Sara Martins
Born: 1977-08-19 in Faro, Portugal
Known For: Acting
Biography
Sara Martins (born 19 August 1977) is a Portuguese-French actress. She is known in France for her roles on television and in film and theatre. She also appeared as Detective Sergeant Camille Bordey in the joint British-French crime comedy-drama Death in Paradise, filmed in Guadeloupe, a French overseas department. She left the show halfway through series 4 (January 2015). She later returned to Season 10 E6 to reprise her role temporarily, and again in Series 13 Episode 1, in a video call with Neville. Martins was born in Faro, in the Portuguese region of Algarve, and is of Cape Verdean descent. She moved to France at the age of three. She studied ballet in her youth and was the first person of African descent to join the Lyon Opera. She learned that she would be unable to advance to the Paris Opera, where the corps was expected to look alike and there were no other black dancers. Instead, she received her Baccalauréat with a theater option. After receiving a DEUG in law, at age 20 she studied at the École de théâtre Les Enfants Terribles in Paris. Then, she completed an acting degree at the French National Academy of Dramatic Arts. She learned English through U2 lyrics as a teenager. Shortly after graduating from high school, Martins was hired by Roger Planchon for a local production of Le Radeau de la Méduse at the Théâtre National Populaire in Villeurbanne. She appeared in a play at the Young Vic in London called Le Costume (The Suit) and in a French-language production of David Mamet’s Race. Martins' television debut was in 2001, in the French police series Maigret and Police District. She appeared in the series Pigalle, la nuit as Fleur. While filming Death in Paradise, Martins worked on the French TV crime series Détectives in lead role of Nora Abadie. She appeared in the film Paris, je t'aime (2006) in the segment Parc Monceau, the 17th arrondissement. In April 2011, BBC One announced that Martins would appear in the crime comedy-drama Death in Paradise, co-produced with France Télévisions. The series was Martins' debut in both comedy and on British television. Martins did have experience playing a police officer. Death in Paradise premiered on 25 October 2011. Martins played Camille Bordey, a detective sergeant on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint-Marie. Camille and other local officers help British Detective Inspector Richard Poole (played by Ben Miller in the first two series) solve murders. During a stunt for a first series episode, Martins tore her achilles tendon. She has said that during the production of Death in Paradise she discovered that some of her mannerisms are distinctly French. The third series killed off Inspector Poole in the first episode and he was replaced by another British Detective Inspector, Humphrey Goodman (played by Kris Marshall). The fourth episode of the fourth series "Until Death Do You Part", was Martins' last; her character was written out as moving to Paris. Of her departure from the show, she is quoted as saying: "I’ve loved everything about the show. But the only way to grow in life is to take risks, even if it means losing something you love, or leaving a place that’s comfortable". In 2021, she and Miller returned for a two-part episode. ... Source: Article "Sara Martins" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA.
Filmography
2025
- Comme une ombre as Claire Legende
2024
- Those About to Die as Cala
2023
- Citadel as Sandra
- Coup de Chance as Julia
2022
- An Alibi as Lucie
2021
- Flowing Home as Thao (voice)
2020
- Grand Hôtel as Camille Sargass
- Réunions as Victoire
2019
- I Love My Mum as Shannelle
2018
- Her Word Against His as Anna
- Kiss & Tell as Serena
- Alexandra Ehle as Diane Dombres
- Josephine Baker: The Story of an Awakening as Josephine Baker (voice)
- Children of the Lie as Carole Levasseur
2017
- Missing Child as Luisa Castelli
2016
- Meurtres en Martinique as Léna Valrose
2015
- Capitaine Marleau as Irène Ruff
- American Odyssey as Serena
- La Loi d'Alexandre as Sonia Dubois
2014
- Une idée en l'air as Coralie
2013
- Father Brown as Lisandra Flambeau
- Murders in... as Léna Valrose
- Captain Sharif as Isabelle Vanier
- Détectives as Nora Abadie
2012
- Cain as Barbara Simon
2011
- Death in Paradise as Camille Bordey
- The Marquis as Commandant Gilbert
- Leila as Serena
- Above Suspicion as Julie
- Signature as Hélène
- Profil non conforme as Sara
- Last Blood as Vérité N'Diaye
2010
- Little White Lies as La copine lesbienne de Marie
- Un divorce de chien as Elsa
2009
- The Concert as Secretaire Duplessis
- Mensch as Helena
- Pigalle, la nuit as Fleur
- Orpailleur as Yann
2008
- Summer Hours as Atachée de presse
- La veuve Tatouée as Sylvie
- Belleville Tour as Aline
2007
- Autopsy as Sarah Ouaziz
- The Rookies as Mathilde Forestier
- The Brides of Bourbon Island as Marie Gaudin
- Fragile(s) as Sara
2006
- Girlfriends as Shaheen
- Tell No One as Bruno's friend
- Paris Je T'aime as Sara (Parc Monceau)
- Enceinte jusqu'aux dents as Ambre, la réalisatrice
- Beyond the Ocean as Olga
- Mer belle à agitée as l'inspectrice du travail
- J'invente rien as Stéphanie
- Les Secrets du volcan as Jasmine Mahé
- Disparition as Karine
- Les Tricheurs as Sophie Devailly
- The Botanist
2005
- In Your Dreams as La femme de Keuj
- Merci, les enfants vont bien ! as Jeanne
- Bhaï bhaï as Lola "bonnes vacances"
2004
- Ne quittez pas ! as La réceptionniste de l'hotel
- Les amateurs as Maya
- Le Proc as Virginie Desplat
2003
- Par amour as Maria
2002
- French Wedding, Caribbean Style as Cousin
- La ligne noire as Sandrine
- Malone as Kif Kif
2000
- Police District as Julie
1998
- Avocats et associés as La juge Garnier
- Louis Page as Noémie
1997
- P.J. as Estelle
1991
- Maigret as Jojo