Astrid Berges-Frisbey

When the director for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides searched for the perfect actress to play Syrena the Mermaid, he auditioned in Hollywood, the UK, and France before handpicking Astrid Bergès-Frisbey.

Bergès-Frisbey initially didn’t pursue acting; she studied osteopathy in Paris, until her father passed, and she realized life is too short to not pursue your dreams. So, she studied drama and made her acting debut in 2007 in the French series, Sur le fil. She’d go on to appear in TV films, miniseries, and on stage before her film debut, playing Suzanne in The Sea Wall. And by 2011, she got her big break in the blockbuster, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The movie made over one billion dollars in the box office, and she acted alongside high profile celebrities like Penélope Cruz and Johnny Depp. Impressively, Bergès-Frisbey learned English for the role.

After a few more Spanish and French films, Bergès-Frisbey landed her second English-speaking role, portraying Sofi in I Origins. She then took on the challenge to learn another language for a part, learning Italian to play Nadine in Alaska. For this role, she was nominated for a David di Donatello Award in Rome for “Best Actress.” Bergès-Frisbey is also fluent in Catalan, Spanish, and French.

More recently, Bergès-Frisbey starred as The Mage in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and Marie in L’Autre—the latter, earning her the title “Best Actress” from the Taormina International Film Festival. Some of her other notable awards include the Prix Suzanne Bianchetti and the Trophée Chopard Award from the Cannes Film Festival.

Outside of acting, Bergès-Frisbey is a successful model. She fronted every seasonal campaign in 2010 for the brand, French Connection, and she currently is a brand ambassador for Chanel.