Catherine Jacob (born 16 December 1956) is a French film and theatrical actress who has won a César Award for her role in Life Is a Long Quiet River (1988), and was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in Tatie Danielle (1990), Merci la vie (1991) and Neuf mois (1994). She has been two-time president of the Lumières Award. She is known for her voice and her charisma.

Born in Paris on 16 December 1956, Catherine Jacob spent part of her childhood and adolescence in Compiègne, where she was educated at primary school and then Pierre d'Ailly High School. Her father was a dental surgeon and her mother an orthodontist. She has a younger brother.