The Magnificent Jacqueline Bisset
Jacqueline Bisset is magnificent in so many ways! With a career that spans an incredible 58 years and around 50 films, this 80-year-old actress shows no signs of slowing down. She continues to captivate audiences and leave her mark on Hollywood.
Since I was a little girl, Jacqueline has been one of my role models. My parents loved her, and it’s easy to see why! To me, she truly represents the glamour that Hollywood once had. I admire how she embraces aging naturally and has always radiated a natural beauty and sex appeal. Jacqueline never wore tons of makeup, letting her true beauty shine through.
Throughout her storied career, this brown-haired beauty, known for her high cheekbones and striking green eyes, has shown incredible versatility. She has played a wide range of characters, including the sultry seductress Miss Goodthighs in the spy parody Casino Royale (1967).
In Sleepy Time Gal (2001), she took on the role of a devoted mother. She also portrayed First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in America’s Prince: The John F. Kennedy Jr. Story (2003) and starred as Anna Karenina in the sweeping love story of the same name in 1985, opposite the talented Christopher Reeve.
Jacqueline made her first on-screen appearance in Roman Polanski’s Cul-de-Sac (1966). She gained fame in 1968 when she starred in three major films in just one year: Detective with the smooth crooner Frank Sinatra, Bullitt alongside the iconic Steve McQueen, and her Golden Globe-nominated performance in The Sweet Ride with Tony Franciosa and Bob Denver, famously known as Gilligan from Gilligan’s Island.
You might also recognize her from her performances in other classic films like Day for Night (1973), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), The Deep (1977), and Wild Orchid (1990).
Jacqueline received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for her powerful role in Joan of Arc (1999) and won a Golden Globe for her role in the miniseries Dancing on the Edge (2013). More recently, she starred in Miss You Already (2015) and Birds of Paradise (2021), proving that she remains a shining star in the industry.
In 2010, the multilingual actress—who speaks English, French, and Italian—was awarded the Legion of Honor, the highest state honor in France. Then, in 2023, the Sedona International Film Festival honored her with a Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating her significant contributions to cinema.
Despite working alongside some of Hollywood’s most handsome men, Jacqueline has never been married. The stunning actress was pursued by Frank Sinatra, and there were even rumors of a romance with her Bullitt co-star, the bad boy of Hollywood, Steve McQueen. However, Jacqueline, being a proper English lady, found them too different.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, she reflected on her experience with McQueen, saying, “He was attractive, but a little scary. I was very English, and he was a hip American. The way he talked would have driven me mad—I didn’t know what a dude or a soul chick was!”
Jacqueline has had long-term relationships with notable figures, including Canadian actor Michael Sarrazin, ballet dancer Alexander Godunov, and actor Vincent Pérez. Yet, she admits that she’s too independent for anything permanent. In an interview with the Independent, she shared, “I’ve had some very interesting men in my life.
They have been a handful. I don’t choose easy men, I’m told.” She continued, “Sometimes you get too much information when you spend time with people. You start to see things—bad habits. You start to discover them, and then you have to marry bad habits, and I’m not sure I can cope with them. I don’t ever have bad relationships.
I haven’t broken up angry. I’ve just moved out of situations that have been overwhelming.”
Jacqueline Bisset is also known as the godmother to Angelina Jolie. While she may not have made headlines for wild romances, she did make waves when she won the Golden Globe for her portrayal of Lady Cremone in the BBC series Dancing on the Edge. Her acceptance speech was unforgettable.
As the background music started playing, signaling her time was up, she expressed genuine gratitude. At 69, she was thrilled to finally win after waiting 47 long years since her first nomination for best newcomer.
After that remarkable moment, Jacqueline starred as a sassy femme fatale in the French thriller The Lodger (2020). Most recently, she played the lead character Rose in Loren & Rose (2022).
In this film, Bisset portrays a legendary actress trying to revive her career, facing a reputation that casts her as “a little zany and a bit unreliable.” According to the film’s director, Russell Brown, the character of Rose is quite different from Bisset in real life. He explained, “Viewers often assume that Jacqueline is ‘like she is in the movie.’
But this really isn’t the case. As an actress and a woman, I think she is quite different from Rose, and it’s a testament to her skill that the transformation feels so seamless.”
Jacqueline Bisset is a timeless beauty who embraces aging with grace and wisdom. In her memorable Golden Globes speech, she said, “I believe, if you want to look good, you’ve got to forgive everybody. It’s the best beauty treatment.” She also candidly admitted that although she had “lots of complexes” in her youth, she was never tempted by plastic surgery.
“I don’t think it makes you look younger. It makes you different,” she said, showcasing her honest approach to beauty.
Jacqueline is such an amazingly honest, beautiful, and generous woman—a shining light in the world of celebrity! She seems so down to earth and relatable, making her even more admirable. What a classy woman and one of my all-time favorite actresses!
What do you think? Share your memories of Jacqueline Bisset and her incredible 58-year career as one of Hollywood’s greatest stars in the comments!
