With no less than 3 films in theaters in 2026, Josiane Balasko proves that she is still an essential actress of the 7th Art. His name is associated with that of a popular star in the hearts of the French. However, at first, she wore another one…
Bad pick, The Scammer, Fallen from the sky… At 76, Josiane Balasko is far, very far from retiring from acting. A profession that the star began in the 70s. The one whose real name is Josiane Balašković, had also opted, briefly, for a pseudonym.
Josiane Balasko and her real name: too difficult to pronounce?
Guest of France Inter, while she is also publishing a new novel entitled The Last Sanctuary (at Calmann Lévy), Josiane Balasko was questioned about her name. “When did Balašković become Balasko?“, asked Sonia Devillers. “Quite quickly, I think. Because first of all, it sounds like a football player’s name back in the day“, she replied.
If the actress, daughter of Ivan Balašković, pointed out that players who had names like hers, “rather Croatian“, were from “great football players“, however, she wanted to stand out.”I wanted my name to be remembered“, she justified. And, moreover, Josiane Balasko assured that her real name would be too difficult to pronounce in France, especially when she orders a taxi or other: “They can’t do it. There’s a syllable, they can’t do it.
It was too complicated.”
Josiane Balasko opted for a nickname: which one?
At the start of his career, the star of the Splendid troupe chose a stage name… which didn’t last. “I hated Josiane. For six months, not even three months, I called myself Clémentine, which is a ridiculous name for me“, confided Josiane Balasko who therefore started under the name Clémentine Balasko! Finally, the mother of the actress Marilou Berry very quickly took her real first name to make a career.
“For me, it didn’t suit me at all. I remember, I still have a card where I marked Clémentine… And then well, I said to myself, Josiane, Josie, they call me Josie. I accepted, but I said to myself, now the name must be better known than the first name“, she added. A concern which no longer has to be for the one who was recently crowned with the Molière of the actress in a private theater show for This is love.
