Isabelle Gélinas

Born in Montreal but a long-time resident of Paris, Isabelle Gelinas has been in showbiz long enough to know that fame and success mean nothing if you don't love what you do. For Gelinas, acting was always her passion, but finding her niche in the entertainment world was a problem she took decades to solve. After attending Paris' prestigious Cours Florent acting school, Gelinas studied at the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art under veteran movie actor Michel Bouquet. Graduating in the early 1980s, Gelinas found work hard to come by, with casting directors acknowledging her talent but seldom finding her "right" for roles. In essence, she bided her time, acting on stage in plays by Molière, Pirandello and Ayckbourn, taking guest spots on TV shows, and a smaller roles in films. In 1990, she was nominated for a César award for Most Promising Actress for her performance in "Suivez cet avion," but it was the late 1990s before she had more big screen success with appearances in two big French hits, the comedies "Didier" and "Paparazzi." After appearing in more TV shows, plays and movies than even she can recall, Gelinas finally found stardom playing bohemian mother Valérie Bouley in the French family sitcom "Desperate Parents," which began airing in 2007. "TV is crazy," says Gelinas, pondering her fame. "You belong to people who have seen you in their living room."