Josiane Balašković, francized and shortened to "Balasko" (born April 15, 1950 in Paris), is a French actress, comedian, director, screenwriter and novelist of Yugoslavian (Croatian) descent.
She first trained in graphic arts before embracing stage acting, notably with the lessons of Tania Balachova. She joined the Parisian comedy theatre troupe Le Splendid' (Thierry Lhermitte, Christian Clavier, Michel Blanc, Bruno Moynot, Marie-Anne Chazel, Gérard Jugnot) in 1976, which would rapidly meet success with their plays then movies, including Santa Claus Is a Stinker and Les Bronzés (French Fried Vacation). She made her directing debut with Sac de nœuds in 1985.
In The '90s, she gained much recognition with multiple César Awards and nominations with her directing and acting efforts such as Gazon Maudit (French Twist) and Not Everybody's Lucky Enough to Have Communist Parents.
She married then divorced from French sculptor Philippe Berry, with whom she's had two children, including actress Marilou Berry. She remarried with American actor George Aguilar (Bagdad Cafe) in 2003, after meeting him on the set of 1999's The Frenchman's Son.
Works on TV Tropes:
- The Tenant (1976) as the office employee
- Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977) as the girl in purple asking for a peek
- French Fried Vacation as Nathalie Morin
- French Fried Vacation (1978)
- French Fried Vacation 2 (1979)
- French Fried Vacation 3 (2006)
- Santa Claus Is a Stinker (1982) as Marie-Ange Musquin
- Gramps Is in the Resistance (1983) as the pharmacist
- French Twist (1995, also directed) as Marijo
- Didier (1997) as Madame Massart
- The Libertine (2000) as the Baroness of Holbach
- Chicken Run (2000) as Bunty (French dub)
- A Crime in Paradise (2001) as Lucienne "Lulu" Braconnier
- Absolument Fabuleux (2001 French film based on Absolutely Fabulous) as Edith "Eddie" Mousson
- Miraculous Ladybug (2015) as Josiane (French voice)
- Bécassine (2018 Live-Action Adaptation) as Mademoiselle Chataigne
