Jump to content

Eva Ionesco: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Moved "Writing career" into "Career" section, making it a subsection after "Directorial career". Made Pierre Romans an ILL (interlanguage link).
 
(43 intermediate revisions by 28 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|French actress and director}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2013}}
{{BLP IMDb refimprove|date=June 2009}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}

{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
|name=Eva Ionesco
| name = Eva Ionesco
|image = Eva ionesco.jpg
| image = Eva ionesco.jpg
|caption =
| caption = Ionesco in 2017
⚫
| birth_name =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1965|07|18}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1965|07|18|df=yes}}
|birth_place = [[Paris]], France
| birth_place = [[Paris]], France
|residence =
⚫
| occupation = {{hlist|Actress|film director|screenwriter}}
⚫
|birth_name =
⚫
| years_active = 1976–present
⚫
|occupation = Actress, director, screenwriter
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Simon Liberati]]|2013}}
|nationality = French
⚫
| children = 1
⚫
|years_active = 1976–present
| mother = [[Irina Ionesco]]
|spouse =
⚫
|children =
|website =
}}
}}


'''Eva Ionesco''' (born 18 July 1965) is a French actress, film director and screenwriter. She is the daughter of [[Romanian-French]] photographer [[Irina Ionesco]].
'''Eva Ionesco''' (born 18 July 1965) is a French actress and filmmaker. She is the daughter of photographer [[Irina Ionesco]] and came to international prominence as a child model after being featured in her mother's works.


==Life and career==
==Early life==
Ionesco was born to photographer [[Irina Ionesco]], a Frenchwoman of [[Romanians|Romanian]] descent, who had a relationship with a [[Hungarians|Hungarian]] man who worked in the military. Prior to Ionesco's birth, her mother had worked as a [[Contortion|contortionist]] as she had come from a family of [[circus]] performers on her maternal side.<ref>{{cite web |title=Irina Ionesco: from erotica to fashion at 74 |website=[[Independent.co.uk]] |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/irina-ionesco-from-erotica-to-fashion-at-74-1998812.html |accessdate=24 July 2019|date=2010-06-12 }}</ref> Her parents separated when she was 3 at which point Ionesco became estranged from her father.<ref>{{cite web |title=Les parents terribles d'Eva Ionesco |url=https://www.elle.fr/Loisirs/Livres/News/Les-parents-terribles-d-Eva-Ionesco-3522098 |accessdate=24 July 2019|date=2017-09-02 }}</ref>
⚫
At the age of 5, Eva became her mother's favorite photo model. Irina Ionesco's [[Erotic photography|erotic photographs]] of her young daughter Eva have been a source of controversy since they first appeared in the 1970s. Eva also modeled for other photographers such as [[Jacques Bourboulon]].<ref>[http://www.liberation.fr/culture/0101648217-eva-ionesco-tombee-des-nus Eva Ionesco, tombée des nus] – ''[[Libération]]'' – Anne Diatkine – 22 July 2010</ref>


In 1977 her mother lost custody of her and Ionesco lived for a time with the parents of footwear designer [[Christian Louboutin]] who had already left home.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Armstrong |first1=Lisa |title=Christian Louboutin: the fun and fetishism |url=http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG9200589/Christian-Louboutin-the-fun-and-fetishism.html |accessdate=24 July 2019}}</ref>
⚫
She is the youngest model ever to appear in a ''[[Playboy]]'' nude pictorial, since she was featured at age 11 in the October 1976 issue of the Italian edition of the magazine in a set by Bourboulon. In that picture, she was at a beach posing in nude exposing all female anatomy. Another of her nude pictorials, in the November 1978 issue of the Spanish edition of ''[[Penthouse (magazine)|Penthouse]]'', was a selection of her mother's photographs. She made also the cover page of ''[[Der Spiegel]]''.<ref>''[[Der Spiegel]]'' – 23 May 1977</ref>
From the age of 13 Ionesco became a regular [[Nightclub|club]]-goer at [[Le Palace]] along with [[Christian Louboutin]] and [[Edwige Belmore]] and also developed a [[drug]] habit.<ref>{{cite web |last1=ZAHM |first1=OLIVIER |title=SIMON LIBERATI |url=https://purple.fr/magazine/fw-2015-issue-24/simon-liberati/ |accessdate=25 July 2019}}</ref> She was in and out of various foster homes until an older boyfriend of hers took custody of her at the age of 16.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zahm |first1=Olivier |title=purple MAGAZINE – Purple #31 The Paris issue |url=https://purple.fr/magazine/paris-issue-31/eva-ionesco/ |accessdate=24 July 2019}}</ref>


