing, producing, and music contributions. In 2020, she served as associate producer on the feature Le voleur rose, directed by Mustafa Ozgun. [9] Her most multifaceted independent project to date is the 2022 film Covid-19 Ground Zero, directed by Mustafa Ozgun, where she starred in the lead role of Jessie, a frontline nurse whose relationship is tested by the pandemic. [6] She co-wrote the screenplay with Ozgun, drawing from true accounts of healthcare workers and her own near-death health experience to inform the story. [6] [4] Weissbecker also co-produced the film and contributed creatively to its music department by writing and performing the lyrics for the original songs "New York is Tough" and "Remember their lives." [4] [10] The project, described as a tribute to healthcare workers, premiered at festivals including Dances With Films and Chelsea Film Festival, earning recognitions such as Best Foreign Film at the Sant Andreu de la Barca Festival in Barcelona and Best Cinematography and Best Story at Focus International Film Festival. [6] Weissbecker has continued appearing in short films, including The Locket (2023), where she played Grace, and The Intruder (2024). [11] [12] These projects reflect her ongoing involvement in independent cinema and multimedia storytelling.

Writing career

Awards and recognition

Personal life

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