Diane Doniol-Valcroze was born in Paris, France. She is the daughter of Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, the co-founder of the legendary New Wave magazine Cahiers du Cinéma. Her grandfather was French filmmaker André Cayatte (the original The Mirror Has Two Faces). She received an English literature B.A. from Sorbonne University and a film M.F.A. from New York University. She is screenwriter for Lionsgate's Penny Dreadful starring Mimi Rogers & Rachel Miner, and MGM's Hit and Run starring Kevin Corrigan. She lives in Los Angeles.