==Career==
⚫
Eva Ionesco made her film début at the age of 11 in 1976, playing a child in [[Roman Polanski]]'s film ''[[The Tenant]]''. A short time later she was cast in films of the mid-1970s such as ''[[Maladolescenza]]'' (also known as ''Puppy Love''). In 1977 her mother lost custody of her children and Eva Ionesco was brought up by the parents of footwear designer [[Christian Louboutin]]. She tried three times to sue her mother for emotional distress, and the trial is still going on through various courts in France.<ref name="autogenerated1">Anne Diatkine, [http://www.elle.fr/Loisirs/Cinema/Dossiers/Isabelle-Huppert-dans-My-little-princess-1631026#My-Little-Princess-est-tres-en-dessous-de-ce-que-j-ai-vecu-1631034 Isabelle Huppert dans "My little princess"], ''ELLE France'', 24 June 2011</ref> In 1998 the French police confiscated from her mother's apartment hundreds of photographs in which she appears at the age of five in suggestive poses and in complete nudity.<ref name="autogenerated1"/>
⚫
At the age of 5, Eva became her mother's favorite [[photo model]]. Irina Ionesco's [[Erotic photography|erotic photographs]] of her young daughter Eva have been a source of [[controversy]] since they first appeared in the 1970s. Eva also modeled for other photographers such as [[Jacques Bourboulon]].<ref>[http://www.liberation.fr/culture/0101648217-eva-ionesco-tombee-des-nus Eva Ionesco, tombée des nus] – ''[[Libération]]'' – Anne Diatkine – 22 July 2010</ref>


⚫
She is the youngest model ever to appear in a ''[[Playboy]]'' nude pictorial, since she was featured at age 11 in the October 1976 issue of the Italian edition of the magazine in a set by Bourboulon. In that picture, she posed nude at a beach. Another of her nude pictorials, in the November 1978 issue of the Spanish edition of ''[[Penthouse (magazine)|Penthouse]]'', was a selection of her mother's photographs. She also appeared on the cover page of ''[[Der Spiegel]]'' at the age of 12 completely nude.<ref>''[[Der Spiegel]]'' – 23 May 1977</ref> The issue was later expunged from the magazine's records.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Willsher |first1=Kim |title=Irina Ionesco: the grande dame, her 'Lolita' pictures, and a true Paris scandal |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/08/irina-ionesco-eva-simon-liberati-paris-scandal |accessdate=24 July 2019|newspaper=The Guardian |date=2015-08-08 }}</ref>
Eva claimed her story served as inspiration for [[Louis Malle]]'s film ''[[Pretty Baby (film)|Pretty Baby]]'',<ref name="autogenerated1"/> (though that film is clearly a historical drama based on photographer [[E. J. Bellocq]]'s [[Storyville, New Orleans|Storyville]] images). In the 1980s, she attended the prestigious acting school ''Amandiers'', directed by [[Patrice Chéreau]] and [[Pierre Romans]]. In 2012 Eva sued her mother for taking pornographic photos of her as a child.<ref>{{cite web|author=Leon Watson |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2250634/Eva-Ionesco-11-year-old-Playboy-star-sues-mother-Irina-Ionesco-taking-pornographic-photos-her.html |title=Eva Ionesco: 11-year old Playboy star sues mother Irina Ionesco for taking pornographic photos of her |publisher=Daily Mail |date=19 December 2012 |accessdate=2013-02-25}}</ref> Although much of her claim was denied, she did receive some compensation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG9757807/Child-Playboy-star-Eva-Ionesco-sues-her-photographer-mother-over-stolen-childhood.html |title=Child Playboy star Eva Ionesco sues her photographer mother over 'stolen childhood' |publisher=The Telegraph |date=20 December 2012 |accessdate=2013-02-25}}</ref>


In the 1980s, Ionesco attended the prestigious acting school ''Amandiers'', directed by [[Patrice Chéreau]] and {{ill|Pierre Romans|fr}}. She made her film début at the age of 11 in 1976, playing a child in [[Roman Polanski]]'s film ''[[The Tenant]]''. A short time later she was cast in films of the mid-1970s such as ''[[Maladolescenza]]'' (also known as ''Puppy Love'').
⚫
In 2015 Ionesco's husband [[Simon Liberati]] released a book about her childhood and their relationship.


