Shanna Besson


Shanna Leila Besson is a French actress and photographer who is the only child of French directors Maïwenn and Luc Besson.

Personal life

Shanna Besson was born 3 January 1993 when her mother was only 16 years old and her father was 33. She spent her early years in L.A. where her father was working as a director. In 1995 during the filming of The Fifth Element her father left her mother for actress Milla Jovovich. As a result, her mother Maïwenn relocated to Paris taking Shanna with her.
Through her mother, Shanna is related to actress Isild Le Besco and has a younger brother Diego Le Fur through her mother's relationship with Jean-Yves Le Fur. Through her father, Shanna has 4 siblings including an older sister, Juliette, through his relationship with actress Anne Parillaud and three younger siblings from his marriage to producer Virginie Silla.

Career

When she was 10 years old Besson made her acting debut in her mother's directorial debut short film I'm an Actress, playing a girl forced to be a child star by her mother. The film was based on Maïwenn's own experiences being pressured into acting by her mother.
Besson later began a career behind the scenes in film. She directed a behind the scenes making-of featurette on her father's film The Lady. She later began work as a still photographer, working for both her parents, including Taken 2 which was produced by her father and Mon roi which was directed by her mother.