The former famous painter Frenhofer lives quietly with his wife on a countryside residence in the French Provence. When the young artist Nicolas visits him with his girlfriend Marianne, Frenhofer decides to start again the work on a painting he long ago stopped: La Belle Noiseuse. And he wants Marianne as model.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
 Michel PiccoliEdouard Frenhofer | Edouard Frenhofer |
 Emmanuelle BéartMarianne | Marianne |
 Jane BirkinLiz | Liz |
 Marianne DenicourtJulienne | Julienne |
 David BurszteinNicolas | Nicolas |
 Gilles ArbonaPorbus | Porbus |
| MMarie BellucMagali | Magali |
| MMarie-Claude RogerFrançoise | Françoise |
| LLeïla RemiliLa servante | La servante |
| DDaphne GoodfellowUne touriste | Une touriste |
| SSusan RobertsonUne touriste | Une touriste |
| BBernard DufourLa main du peintre | La main du peintre |