Eva claimed her story served as inspiration for [[Louis Malle]]'s film ''[[Pretty Baby (1978 film)|Pretty Baby]]''.<ref name="autogenerated1"/>
⚫
In 2017 Ionesco released her first novel, ''Innocence''.


===Directorial career===
===Directorial career===
Ionesco began directing in 2006.
Ionesco began directing in 2006.


In 2011 she directed her first full length feature film, ''[[My Little Princess]]'' which debuted at the [[2011 Cannes Film Festival]]. The film, loosely inspired by Ionesco's personal life, starred [[Isabelle Huppert]] as a predatory photographer who uses her young daughter as a model in a series of nude photos.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rooney |first1=David |title=My Little Princess: Cannes 2011 Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/my-little-princess-cannes-2011-189748}}</ref>
In 2011 she directed her first full-length feature film, ''[[My Little Princess]]'', which debuted at the [[2011 Cannes Film Festival]]. The film, loosely inspired by Ionesco's personal life, starred [[Isabelle Huppert]] as a predatory photographer who uses her young daughter as a model in a series of nude photos.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rooney |first1=David |title=My Little Princess: Cannes 2011 Review |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=18 May 2011 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/my-little-princess-cannes-2011-189748}}</ref>


Ionesco again paired with [[Isabelle Huppert]] for her next film, ''[[Golden Youth (film)|Golden Youth]]'', about a young couple in Paris who begin to spend time with a much older and wealthier couple.
Ionesco again paired with [[Isabelle Huppert]] for her next film, ''[[Golden Youth (film)|Golden Youth]]'', about a young couple in Paris who begin to spend time with a much older and wealthier couple.


==Personal life==
===Writing career===
⚫
In 2015 Ionesco's husband [[Simon Liberati]] released a [[book]] about their courtship and her [[childhood]] called ''Eva''.
⚫
Ionesco has been married to author [[Simon Liberati]] since 2013.<ref>Simon Liberati, « [http://next.liberation.fr/cinema/2014/06/03/eva-ionesco-une-petite-princesse-au-soleil-levant_1007283 Eva Ionesco : une petite princesse au Soleil levant] », ''[[Libération]]'', 3 June 2014.</ref>

⚫
In 2017 Ionesco released her first book, ''Innocence'', which dealt with her fractured relationship with her father.

==Legal disputes==
Since the time in which her mother lost custody of her for repeatedly photographing or allowing Ionesco to be photographed by others completely nude, Ionesco has been engaged in protracted court battles with her mother to censor and reclaim the images taken of her as a child.

⚫
She tried three times to sue her mother for emotional distress, and the trial is still{{when|date=May 2023}} going on through various courts in France.<ref name="autogenerated1">Anne Diatkine, [http://www.elle.fr/Loisirs/Cinema/Dossiers/Isabelle-Huppert-dans-My-little-princess-1631026#My-Little-Princess-est-tres-en-dessous-de-ce-que-j-ai-vecu-1631034 Isabelle Huppert dans "My little princess"], ''ELLE France'', 24 June 2011</ref> In 1998 the French police confiscated from her mother's apartment hundreds of photographs in which she appears at the age of five in suggestive poses and in complete nudity.<ref name="autogenerated1"/>

In 2012 Eva sued her mother for taking [[pornography|pornographic]] photos of her as a child. Although much of her claim was denied, she did receive some compensation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG9757807/Child-Playboy-star-Eva-Ionesco-sues-her-photographer-mother-over-stolen-childhood.html |title=Child Playboy star Eva Ionesco sues her photographer mother over 'stolen childhood' |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=20 December 2012 |accessdate=2013-02-25}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Ionesco has a son, Lukas Ionesco, born in 1995.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fedorova |first1=Anastasiia |title=an intimate portrait of lukas ionesco |url=https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/3kqev9/an-intimate-portrait-of-lukas-ionesco |accessdate=24 July 2019|date=2016-02-09 }}</ref>

