
‘Mission: Impossible’ Star, 61, Opens Up About Her Cosmetic Surgery: ‘It’s a Failure’
At 27, Emmanuelle BĂ©art chose cosmetic surgery. Today, she bitterly regrets it. Read on to discover the full story behind her decision and the lasting consequences it had on her life.
When she was just 27 years old, Emmanuelle BĂ©art turned to plastic surgery in an attempt to change her appearance. In a recent interview, the acclaimed actress shared rare and heartfelt insights into the failed procedure she now views as a major mistake.
Emmanuelle BĂ©art Speaks Out About Her âBotchedâ Plastic Surgery
In addition to being famous for her
many roles on the big screen
, Emmanuelle Béart is the daughter of Italo-Greek actress GeneviÚve Galéa and French singer Guy Béart. Over the years, she has become a celebrated figure in French cinema, thanks to her powerful and memorable performances.

Emmanuelle BĂ©art at the 50th CĂ©sar Awards ceremony at the Olympia on February 28, 2025, in Paris, France. | Source: Getty Images
Indeed, the actress has followed a remarkable path, rising to become nothing short of a legend. Today, she’s a household name and continues to captivate audiences with her undeniable charisma.
Fans will no doubt remember some of
her most iconic roles
. “La Belle Noiseuse,” “A Heart in Winter,” and “Mission: Impossible” are just a few of the many films that helped cement her status among the greats of French cinema.
But while sheâs known for her exceptional acting skills, Emmanuelle has also long been admired for her striking beauty. In her youth, she was considered one of the most beautiful women of her generationâa true symbol of elegance and allure.

Emmanuelle BĂ©art at the closing ceremony of the 21st Marrakech International Film Festival on December 7, 2024, in Marrakech, Morocco. | Source: Getty Images
Despite her stunning looks, Emmanuelle still turned to plastic surgery. As she neared her thirties, she sadly gave in to the idea of changing her appearanceâbut the result was deeply disappointing.
âWhen it comes to reshaping the face or body, I had my lips done when I was 27. Thatâs no secret to anyone: it was a failure,
â
she confessed
in an interview with Le Monde.

Emmanuelle BĂ©art on the red carpet during Day 7 of the 21st Marrakech International Film Festival on December 5, 2024, in Marrakech, Morocco. | Source: Getty Images
In that same interview, the actress revealed what pushed her to make the decision. â
Again, it comes back to a sense of lacking. We could even call it despairâfeeling the need to become someone else in order to fully exist, or to look like the person we wish we were,
â she
explained
.
She continued:
“If someone, man or woman, has something redone, it’s because, for a reason that’s nobody’s business, they can’t live with it, and that part of their body is no longer bearable. So, either we get help and we have the strength to fight it, or we go ahead and take action. I’ve heard testimonies from women saying that it made their lives more beautiful, easier. So much the better. There are others who have been deeply affected by it, and I’m one of them.”

Emmanuelle BĂ©art at the 42nd Torino Film Festival â Day 3 on November 24, 2024, in Turin, Italy. | Source: Getty Images
A Lesson Sheâll Never Forget
That botched procedure left a mark on Emmanuelle â not just physically, but emotionally. It also changed her entire perspective on cosmetic surgery.
â
Today, I could say: I’m against cosmetic surgery. Because it’s a serious act, the consequences of which we don’t necessarily evaluate. And it’s an act that touches our soul,â
she admitted
.

Emmanuelle BĂ©art on the red carpet during Day 7 of the 21st Marrakech International Film Festival on December 5, 2024, in Marrakech, Morocco. | Source: Getty Images
Still, the actress refuses to judge those who choose to go down that roadâeven if it brought her personal regret.
âBut I would never be so ‘disgusting’ as to judge someone who had it done. I would say that it’s their problem. And I find it more interesting and humane to say that this person lacked confidence,â
she
said
.

