Jacqueline Bisset is magnificent – in so many ways.
In a career spanning 58 years and a portfolio that includes about 50 films, the 78-year-old actress shows no signs of slowing down.
Jacqueline Bisset has been one of my role models since I was a very little girl, my parents just loved her. To me, she really is one of the few actresses that represent the glamour that Hollywood once had.
I admire her aging naturally and always thought she had a very natural beauty and sex appeal. She never wore tons of makeup.
Throughout her storied career, the brown-haired beauty, known for her high cheekbones and striking green eyes, has demonstrated her versatility by playing a range of characters including the sultry seductress Miss Goodthighs in the spy parody Casino Royale (1967), a devoted mother in Sleepy Time Gal (2001), First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in America’s Prince: The John F. Kennedy Jr. Story (2003) and Anna Karenina (1985) in the sweeping love story of the same name, where she starred opposite Christopher Reeves.
Bisset made her first on-screen appearance in Roman Polanski’s Cul-de-Sac (1966) and gained notoriety in 1968 when she starred in back-to-back films in one single year: Detective with crooner Frank Sinatra, Bullitt with Steven McQueen, and her Golden Globe-nominated performance in The Sweet Ride with Tony Franciosa and Bob Denver, who’s famously known as Gilligan on Gilligan’s Island.
You’ll also recognize her from her performances in Day for Night (1973), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), The Deep (1977), Wild Orchid (1990), her Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated role in Joan of Arc (1999), her Golden Globe-winning role in the miniseries Dancing on the Edge (2013), Miss You Already (2015) and Birds of Paradise (2021).
In 2010, the multilingual actor–she speaks English, French and Italian–was awarded the Legion of Honor, the highest state order in France, and in 2023, Sedona International Film Festival recognized Bisset with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Despite filming with some of Hollywood’s hottest men, Bisset has never been married. The stunning woman was pursued by Frank Sinatra, and rumors swirled that she was involved with Bullitt co-star, Hollywood bad boy, Steve McQueen. But Bisset, a proper English lady, said they were too different.
Referring to McQueen, she said in an interview with the Daily Mail, “He was attractive, but a little scary. I was very English and he was a hip American. The way he talked would have driven me mad–I didn’t know what a dude or a soul chick was!”
She’s had long-term relationships with Canadian actor Michael Sarrazin, the ballet dancer Alexander Godunov and actor Vincent Pérez, but she admits she’s too independent for anything permanent.
In an interview with the Independent, Bisset said, “I’ve had some very interesting men in my life. They have been a handful. I don’t choose easy men, I’m told.” She continued, “Sometimes you get too much information when you spend time with people. You start to see things–bad habits. You start to discover them and then you have to marry bad habits and I’m not sure I can cope with them. I don’t ever have bad relationships. I haven’t broken up angry. I’ve just moved out of situations that have been overwhelming.”
Though Bisset–Godmother to Angelina Jolie–hasn’t made headlines for having outrageous relationships, she was trending after she won the Golden Globe for her portrayal as Lady Cremone in the BBC series Dancing on the Edge.
Her acceptance speech, with the background music playing to signal her off the stage, was mostly filled with ramblings but demonstrated genuine gratitude from the then 69-year-old, who had been waiting 47 years to win, since her first nomination for best newcomer.
Since then, she starred as a sassy femme fatale in the French thriller The Lodger (2020), and most recently, she appeared in the film Loren & Rose (2022). Bisset plays the lead character Rose, a legendary actor trying to re-establish her career, who’s bound by a reputation that casts her as being a “little zany and a bit unreliable.”
According to the film’s director Russell Brown, the character of Rose is the opposite of Bisset in real life. Brown said, “Viewers often assume that Jacqueline is ‘like she is in the movie.’ But this really isn’t the case–as an actress and a woman, I think she is quite different from Rose, and it’s a testament to her skill that the transformation feels so seamless.”
Bisset is a timeless beauty who embraces aging with grace. In her infamous Golden Globes speech, she said: ‘I believe, if you want to look good, you’ve got to forgive everybody. It’s the best beauty treatment.’
She’s also said that though in her youth she had “lots of complexes” she was never tempted by plastic surgery. “I don’t think it makes you look younger. It makes you different,” said Bisset.
How My Wife’s Rejection Revealed a Powerful Lesson About Self-Worth
When a Sales Assistant Insulted My Wife, I Taught Her a Lesson She’d Never Forget
My wife, Emma, has always had an incredible sense of style. The way she combines her outfits draws admiration from friends, family, and even strangers. Her self-confidence is one of the things I love most about her—it’s truly inspiring.
But one incident managed to shake her confidence to its core.
While visiting a shopping center one afternoon, Emma noticed a hiring sign displayed in the window of one of her favorite lingerie stores. She adored the brand for its quality products and elegant displays, and since she was already searching for a retail job, this seemed like the perfect opportunity.
Excited and optimistic, she stepped into the store and approached a sales assistant. However, instead of a friendly greeting, she was met with cold indifference.
When Emma politely asked about the application process, the assistant looked her up and down with a sneer and said, “Look, I don’t think you’re pretty enough for this job. NO CHANCE. Don’t even try.”
Those cruel words shattered Emma. She came home in tears, her self-esteem bruised. Seeing her in that state broke my heart, and I couldn’t believe someone could be so callous and dismissive. But sadness quickly turned into determination—I couldn’t let this slide.
I called my friend Mike, a talent scout with an eye for models, and told him the story. He was just as outraged as I was and agreed to help me teach the sales assistant a lesson.
The next day, Mike and I returned to the store. I pretended to browse while Mike introduced himself to the same sales assistant. He explained that he was searching for fresh faces for an upcoming modeling campaign.
The assistant’s demeanor instantly changed. She adjusted her hair, straightened her clothes, and struck exaggerated poses, trying to impress Mike. But after a few moments, Emma walked into the store.
Mike turned to the sales assistant and said, “Sorry, you’re not what we’re looking for.” Then, as if noticing Emma for the first time, he added with a smile, “Miss, have you ever considered modeling? You’d be a perfect fit for our campaign.”
Emma’s face lit up with a smile, and the sales assistant’s expression turned sour.
As we left the store together, Emma admitted she felt a little sorry for the assistant. But I knew the lesson had been delivered.
I wanted Emma to understand that her beauty and self-worth aren’t defined by someone else’s shallow opinion—they come from within.
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