⚫
Since 2013, she has been married to author [[Simon Liberati]].<ref>Simon Liberati, « [http://next.liberation.fr/cinema/2014/06/03/eva-ionesco-une-petite-princesse-au-soleil-levant_1007283 Eva Ionesco : une petite princesse au Soleil levant] », ''[[Libération]]'', 3 June 2014.</ref>


==Filmography==
==Filmography==


===As actress===
===As actress===
*''[[Twice Upon a Time (miniseries)|Twice Upon a Time]]'' (2019, directed by [[Guillaume Nicloux]]) – Annie Arron
*''Les déferlantes'' (2013, directed by Éléonore Faucher) – Lili
*''Les déferlantes'' (2013, directed by Éléonore Faucher) – Lili
*''[[Crime (film)|Crime]]'' (2010, directed by [[Vincent Ostria]]) – Ella
*''[[Crime (film)|Crime]]'' (2010, directed by [[Vincent Ostria]]) – Ella
Line 53: Line 68:
*''[[I Hate You Little Girls|Je vous hais petites filles]]'' (2008, directed by [[Yann Gonzalez]]) – Punk Idol
*''[[I Hate You Little Girls|Je vous hais petites filles]]'' (2008, directed by [[Yann Gonzalez]]) – Punk Idol
*''[[Comédie sentimentale]]'' (2008, directed by [[Emily Barnett]]) – Marylin
*''[[Comédie sentimentale]]'' (2008, directed by [[Emily Barnett]]) – Marylin
*''[[La promenade]] (2007, directed by [[Marina De Van]]) – The Prostitute #1
*''[[La promenade]]'' (2007, directed by [[Marina De Van]]) – The Prostitute #1
*''[[La petite fille sous l'océan]] (2006, directed by [[Nathalie Giraud]]) – Anaïs
*''[[La petite fille sous l'océan]]'' (2006, directed by [[Nathalie Giraud]]) – Anaïs
*''[[Les invisibles]]'' (2005, directed by [[Thierry Jousse]]) – Vanessa
*''[[Les invisibles]]'' (2005, directed by [[Thierry Jousse]]) – Vanessa
*''[[Fissures|Écoute le temps]]'' (2005, directed by [[Alanté Alfandari]]) – Mme Bourmel
*''[[Fissures (2005 film)|Écoute le temps]]'' (2005, directed by [[Alanté Alfandari]]) – Mme Bourmel
*''[[When I'm a Star|Quand je serai star]]'' (2004, directed by [[Patrick Mimouni]]) – Alice
*''[[When I'm a Star|Quand je serai star]]'' (2004, directed by [[Patrick Mimouni]]) – Alice
*''[[Loser Takes All!|Qui perd gagne!]]'' (2003,directed by [[Laurent Benegui]]) – The Deauville Gambler
*''[[Loser Takes All!|Qui perd gagne!]]'' (2003,directed by [[Laurent Benegui]]) – The Deauville Gambler
*''[[L’empreinte]]'' (2003, directed by [[David Mathieu-Mahias]]) – Anna Yordanoff
*''[[L’empreinte]]'' (2003, directed by [[David Mathieu-Mahias]]) – Anna Yordanoff
*''[[Cette femme-là]]'' (2003, directed by [[Guillaume Nicloux]]) – Mme Kopmans
*''[[That Woman (2003 film)|That Woman]]'' (2003, directed by [[Guillaume Nicloux]]) – Mme Kopmans
*''[[A Man, a Real One|Un homme, un vrai]]'' (2003, directed by Arnaud & [[Jean-Marie Larrieu]]) – The Producer
*''[[A Man, a Real One|Un homme, un vrai]]'' (2003, directed by Arnaud & [[Jean-Marie Larrieu]]) – The Producer
*''[[Eros Therapy|Je suis votre homme]]'' aka ''[[Eros thérapie]]'' (2003, directed by [[Danièle Dubroux]]) – Hélène
*''[[Eros Therapy|Je suis votre homme]]'' aka ''[[Eros thérapie]]'' (2003, directed by [[Danièle Dubroux]]) – Hélène
Line 72: Line 87:
*''[[Maison de famille]]'' (1999, (TV) directed by [[Serge Moati]]) – Sandra
*''[[Maison de famille]]'' (1999, (TV) directed by [[Serge Moati]]) – Sandra
*''[[La nouvelle Eve]]'' (1998, directed by [[Catherine Corsini]]) – A Woman of the PS
*''[[La nouvelle Eve]]'' (1998, directed by [[Catherine Corsini]]) – A Woman of the PS
