Emma De Caunes is the daughter of French actor and director Antoine de Caunes, and of director and graphic designer Gaelle Royer. Emma was married to French singer Sinclair (real name Mathieu Blanc-Francard) who fathered her daughter Nina (born Paris, October 2002).

Her career began when she was 10 years old courtesy of a role granted by Michele Reiser, her godmother. Emma obtained her Baccalaureate in film in 1995.

Actress appeared in various advertisements before landing her first major film role in Sylvie Verheyde's "Un Frere". After her performance in the 1997 film, Emma won Most Promising Actress at the 1998 Cesar awards and Best Actress at the 1997 Paris Film Festival, and was nominated for Best Actress in the Acteurs a l'Ecran awards. Actress won the 2002 Prix Romy-Schneider, an award given annually to a promising young actress. So far, her most recent role was an actress named Sabine in Mr. Bean's Holiday.