Julie Gayet nominated for role of a lifetime by French film academy
French actress Julie Gayet attends the “Quai D’Orsay” premiere during the 61st San Sebastian International Film Festival on September 24, 2013 in San Sebastian, Spain.
For Julie Gayet, you could call it the role of a lifetime … and those of French President Francois Hollande and his former first lady, Valerie Trierweiler.
While a Hollande biopic might appear inevitable, Gayet has instead been nominated for a Cesar Award thanks to her turn as a sexy diplomat in the French comedy “Quai d’Orsay.”
The Cesar awards are France’s version of the Oscars, and will be handed out Feb. 28.
Gayet was implicated as Hollande’s lover by the French magazine Closer, which alleged the president and actress had been carrying out a two-year affair.
It led to hospitalization for Trierweiler, and her split from Hollande.
More from GlobalPost: Hollande goes Rambo
As for Gayet’s role – in the movie, not the suspected tryst – the 41-year-old screen veteran plays a character named Valérie Dumontheil.
The movie is based on cartoons that lampooned Dominique de Villepin, the real-life French former foreign minister, according to The Telegraph.
Agence France-Presse called the Dumontheil character “a mini-skirted adviser to the minister who uses her seductive powers to get what she wants.”
Quai d’Orsay is a Paris street that’s home to the French Foreign Ministry.
More from GlobalPost: Hollande admits 'painful moments' in personal life
Our coverage reaches millions each week, but only a small fraction of listeners contribute to sustain our program. We still need 224 more people to donate $100 or $10/monthly to unlock our $67,000 match. Will you help us get there today?