After studying at the Conservatoire National d'Art Dramatique then at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Marina Hands first became known in theatre, playing roles from major works staged by directors such as Klaus Michael Grüber, Jacques Weber and Patrice Chéreau. For the cinema, she has worked with Andrzej Zulawski, Yves Angelo, Denys Arcand (The Barbarian Invasions), Guillaume Canet (Tell No One) and Julian Schnabel (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly). Pascale Ferran offered her the main part in Lady Chatterley for which she won the César for best actress and the prize for best performance at the New York Tribeca Film Festival in 2007. She has just begun shooting the next film by Danièle Thompson Le code a changé.