Josette Day

Josette Day (1914–1978, France) Josette Day was a French film actress who began her career in the 1930s, appearing in over 40 films including notable roles in René Clair’s *Le Million* (1931) and *À nous la liberté* (1931). She achieved international acclaim for her portrayal of Belle in Jean Cocteau’s fantasy classic *Beauty and the Beast* (1946), which remains her most iconic role and a cornerstone of French cinema. After retiring from acting in the 1950s, she largely withdrew from public life, though her contributions to poetic realism and surrealist cinema endure.