Her mother was an English dancer from Lancashire who had come to the Folies- Bergere with the Tiller Girls.
Her name has been often associated, both socially and professionally, to that of respected French writer and director Marguerite Duras; apart from their close friendship, Moreau starred in two movies based on Duras' novels, Peter Brook's Moderato cantabile (1960) and Tony Richardson's The Sailor from Gibraltar (1967), was directed by Duras in Nathalie Granger (1972), was the narrator in another Duras screen adaptation, The Lover (1992) and even went on to portray Duras in the biopic Cet amour-là (2001).
Her only son, named Jerome, was seriously injured at a car accident during the shooting of Moderato cantabile (1960); the car driver was Jean-Paul Belmondo, her co-star in the afore-mentioned film. The then-10-year-old Jerome survived the accident and is today a successful painter.
Her performance as Catherine in Jules and Jim (1962) is ranked #80 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).
Her stage hits include Ivan Turgenev's "A Month in the Country", Jean Cocteau's "La machine infernale" (as the Sphinx), Anna Bonacci's "L'heure éblouissante", George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion" (as Eliza Doolittle), Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (as Maggie) and "The Night of the Iguana" (as Hannah Jelkes), Frank Wedekind's "Loulou" (title role) and Hermann Broch's "Le récit de la servante Zerline" (title role).
Her teaming with Brigitte Bardot in Louis Malle's Viva Maria! (1965) was one of the major media events of 1965. Thanks to the on-screen chemistry between the two top French female stars of the period, the film became an international hit.
Holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Lancaster, UK.
In 1948, when she was only 20 years old, she became the youngest full-time member in the history of Comédie Française, France's most prestigious theatrical company.
Is a close friend of Sharon Stone, who presented a 1998 American Academy of Motion Pictures life tribute to Moreau.
Is also a successful singer with a substantial recording career.
Is one of the numerous French film personalities who co-signed a petition calling for civil disobedience in the face of a xenophobic immigration law (February 1997).
Is particularly fond of reading and cooking.
Is the only actress who has presided twice over the jury of the Cannes Film Festival (in 1975 and 1995).
Is the only French actress who has been the object of a big retrospective (including 30 films) at the Museum of Modern Art of New York (February - March 1994).
Is the president of Equinoxe, an organization which supports new European scriptwriters.
Made her debut as a stage director with a Geneva and Paris production of Margaret Edson's "Wit" (April 2000).
Made her debut as an opera director with an Opera National de Paris production of Giuseppe Verdi's "Attila" ( September 2001).
Mother of Jérôme Richard (father: Jean-Louis Richard).
Named Doctor of Arts by the City University of New York (June 1997).
Offered her Rolls-Royce to a friend of hers who had financial trouble.