A statuesque leading lady in European films of the 1980s, Fanny Ardant was companion to Francois Truffaut in the director's last years. Two of Ardant's most famous films were directed by Truffaut, "The Woman Next Door" (1981) which earned her the international spotlight, and "Confidentially Yours" (1983), Truffaut's last film.

Ardant broke into films--and acting, for that matter--a bit later than many of her contemporaries. She did not gain notice until she was already in her 30s, after beginning a five-year apprenticeship on the stage when she was in her late 20s. "Les Chiens" (1978), her