Marina Hands, the talented daughter of French actress Ludmila Mikaël and British stage director and actor Terry Hands, granddaughter of renowned French painter Pierre Dmitrienko, initially aspired to become a professional horse rider, but ultimately had to put her dreams on hold. Instead, she pursued a career in acting, enrolling in the prestigious French acting school, Cours Florent, in 1995.
After completing her studies at Cours Florent, Hands further honed her craft at the Conservatoire National d'Art Dramatique and spent a year in England at the London Academy of Music and Arts. Her stage debut came in 1999 alongside Robert Hirsch in Dion Boucicault's "Le bel air de Londres," for which she received a Molières nomination.
Throughout her young career, Hands has had the privilege of working with some of the most esteemed stage directors in the industry, including Patrice Chéreau, who offered her the role of Aricie in Racine's "Phèdre." Her performance as a tragedienne earned her widespread acclaim.
Hands made her film debut in 2000 with Andrzej Zulawski's "Fidelity" and went on to appear in Denys Arcand's "The Barbarian Invasions" (2003),Yves Angelo's "Grey Souls" (2005),and Guillaume Canet's "Tell No One" (2006),alongside François Cluzet.
In 2006, Hands' international recognition soared when Pascale Ferran offered her the leading role in "Lady Chatterley," in which she delivered a stunning performance as a young English woman discovering life, love, and sensuality. Her portrayal earned her the Best Actress award at the Césars 2007 ceremony, the French equivalent of the American Oscars.
That same year, Hands joined the prestigious Comédie Française, where she has since played the Princess in "Tête d'Or" (2006) and will soon take on the role of Ysé in "Partage de Midi," two masterpieces of French writer Paul Claudel.
