Presle was born on August 22, 1922 in Paris. She wanted to become an actress since she was a child. She made her debut in front of the camera at the age of 15 in “La fessée” by Pierre Carron. In 1940, she received the Prix Suzanne Bianchetti for the most promising young actress.
She did not stop performing during the occupation. Her career began to develop dynamically after the end of World War II. Her breakthrough was her role in “The Devil Incarnate” by Claude Autant-Lara. She played a nurse engaged to a soldier who, during the Great War, begins an affair with a high school student who is younger than herself.
Her popularity in France led to interest in her in Hollywood. In 1950, she signed an exclusive contract with 20th Century Fox. She appeared alongside John Garfield, Errol Flynn, Bobby Darin and Paul Newman.
In the mid-1960s she returned to France, where she achieved further successes. For “I Want to Go Home” by Alain Reisnes in 1989, she received a César nomination for a supporting role. In 2004, she was awarded an Honorary César for lifetime achievement.
She last appeared on screen in an episode of the comedy “Sex, Love and Therapy”, directed by her daughter Tonie Marshall. In 2000, she became the first woman to receive a Cesar Award for directing. She was awarded for the film “Venus Beauty Salon”. The director died in 2020 at the age of 68.