*''[[Rien que des grandes personnes]] (1997, directed by [[Jean-Marc Brondolo]])
*''[[Rien que des grandes personnes]]'' (1997, directed by [[Jean-Marc Brondolo]])
*''[[Long Live the Republic|Vive la république!]]'' (1997, directed by [[Éric Rochant]]) – Victor's Woman
*''[[Long Live the Republic|Vive la république!]]'' (1997, directed by [[Éric Rochant]]) – Victor's Woman
*''[[La petite maman]]'' (1997, directed by [[Patrice Martineau]]) – The Swimming Teacher
*''[[La petite maman]]'' (1997, directed by [[Patrice Martineau]]) – The Swimming Teacher
Line 92: Line 107:
*''[[Chant de guerre parisien]]'' (1991, directed by [[Laetitia Masson]])
*''[[Chant de guerre parisien]]'' (1991, directed by [[Laetitia Masson]])
*''[[Monsieur (1990 film)|Monsieur]]'' (1990, directed by [[Jean-Philippe Toussaint]]) – Mme Ponz-Romanov
*''[[Monsieur (1990 film)|Monsieur]]'' (1990, directed by [[Jean-Philippe Toussaint]]) – Mme Ponz-Romanov
*''{{Interlanguage link multi|L'Orchestre rouge|fr|3=L'Orchestre rouge (film)}}'' (1989, directed by [[Jacques Rouffio]]) – Margaret
*''{{Interlanguage link|L'Orchestre rouge|fr|3=L'Orchestre rouge (film)}}'' (1989, directed by [[Jacques Rouffio]]) – Margaret
<!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:Eva Ionesco in Maladolescenza (1977).jpg|thumb|300 px|Eva Ionesco in ''[[Maladolescenza]]'' (1977) {{Deletable image-caption|date=March 2012}} ]] -->
<!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[File:Eva Ionesco in Maladolescenza (1977).jpg|thumb|300 px|Eva Ionesco in ''[[Maladolescenza]]'' (1977) {{Deletable image-caption|date=March 2012}} ]] -->
*''[[Marie cherchait l'amour]]'' (1989, directed by [[Sylvie Matton]])
*''[[Marie cherchait l'amour]]'' (1989, directed by [[Sylvie Matton]])
*''[[Résidence surveillée]]'' (1987, directed by [[Frédéric Compain]])
*''[[Résidence surveillée]]'' (1987, directed by [[Frédéric Compain]])
Line 100: Line 115:
*''[[Jeux d'artifices]]'' (1986, directed by [[Virginie Thévenet]]) – Eva
*''[[Jeux d'artifices]]'' (1986, directed by [[Virginie Thévenet]]) – Eva
*''Grenouilles'' (1985, directed by [[Adolfo Arrieta]]) – Kati
*''Grenouilles'' (1985, directed by [[Adolfo Arrieta]]) – Kati
*''[[Les Nanas]]'' (1984, directed by [[Annick Lanoë]]) – Miss France
*''[[Les Nanas]]'' (1984, directed by [[Annick Lanoë]]) – [[Miss France]]
*''[[La Nuit porte-jarretelles]]'' (1984, directed by [[Virginie Thévenet]])
*''[[La Nuit porte-jarretelles]]'' (1984, directed by [[Virginie Thévenet]])
*''[[Meurtres à domicile]] (1981, directed by [[Marc Lobet]]) – Pauline
*''[[Meurtres à domicile]]'' (1981, directed by [[Marc Lobet]]) – Pauline
*''[[L'amant de poche]]'' (1978, directed by [[Bernard Queysanne]]) – Martine
*''[[L'amant de poche]]'' (1978, directed by [[Bernard Queysanne]]) – Martine
*''[[Maladolescenza]]'' (1977, directed by [[Pier Giuseppe Murgia]]) – Silvia
*''[[Maladolescenza]]'' (1977, directed by [[Pier Giuseppe Murgia]]) – Silvia
*''[[The Tenant|Le locataire]]'' (1976, directed by [[Roman Polanski]]) – Bettina, Mme Gaderian's Daughter
*''[[The Tenant|Le locataire]]'' (1976, directed by [[Roman Polanski]]) – Bettina, Madam Gaderian's daughter
*''[[Spermula]]'' (1976, directed by [[Charles Matton]])
*''[[Spermula]]'' (1976, directed by [[Charles Matton]])


