Corinne Cléry Biography
Corinne Cléry (born 23 March 1950) is a French actress, born and raised near Paris in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Cléry began her acting career in the late 1960s under the name Corinne Piccoli, and quickly rose to fame in the French cinema scene.
Cléry’s big break came with the lead role in Joël Le Moigne’s Les Poneyttes, which she starred in at the age of 17. During filming, she met and married DJ Hubert Wayaffe, who had a supporting role in the film.
One of Corinne Cléry’s most memorable roles was as the titular character in the 1975 film Story of O (Histoire d’O), based on the controversial novel of the same name. The movie stirred up controversy due to its portrayal of BDSM themes and was banned in several countries. Cléry also graced the cover of French magazine Lui, holding a massive copy of the novel.
In 1979, Corinne Cléry appeared as the Bond girl, Corinne Dufour in the James Bond film Moonraker. She played the antagonist Hugo Drax‘s assistant and performed her own stunts in the film. She also appeared in The Humanoid (1979) alongside Bond girl Barbara Bach and Richard Kiel, who played Bond villain Jaws. Following Moonraker, Cléry starred in a number of Italian language films, including Covert Action, Hitch Hike with David Hess, Sergio Corbucci’s The Con Artists with Adriano Celentano and Anthony Quinn, and the science fiction film Yor, the Hunter from the Future.
Corinne Cléry’s acting career continued well into the 21st century, and she made several appearances on Italian television, including a stint as a housemate on Grande Fratello VIP, the Italian version of Celebrity Big Brother. Cléry also appeared in the film Beyond the Mist (2018) and the TV movie Ritorno al Crimine (2021). Se also starred in Io e Angela that same year, which is her last known role.
With a filmography spanning over five decades, Corinne Cléry remains an iconic figure in French cinema. Her contributions to film and television, particularly her performances in Story of O and Moonraker, continue to be celebrated by audiences worldwide.