Emmanuelle BĂ©art at the Cannes Film Festival in 2004. | Photo: Getty Images
That single failed operation was enough to leave her utterly
put off by anything involving needles
.
âObviously, if I had liked my mouth, I would never have wanted to do it again. But, frankly, I’m not about to go back, because I had such a shock, with all that, and under the gaze of others. It was terrible. Today, just the idea of ââan injection strikes me,
she
revealed
.
But she added with nuance:
âBut at the same time, I tell myself that it’s not easy to age, in this profession, when you’re a woman. Especially in cinema. So there are some who will completely turn to drugs, others who will sink into alcohol. But everyone will do it, my God, in their own way, and as best they can. I myself don’t know how I’ll manage to get through these stages. Theater is a salvation, because there isn’t this physical problem. What matters is an aura, what I love so much in human beings: light.â

Portrait of Emmanuelle BĂ©art during âGeorges Brassens International Dayâ in SĂšte, France, on June 24, 1984. | Photo: Getty Images
The Strong Influence of Her Father
If it hadnât been for Guy BĂ©art, the world might
never have heard of Emmanuelle
. It was her fatherâstern and authoritarianâwho pushed her toward acting.
“At the age when I wanted to become a majorette in Australia, he told me: ‘You will be an actress .’ He had the producer GĂ©rard Lebovici come to dinner, telling him that I would be an actress even though I had no desire to,”
she
recalled
.

French actress Emmanuelle BĂ©art. | Photo: Getty Images
Raised with strict discipline, Emmanuelle had to conform to her
fatherâs rules
from a young age.
“He was uncompromising, quite authoritarian, teaching us specific things. It was important to him that a child knew how to be bored, so he sent us to our rooms (…) He said that there had to be absolute rules and permanent exceptions. When you’re 8 years old… You also had to write down everything he told us,”
she
explained
.
And when she started changing her appearance, she had to face her fatherâs blunt criticisms.
”
He said to me: ‘Stop making yourself ugly.’ He didn’t understand why I was going against my face . He didn’t agree with my positions. He was afraid that it would destroy my career. We were often in confrontation about my profession,”
she
added
.

Emmanuelle BĂ©art in July 1986, France. | Photo: Getty Images
In addition to being a renowned actress, Emmanuelle is, above all, a devoted mother. She has three children, all of whom she
has raised and loved with all her heart.
Her daughter Nelly, born from her relationship with actor Daniel Auteuil, is now a grown woman. Like her mother, she chose a path in the world of cinemaâbut behind the scenes, as a producer.
Her son Yohann, whom she shares with musician David Moreau, is also an adult. Unlike his sister, he took a very different route and became an anthropologist.
Last but not least, Surifel, the youngest of the family, is now a handsome teenager. Emmanuelle adopted him in 2010 with her ex-partner Michael Cohen when he was just eight months old.

Emmanuelle BĂ©art during Day 7 of the 21st Marrakech International Film Festival on December 5, 2024, in Marrakech, Morocco. | Source: Getty Images

Emmanuelle BĂ©art at the closing ceremony of the 37th Cabourg Film Festival on June 17, 2023, in Cabourg, France. | Source: Getty Images

Emmanuelle BĂ©art at the photo call for LâEtreinte during the 13th AngoulĂȘme Francophone Film Festival on August 30, 2020, in AngoulĂȘme, France. | Source: Getty Images

Emmanuelle BĂ©art at the 70th Anniversary Screening during the 70th Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals on May 23, 2017, in Cannes, France. | Source: Getty Images

Emmanuelle BĂ©art attending the 100th Anniversary Ball of Galeries Lafayette on December 12, 2012, in Paris, France. | Source: Getty Images

Emmanuelle BĂ©art at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival â De-Lovely Opening and Closing Ceremony at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. | Source: Getty Images

Emmanuelle BĂ©art | Source: Getty Images

Emmanuelle BĂ©art | Source: Getty Images

Emmanuelle BĂ©art | Source: Getty Images

Emmanuelle BĂ©art | Source: Getty Images

Emmanuelle BĂ©art on the set of the film Une amie de passage in October 1984 in Paris, France. | Source: Getty Images

Emmanuelle BĂ©art enjoying a day off while filming the TV movie Zacharius, directed by Claude Grinberg in Sighisoara. | Source: Getty Images