The biggest regret of Isabelle Adjani’s career: “I wish that I had time to process it all”

Posted On March 14, 2025March 14, 2025

The film industry is one defined by money, fame, power, competition, and glory, often sweeping impressionable actors into its welcoming arms before chewing them up and ruthlessly spitting them out. Growing up under the spotlight can be a real challenge, as demonstrated by many child actors who grow up without any grasp on normality and fall straight into the deep end.

Hollywood isn’t well-equipped to deal with the number of stars that emerge under its dazzling lights, leaving many young actors unsure of where to take their careers or what to do with themselves as they outgrow the roles they once enjoyed. Some actors who start out young do go on to find great success, however, like Isabelle Adjani, who made her film debut when she was just 14.

Entering the industry when she was barely a teenager, Adjani had a few minor film roles, as well as appearing on stage, which prepared her for an illustrious career. When François Truffaut spotted her in La Gifle, he soon became a prominent part of her rise to success, asking her to star in his movie The Story of Adele H. Adjani had never taken up a leading role before, but she accepted the part and quickly proved her brilliance.

She earned an Oscar nomination for her role, losing out to Louise Fletcher for her part in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Still, she didn’t let her defeat stop her, and she then appeared in movies like Roman Polanski’s The Tenant, Werner Herzog’s Nosferatu the Vampyre, and Andrzej Żuławski’s Possession. Adjani’s reputation as one of France’s most impressive stars was only emphasised as the years went by, proving herself just as capable of a tender performance as much as one that was unhinged and destructive.

Adjani has continued to act over the years, but she can’t help but look back on the early moments of her career and wonder if she should’ve done things differently. Talking to A Rabbit’s Foot, she explained that becoming an actor before she’d even reached adulthood did affect her significantly. “An early career did force me to miss out on some invaluable stages, and that became tricky for me,” she said.

The actor continued: “I wish that I had time to process it all and understand how the world operated. I’ve often said that I lacked the keys and the codes. I was so raw, and still affected from an upbringing that made me ill-at-ease with strangers.”

Discussing her childhood, Adjani noted that her parents “were immigrants who were trying to conform and adapt. Both needed to be anchored by France, and both lived in fear of being noticed and having fingers pointed at them.” Thus, while she believes that “my sudden rise to fame saved me from a suffocating family atmosphere,” she still found it hard to navigate an industry at such a young age without a solid sense of stability.

“I managed not to lose my innocence. But I’ve always felt hurt by people trying to steal it from me,” she explained. The industry isn’t particularly forgiving, and Adjani seems to have experienced her fair share of struggles: “When I found myself attacked and disrespected, it made me feel vulnerable and scorched. During all those early years, my skin was incredibly reactive. I had eczema and all kinds of psychosomatic problems.”

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