Double triumph heralds Huppert's moment

French actress often compared to Meryl Streep is now an Oscar favorite after critics fell for Elle, a recent film role that exemplifies her taste for challenging parts

Isabelle Huppert, the French actress whose double triumph at the Golden Globes puts her in pole position for the Oscars, is a woman who has never been afraid to surprise or shock.

Steely and fearless, she has a history of taking on some of the toughest roles in cinema from rape victims to murderers to sadomasochists and abortionists.