Famke Janssen

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Birthday:

5 November 1964, Amstelveen, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Birth Name:

Famke Beumer Janssen

Height:

182 cm

Famke Janssen was born on November 5, 1964 in Amstelveen, Netherlands, and has two siblings, director Antoinette Beumer and actress Marjolein Beumer. She studied economics for a year at the University of Amsterdam. Moving to America in 1984, Famke modeled for Chanel in New York City. Later, taking a break from modeling, she majored in writing and literature at Columbia University and studied acting with Harold Guskin. She then went to Los Angeles, California, where she continued to study acting under Roy London. Her first film was the crime drama Fathers & Sons (1992), where she played the love interest of Jeff Goldblum. Later, she became James Bond's enemy in GoldenEye (1995) opposite Pierce Brosnan. Famke received strong critical acclaim for her electrifying performance as the femme fatale Xenia Onatopp. Her career has bloomed since then with her starring in such films as House on Haunted Hill (1999), a reoccurring role on FX's Nip/Tuck (2003) and the blockbuster trilogy X-Men (2000), X2 (2003), and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). Show less «

I felt different born into a family with two sisters who are blonde and blue-eyed, with me being the only brunette. [interview with People W...Show more »

I felt different born into a family with two sisters who are blonde and blue-eyed, with me being the only brunette. [interview with People Weekly magazine, July 31, 2000. Volume 54, Number 5] Show less «

I would rather not work than play in a movie that nobody watches.

We've always been ready for female superheroes. Because women want to be them and men want to do them.

I don't want to be exploited. That of course, as an actress, is a real challenge, not to be exploited. So I'm just going to keep looking for...Show more »

I don't want to be exploited. That of course, as an actress, is a real challenge, not to be exploited. So I'm just going to keep looking for as many different types of roles as I can find in different genre movies. That's my goal, my aim. I like doing that. I've had a pretty varied career so far. Show less «

I don't even like talking about dating. It's like having a stamp on your forehead: 'I'm available and I'm looking'.

I think acting is just like that. There is something childish and fun about it.

[on her character's change in X2 (2003) (aka X-Men United)] I love darkness. I am attracted to the dark side of life! I thought it was reall...Show more »

[on her character's change in X2 (2003) (aka X-Men United)] I love darkness. I am attracted to the dark side of life! I thought it was really interesting that Jean Grey went through some changes in this film. Show less «

Looking back, boy, has there ever been a stigma in being a Bond Girl. That's what my mission in life is, just to prove them wrong. That's wh...Show more »

Looking back, boy, has there ever been a stigma in being a Bond Girl. That's what my mission in life is, just to prove them wrong. That's why I have such an urge to keep going and proving that. It's so silly. What on earth does the way you look have anything to do with whether you can act or not. Show less «

I'm a firm believer in taking risks in life, because you'll never get anywhere unless you do, and the more risk involved the greater the out...Show more »

I'm a firm believer in taking risks in life, because you'll never get anywhere unless you do, and the more risk involved the greater the outcome - or the worse, but you never know so you've got to go for it. Show less «

As long as corruption exists, human trafficking will likely flourish. I'd like to give something back on an issue that matters to me.

[on character's past and future versions in the "X-Men" films] I'm actually really excited about it. And its not the first time obviously th...Show more »

[on character's past and future versions in the "X-Men" films] I'm actually really excited about it. And its not the first time obviously that it's happened. In the 'X-Men' series, they've been doing this for years. Although women, it's interesting because they're replaced, and the older versions - or more mature, whatever the politically correct version of that is - are never to be seen again. Whereas the men are allowed to be both ages. Sexism. I think that I should be back along with my younger version and the way that we've seen it with Magneto and Professor X. Show less «