Liliane Rovère Emily in Paris

Season 4 of Netflix’s Emily in Paris introduced audiences to a new TV series character played by a renowned French actress.

Liliane Rovère made her Emily in Paris debut as Heloise, the nightclub-owning mother of Sylvie, Emily’s (Lily Collins) boss and the head of Agence Grateau.

Who is Emily in Paris’ Liliane Rovère?

Liliane Rovère as Heloise in Netflix's Emily in ParisNetflix

Liliane Rovère and Her Parents Survived the Holocaust

Born on January 30, 1933, the 91-year-old actress was born in Paris, France to a Polish Jewish family (via The Cut).

After leaving Paris for the French countryside, Liliane and her parents survived the Nazi occupation, but the same can’t be said for other members of her family.

She Was Shaped by Jazz Music

When Liliane was 12 years old, she discovered jazz while playing records at a party (via The Cut). The American musical genre fascinated her and she ultimately became a fixture at Paris jazz clubs for years.

Following the end of her relationship with Chet Baker, an American jazz singer and trumpeter she met in Manhattan, Liliane married another musician, Gilbert Rovère.

Liliane Rovère Wanted To Act, Not Be a Star

According to The Guardian, Rovère began her career in entertainment at 20 years old as a dancer in a Paris revue. It was only five years later upon the suggestion of her mother that she enrolled in an acting course.

But like many actresses, finding work wasn’t always easy for her, as she explained to The Cut how “when [she] didn’t work, [she] had to work:”

“I worked and didn’t work, and when I didn’t work, I had to work, so that I could take care of my daughter and myself: I waitressed, salesgirl, salesgirl, waitress. I preferred waitress.”

But interestingly enough, Liliane claims she’s “not ambitious” and “never wanted to be a star:”

“I don’t know how to say this, I am not ambitious. I don’t plan. I wanted to act. I never wanted to be a star.”

In addition to playing Sylvie’s mother Heloise in Emily in Paris, today, Liliane is best known for her more recent roles in projects like The Grocer’s Son, Family Business, and the global Netflix hit, Call My Agent!, where she plays the sharp-tongued, all-knowing talent agent Arlette.

However, her acting credits span an impressive six decades and include various French productions including Les Cinq Dernières Minutes and Christine ou La pluie sur la mer. 

Liliane Rovère Sees Herself as an Exception

In talking about finding success and recognition for her craft later in life, Liliane admitted to Forward that she’s ” an exception” as “older women work less than younger women:”

“Women work less than men. Older women work less than younger women. I’ve worked all my life, and I’m an exception because I got some kind of fame at my age.”

But once again, the Netflix star reiterated disinterest in stardom, saying, “I just thought in terms of making a living:”

“Inside, I’m the same. I don’t change. I never expected anything special; I never thought in terms of making a career. I just thought in terms of making a living.”