French actress and dancer, Leslie Caron, began her career as a ballerina.
After discovering Caron performing with a ballet company in France, Gene Kelly cast her in the 1951 musical An American in Paris. The starring role (initially intended for a pregnant Cyd Charisse) plucked Caron from obscurity and landed her a seven-year contract with MGM.
The sunshine of California, coupled with Hollywood’s gratuitous displays of wealth, was a culture shock for Caron, who had previously been living in Paris during the German occupation.
Kelly helped guide the green Caron (whom he lovingly called “Lester the Pester” and “kid”) as she navigated her new life and the pressures of the entertainment industry.
Caron (who had never spoken on stage or screen prior to her debut in An American in Paris) appeared in several musicals (receiving an Oscar nom for Lili in 1953), before studying the Stanislavski method, and pivoting to more serious roles in the 1960s.
For her role in the 1962 British drama The L-Shaped Room, Caron won the BAFTA Award for Best British Actress, the Golden Globe for Best Actress, and was nominated for an Oscar.
Caron continued to work through the 1970s and 80s and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2009.
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