Line 121: Line 136:
*''[[The Winter's Tale|Le conte d'hiver]]'' (1988) by [[William Shakespeare]] (directed by [[Luc Bondy]]) – Mopsa
*''[[The Winter's Tale|Le conte d'hiver]]'' (1988) by [[William Shakespeare]] (directed by [[Luc Bondy]]) – Mopsa
*''[[Chroniques d'une fin d'après-midi]]'' (1988) by [[Anton Chekov]] (directed by [[Pierre Romans]])
*''[[Chroniques d'une fin d'après-midi]]'' (1988) by [[Anton Chekov]] (directed by [[Pierre Romans]])
*''[[Ecrit sur l'eau]]'' (1991) by [[Eric Emmanuel Schmitt]] (directed by [[Niels Arestrup]])
*''[[Ecrit sur l'eau]]'' (1991) by [[Eric Emmanuel Schmitt]] (directed by [[Niels Arestrup]])
*''[[Le sang des fraises]]'' (1992) by [[Catherine Bidaut]] (directed by [[Daniel Pouthier]])
*''[[Le sang des fraises]]'' (1992) by [[Catherine Bidaut]] (directed by [[Daniel Pouthier]])


Line 130: Line 145:
* {{IMDb name|name=Eva Ionesco|id=0409561}}
* {{IMDb name|name=Eva Ionesco|id=0409561}}
* {{allocine name|id=11999}}
* {{allocine name|id=11999}}
* [http://www.evaionesco.info "Petit à petit... on devient moins petit !" – Eva Ionesco]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100210055722/http://www.childhoodinart.org/person.php?id=2 "Eva Ionesco pictured by Irina Ionesco"]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100210055722/http://www.childhoodinart.org/person.php?id=2 "Eva Ionesco pictured by Irina Ionesco"]
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}

* [https://instagram.com/evaionesco?igshid=1ta92m5ye75tt «Eva Ionesco in instagram]


{{DEFAULTSORT:Ionesco, Eva}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ionesco, Eva}}
Line 149: Line 165:
[[Category:French women screenwriters]]
[[Category:French women screenwriters]]
[[Category:French screenwriters]]
[[Category:French screenwriters]]
[[Category:French child models]]

Latest revision as of 14:34, 28 April 2024

Eva Ionesco
Ionesco in 2017
Born (1965-07-18) 18 July 1965 (age 59)
Paris, France
Occupations
  • Actress
  • film director
  • screenwriter
Years active1976–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2013)​
Children1
MotherIrina Ionesco

Eva Ionesco (born 18 July 1965) is a French actress and filmmaker. She is the daughter of photographer Irina Ionesco and came to international prominence as a child model after being featured in her mother's works.

