Q&A: Mélanie Laurent on her love of directing and actresses

By LINDSEY BAHR
AP Film Writer

Over the past decade, Mélanie Laurent has established herself as an accomplished film director. Yet four features and many accolades later, that fact may come as a surprise to many in the U.S. who still know her best for her acting — especially her role in “Inglorious Basterds.” But that’s poised to change soon. Her latest film, an adaptation of Victoria Mas’ 2019 novel “The Mad Women’s Ball,” is currently available globally on Amazon Prime Video. The film takes audiences inside a Paris asylum in 1885. And her next project is even higher profile: A studio produced adaptation of “The Nightingale,” starring the Fanning sisters.