The Costa Serena's godmother, French actress Marion Cotillard, won the Academy Award for "Best Actress in a Leading Role" on Sunday for her performance portraying Edith Piaf in "La Vie en Rose." She christened the Costa Serena in May 2007. Cotillard was chosen as godmother when "La Vie en Rose" was released. Costa inaugurated the ship in France, Cotillard's home country. Cotillard inaugurated the Costa Serena on May 19, 2007, in front of 1,500 guests in Marseille. The French fête featured a ceremony where Cotillard cut the ribbon that sent the ceremonial bottle of Champagne against the ship's hull and concluded with a performance by the Choir of the Opéra de Marseille.