Early life

[edit]

Ionesco was born to photographer Irina Ionesco, a Frenchwoman of Romanian descent, who had a relationship with a Hungarian man who worked in the military. Prior to Ionesco's birth, her mother had worked as a contortionist as she had come from a family of circus performers on her maternal side.[1] Her parents separated when she was 3 at which point Ionesco became estranged from her father.[2]

In 1977 her mother lost custody of her and Ionesco lived for a time with the parents of footwear designer Christian Louboutin who had already left home.[3]

From the age of 13 Ionesco became a regular club-goer at Le Palace along with Christian Louboutin and Edwige Belmore and also developed a drug habit.[4] She was in and out of various foster homes until an older boyfriend of hers took custody of her at the age of 16.[5]

Career

[edit]

At the age of 5, Eva became her mother's favorite photo model. Irina Ionesco's erotic photographs of her young daughter Eva have been a source of controversy since they first appeared in the 1970s. Eva also modeled for other photographers such as Jacques Bourboulon.[6]

She is the youngest model ever to appear in a Playboy nude pictorial, since she was featured at age 11 in the October 1976 issue of the Italian edition of the magazine in a set by Bourboulon. In that picture, she posed nude at a beach. Another of her nude pictorials, in the November 1978 issue of the Spanish edition of Penthouse, was a selection of her mother's photographs. She also appeared on the cover page of Der Spiegel at the age of 12 completely nude.[7] The issue was later expunged from the magazine's records.[8]

In the 1980s, Ionesco attended the prestigious acting school Amandiers, directed by Patrice Chéreau and Pierre Romans [fr]. She made her film début at the age of 11 in 1976, playing a child in Roman Polanski's film The Tenant. A short time later she was cast in films of the mid-1970s such as Maladolescenza (also known as Puppy Love).

Eva claimed her story served as inspiration for Louis Malle's film Pretty Baby.[9]

Directorial career

[edit]

Ionesco began directing in 2006.

In 2011 she directed her first full-length feature film, My Little Princess, which debuted at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. The film, loosely inspired by Ionesco's personal life, starred Isabelle Huppert as a predatory photographer who uses her young daughter as a model in a series of nude photos.[10]

Ionesco again paired with Isabelle Huppert for her next film, Golden Youth, about a young couple in Paris who begin to spend time with a much older and wealthier couple.

Writing career

[edit]

In 2015 Ionesco's husband Simon Liberati released a book about their courtship and her childhood called Eva.

In 2017 Ionesco released her first book, Innocence, which dealt with her fractured relationship with her father.

[edit]

Since the time in which her mother lost custody of her for repeatedly photographing or allowing Ionesco to be photographed by others completely nude, Ionesco has been engaged in protracted court battles with her mother to censor and reclaim the images taken of her as a child.

She tried three times to sue her mother for emotional distress, and the trial is still[when?] going on through various courts in France.[9] In 1998 the French police confiscated from her mother's apartment hundreds of photographs in which she appears at the age of five in suggestive poses and in complete nudity.[9]

In 2012 Eva sued her mother for taking pornographic photos of her as a child. Although much of her claim was denied, she did receive some compensation.[11]

Personal life

[edit]

Ionesco has a son, Lukas Ionesco, born in 1995.[12]

Since 2013, she has been married to author Simon Liberati.[13]

Filmography

[edit]

As actress

[edit]

As director

[edit]

Theatrical work

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Irina Ionesco: from erotica to fashion at 74". Independent.co.uk. 12 June 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  2. ^ "Les parents terribles d'Eva Ionesco". 2 September 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  3. ^ Armstrong, Lisa. "Christian Louboutin: the fun and fetishism". Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  4. ^ ZAHM, OLIVIER. "SIMON LIBERATI". Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  5. ^ Zahm, Olivier. "purple MAGAZINE – Purple #31 The Paris issue". Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  6. ^ Eva Ionesco, tombée des nus – Libération – Anne Diatkine – 22 July 2010
  7. ^ Der Spiegel – 23 May 1977
  8. ^ Willsher, Kim (8 August 2015). "Irina Ionesco: the grande dame, her 'Lolita' pictures, and a true Paris scandal". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  9. ^ a b c Anne Diatkine, Isabelle Huppert dans "My little princess", ELLE France, 24 June 2011
  10. ^ Rooney, David (18 May 2011). "My Little Princess: Cannes 2011 Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
  11. ^ "Child Playboy star Eva Ionesco sues her photographer mother over 'stolen childhood'". The Daily Telegraph. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  12. ^ Fedorova, Anastasiia (9 February 2016). "an intimate portrait of lukas ionesco". Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  13. ^ Simon Liberati, « Eva Ionesco : une petite princesse au Soleil levant », Libération, 3 June 2014.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Eva_Ionesco&oldid=1221207633"