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Laetitia Marie Laure Casta (born May
11, 1978) is a French model and actress.
She was born in Pont-Audemer, Eure, France. Casta's mother, Line Blin, is
from Normandy. Her father, Dominique Casta, is from Corsica. She has an
older brother, Jean-Baptiste, and a younger sister, Marie-Ange. She spent
her childhood in Normandy and Noisy-le-Grand (93 - France). On October 19,
2001, she gave birth to her daughter, Sahteene. The father is her former
boyfriend Stéphane Sednaoui. Casta is engaged to Italian actor Stefano
Accorsi. The couple have two children, a son named Orlando, born on
September 21, 2006, and a daughter named Athena, born on August 29, 2009.
Casta's career reportedly began when she was discovered by a photographer
during a family holiday in her father's native Corsica, at age 15.
Casta was the official face of L'Oréal, Dior, and Chanel. She was featured
in Guess? Jeans, Tommy Hilfiger, Miu Miu and XOXO ad campaigns. Casta has
appeared on over 100 magazine covers including Victoria's Secret catalogs,
ELLE magazine, and Vogue magazine. She also appeared in three consecutive
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues, Rolling Stone, and a Pirelli Calendar.
She is now the face of Ralph Lauren's newest fragrance, Notorious.
Casta has made forays into Francophone film and television productions,
including Astérix et Obélix contre César (known as Astérix and Obélix vs.
César in English language versions), a live-action film of the Astérix
world in which she plays a potential love interest for Obélix, portrayed
by Gérard Depardieu. More recently, Casta appeared in Les Âmes Fortes, a
dramatic film directed by Raùl Ruiz. She has been cast as Brigitte Bardot
in the movie Serge Gainsbourg, vie héroïque (2010).
Casta was also prominently featured in the music video for the Chris Isaak
song "Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing" in 1999. Through most of the video, Casta
was seen in a motel room and sexy lingerie while being watched by Isaak in
the next room. There were two versions of the video. VH1 aired the
censored version before 9 p.m. and the uncensored version was aired after
the 9 p.m. watershed. This video was ranked #28 on VH1's 50 Sexiest Video
Moments. The video was regarded as too steamy by the network. She is also
the subject of a song written by popular alternative rock band, Brand New,
in their song "Magazines".
In 1999, Casta came out first of a national survey ordered by the
Association des Maires de France to decide who should be the new model for
the bust of Marianne, an allegorical symbol of the French Republic, which
stands inside every French town hall. Casta succeeded model Inès de la
Fressange. Marianne's embodiements are changed frequently, but each mayor
chooses which bust he wants for his town, so past Mariannes can be used.
Polls have shown that Casta, Brigitte Bardot and Catherine Deneuve were
the most popular among French mayors.
Casta became the focus of a minor controversy when, shortly after being
selected to be Marianne, she relocated to London. Although she stated her
move was motivated by professional reasons, the magazine Le Point, among
others, suggested that she was trying to escape taxes, something for which
French celebrities are often criticized by journalists and left-wing
politicians. |
