Josiane Balasko has always been quick-witted. The actress, who found success in popular comedies such as “Les Bronzés,” “Le Père Noël est une ordure,” and “Gazon Maudit,” had previously discussed her difficult beginnings in the film industry. At the time, the young woman dreaming of a career on the big screen quickly realized that her appearance would prevent her from accessing certain roles. “Young girls played young leading ladies. There were no roles for girls who were not blonde with blue eyes, or brunettes, curvaceous. I consider myself rather normal, I always thought of myself as average, not beautiful, not ugly,” she explained.
As a guest on “C à vous” in November 2024, the mother of Marilou Berry opened up about the evolution of her career and the role offers that had changed over the years. “The range has expanded already because I’m not dead. That’s important. I’m still here, I can play things that maybe other actresses can’t play because they no longer have the physique. They had it before but they wanted to keep it so they don’t have it anymore,” she humorously remarked.
Why did Josiane Balasko speak out live on RMC? Invited to the show “Anaïs Matin” hosted by Anaïs Castagna on RMC, the close friend of Michel Blanc expressed herself directly on a contentious issue: the real estate prices in Paris. Noting prices she considers completely disconnected from reality, she didn’t hesitate to speak out: “I find it shameful,” before illustrating her point with a striking example: “6 square meters, that’s worth 60,000 bucks! There’s no water, you pee in the hallway… The smaller it is, the more expensive it is.” A statement true to her frankness and the sense of injustice that many French people still share in 2026.
According to Josiane Balasko, the explosion of real estate prices now forces even affluent households to move away from the center of the capital. “Many people who earn a good living are forced to move outside of Paris, or at least live further away,” she noted, before recalling the old prices in the capital when she was younger. “When I was little, Paris was different. Social inequalities were then reflected in a hierarchy inside buildings. Social differentiation was vertical. My parents and I lived in attics, we were poor, with toilets on the landing, but it was alright: the rents corresponded to these conditions,” she remembered.
Where is Josiane Balasko’s house, in the Parisian suburbs? For several years, it’s been Jouy-en-Josas, in Yvelines, that Josiane Balasko has chosen to settle. According to Public, far from the Parisian hustle and bustle, the former star of the Splendid troupe resides in a spacious house of over 250 square meters, estimated at over two million euros. Nestled in a green setting appreciated for its calmness and proximity to Versailles, this residence embodies a true haven of peace. “I eat well, I invite friends to the house,” she confides to the “Journal de la Maison.”
Despite a burglary in 2016, this place remains a precious refuge for her, filled with family memories. “We have a big house, we are not all on top of each other,” she said, referring to the comfort of a harmonious family life. Before moving to Yvelines, she had already invested in an apartment in Pigalle, now one of the most sought-after neighborhoods in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. A wise decision.
