Sonia Rolland Biography: Height, Net Worth, Husband, Age, Children, Ethnicity
Sonia Rolland is a French-8 actress, model, filmmaker, and former beauty queen born on February 11, 1981, in Kigali, Rwanda.
She became Miss France 2000 after winning Miss Burgundy 1999 and was the first woman of African origin to win the Miss France title.
Trending Now!!:
She later established a successful acting career, particularly in French television, while also developing work as a director, producer, writer, and humanitarian.
| Sonia Rolland | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Wiki Facts & About Data | |
| Name: | Sonia Rolland |
| Born: | February 11, 1981 (age 45 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Kigali, Rwanda |
| Nationality: | French-Rwandan |
| Ethnicity: | Rwandan and French |
| Height: | 178 cm |
| Religion: | Christianity |
| Parents: | Landrada Rolland and Jacques Rolland |
| Siblings: | Mikaël Rolland |
| Spouse: | Guillaume Gabriel |
| Relationship: | Married |
| Children: | Tess Rolland-Rocancourt, Kahina Lespert-Rolland |
| Occupation: | Actress, Model, Director, Producer, Writer |
| Net Worth: | €4 million |
Early Life and Education
Sonia Rolland was born on February 11, 1981, in Kigali, Rwanda. She was brought up by a Rwandan mother, Landrada Rolland, and a French father, Jacques Rolland.
She grew up in Kigali alongside her brother Mikaël Rolland, attending a French consular school that followed the French national curriculum. Her family operated a printing business during her childhood.
When Rolland was about eight years old, her family left Rwanda and settled in neighboring Burundi amid increasing political and ethnic instability. In 1994, at the age of 13, the family left Burundi and moved permanently to France, eventually settling in Cluny, Burgundy.
The transition to France was difficult for the family, particularly as they adjusted to a different social and cultural environment.
In Burgundy, Rolland continued her education and developed interests in basketball, sports, fashion, theater, and cinema. She later moved to Paris for her final year of secondary education, studying communication and advertising.
Her childhood interest in acting had already begun in Rwanda, where she attended theater classes at a French cultural center.
Her entry into pageantry began in 1999, when she won Miss Burgundy. At only 18 years old, she went on to win Miss France 2000 in December 1999. She subsequently represented France at Miss Universe 2000, reaching the Top 10 and finishing 9th overall.
Career
Rolland’s entertainment career initially grew from her success as a beauty queen and model.
After becoming Miss France 2000, she appeared on numerous television programs, magazine covers, fashion shows, and advertising campaigns. She also worked as a representative for Mixa, the French cosmetics brand, and developed a public profile in both France and Africa.
She then concentrated on acting and undertook professional theater training, including classes at the Pygmalion studio. Her first major screen acting opportunity arrived in 2002, when she appeared in Radu Mihaileanu’s television film Les Pygmées de Carlo for Arte.
She subsequently secured the lead role in the M6 police series Léa Parker, appearing across 50 episodes from 2004 to 2006.
Her film and television work expanded during the following years. She appeared in productions including Moloch Tropical, Désordres, Toussaint Louverture, The French Minister, and Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, where she portrayed Josephine Baker.
She also continued appearing in French television dramas and films, establishing herself beyond her original public image as Miss France.
Since 2019, Rolland has played Mélissa Sainte-Rose in the long-running French crime series Tropiques criminels. Her work has also remained connected to Rwanda and humanitarian causes.
In 2001, she founded an organization that later became Maïsha Africa, dedicated to supporting vulnerable children in Rwanda, particularly those affected by the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
Social Media
- Instagram: @soniarolland
Personal Life
At 45 years old, Sonia Rolland is married to actor Guillaume Gabriel. The couple’s relationship developed from a friendship lasting more than 20 years.
They had originally met in the early 2000s during work connected to Léa Parker and later reunited professionally on Tropiques criminels.
Rolland and Gabriel celebrated their civil marriage in Paris in March 2025 and held their religious wedding on September 20, 2025, at the Saint-Jacques church in Illiers-Combray, Eure-et-Loir. A traditional Rwandan celebration followed the religious ceremony.
Before her marriage to Gabriel, Rolland had two significant relationships that resulted in children. She has a daughter, Tess Rolland-Rocancourt, born in 2007, from her relationship with Christophe Rocancourt.
She later had a second daughter, Kahina Lespert-Rolland, born in 2010, during her relationship with actor and director Jalil Lespert. Rolland and Lespert separated in 2018 and continued sharing parental responsibilities for Kahina.
Family and Rwanda remain important elements of Rolland’s life and public work. Her experiences as a child displaced from Rwanda and later returning to her birthplace influenced her philanthropic and filmmaking activities.
Her documentary work has explored Rwanda’s recovery, women’s experiences, and social issues, while her production activities have allowed her to develop stories inspired by personal and cultural experiences.
Rolland has also written about her experiences. Her autobiography Les gazelles n’ont pas peur du noir recounts her childhood in Rwanda and Burundi, her family’s move to France, her rise in modeling and pageantry, and her transition into acting.
She also contributed to the beauty book Beauté Black, focused on beauty and hair care for women of African descent.
Net Worth
Sonia Rolland’s net worth is €4 million, based on her long-running income from acting, modeling, television, directing, producing, writing, brand ambassadorships, and other entertainment ventures.
Her professional business activity also includes Sonia Rolland SASU, a company established in Paris in 2022 covering activities related to modeling, acting, brand representation, audiovisual work, and communication.
Filmography
- Les Pygmées de Carlo
- Léa Parker
- Le P’tit Curieux
- C’est beau une ville la nuit
- Moloch Tropical
- Midnight in Paris
- Désordres
- The French Minister
- Madame
- Tropiques criminels
What People Ask
NOTICE!! NOTICE!! NOTICE!!
At TheCityCeleb, we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date biographies and entertainment news, focusing on celebrities. Our editorial team researches information from reputable sources, including interviews, official statements, and verified media.If you spot an error or have additional details, please contact us at editor@thecityceleb.com. We value your feedback and are committed to maintaining trustworthy content.
