François Cluzet (born 21 September 1955) is a French film and theatre actor. Cluzet has collaborated with many important European and American directors, including

Claude Chabrol Claude Henri Jean Chabrol (; 24 June 1930 – 12 September 2010) was a French film director and a member of the French New Wave (''nouvelle vague'') group of filmmakers who first came to prominence at the end of the 1950s. Like his colleagues a ...

Bertrand Tavernier Bertrand Tavernier (25 April 1941 – 25 March 2021) was a French director, screenwriter, actor and producer. Life and career Tavernier was born in Lyon, France, the son of Geneviève (née Dumond) and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, s ...

, Claire Denis, Agnieszka Holland, Robert Altman and

Olivier Assayas Olivier Assayas (born 25 January 1955) is a French film director, screenwriter and film critic. Assayas is known for his slow-burning period pieces, psychological thrillers, neo-noirs and French comedies. His work has become synonymous with th ...

. In 2007, he won a French César Award after starring as a doctor suspected of double homicide in thriller '' Tell No One'' (original title ''Ne le dis à personne''). Cluzet may be best known for his role as Philippe in the international hit film '' The Intouchables'' (2011).

Career

Cluzet grew up in Paris, and made his stage debut in 1976. Three years later, he made his premiere appearance on the big screen in '' Cocktail Molotov'' with Diane Kurys. A year later, Cluzet appeared in acclaimed family drama '' Cheval d'orgueil'' directed by

. The two reunited in 1982 for '' Les Fantômes du chapelier''. In 1983, Cluzet acted in '' L'Été meurtrier'' with Jean Becker. He was nominated for a César Award for best supporting role of the year, in the same year he made a list for best new male for film '' Vive la sociale''. Cluzet next collaborated with a number of major name French directors, all of whom had a predilection towards dramatic works: reuniting with Kurys in 1983 for ''

Coup de foudre Love at first sight is a personal experience as well as a common trope in literature: a person or character feels an instant, extreme, and ultimately long-lasting romantic attraction for a stranger upon first seeing that stranger. Described by p ...

'', reuniting with

(to co-star in jazz film '' Round Midnight'' in 1985), Tony Gatlif ('' Rue du départ'', 1985), Claire Denis ('' Chocolat'', 1987),

Pierre Jolivet Pierre Jolivet (; born 9 October 1952) is a French director, actor, screenwriter, and producer. His film '' Zim and Co.'' was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival and his film '' The Night Watchman'' won the ...

(''

Force majeure In contract law, (from Law French: 'overwhelming force', ) is a common clause in contracts which essentially frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties, suc ...

'', 1988, and one new César nomination for best second male role),

Bertrand Blier Bertrand Blier (; born 14 March 1939) is a French film director and writer. His 1978 film '' Get Out Your Handkerchiefs'' won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 51st Academy Awards. He is the son of famous French actor Bernar ...

(''

Trop belle pour toi ''Too Beautiful for You'' (french: Trop belle pour toi) is a 1989 French romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Bertrand Blier. It tells the story of Bernard (Gérard Depardieu), a well-established BMW car dealer in the South of Fran ...

'', 1989) and again

Robert Enrico Robert Georgio Enrico (13 April 1931 – 23 February 2001) was a French film director and scriptwriter best known for making the Oscar-winning short ''An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge'' (1961). He was born in Liévin, Pas-de-Calais, in the nort ...

('' La Révolution française''). Next, the actor worked with

to play a husband tortured by jealousy in '' L'Enfer'' (1994) after having filmed with Chabrol in 1988 for ''

Une affaire de femmes ''Story of Women'' (french: Une affaire de femmes) is a 1988 French drama film directed by Claude Chabrol, based on the true story of Marie-Louise Giraud, guillotined on 30 July 1943 for having performed 27 abortions in the Cherbourg area, and ...

''. In 1994, Cluzet tried international cinema, acting in ensemble movie '' Prêt-à-Porter'' for director Robert Altman and romance ''

French Kiss A French kiss, also known as cataglottism or a tongue kiss, is an amorous kiss in which the participants' tongues extend to touch each other's lips or tongue. A kiss with the tongue stimulates the partner's lips, tongue and mouth, which are se ...

'' with

Lawrence Kasdan Lawrence Edward Kasdan (born January 14, 1949) is an American filmmaker. He is the co-writer of the '' Star Wars'' films '' The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980), '' Return of the Jedi'' (1983), '' The Force Awakens'' (2015), and '' Solo: A Star Wars ...

. He returned to French cinema and comedy in 1995 with '' Les Apprentis'' (César nomination for best actor) and '' Enfants de salaud'' with Tonie Marshall, following a new Claude Chabrol: '' Rien ne va plus'' in 1997. Cluzet has often portrayed a role of the tormented writer: ''

Fin août, début septembre ''Late August, Early September'' (french: Fin août, début septembre) is a 1998 French drama film directed by Olivier Assayas and starring Mathieu Amalric. Plot Several lovers and friends come to make decisions on how to live their lives, find ...

'' with

, '' L'Examen de minuit'' (1998), and ''

Je suis un assassin ''The Hook'' (french: Je suis un assassin) is a 2004 French thriller film directed by Thomas Vincent, based on the novel of the same name by Donald Westlake. Cast * François Cluzet - Ben Castelano * Karin Viard - Suzy Castelano * Bernard Girau ...

'' (2004). He played the double of

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

in '' Janis et John'' (2003) and an animator of teleshopping in '' France Boutique'' (2004). In 2005, he played in '' Le Domaine perdu'' with

Raoul Ruiz __NOTOC__ Raoul is a French variant of the male given name Ralph or Rudolph, and a cognate of Raul. Raoul may also refer to: Given name * Raoul Berger, American legal scholar * Raoul Bova, Italian actor * Radulphus Brito (Raoul le Breton, died ...

. The film portrayed the 1973 ''coup d'état'' in Chile. The year 2006 was big for Cluzet with his '' Quatre étoiles'' role of an over-the-hill F1 champion, touching and naive, paralysed with love for

Isabelle Carré Isabelle Carré (born 28 May 1971) is a French actress. She has appeared in more than 70 films since 1989. She won a César Award for Best Actress for her role in '' Se souvenir des belles choses'' (2001), and has been nominated a further six ti ...

, but his starring role as a doctor suspected of double homicide in thriller '' Tell No One'' was seen by a wider international audience. For this role, he received the 2007 César for best actor. Cluzet's biggest international hit to date is ''Intouchables'' (known in most English-speaking territories as '' The Intouchables''). Based on a true story, the film chronicles the friendship between a wealthy quadraplegic (Cluzet) and a young caregiver who has been recently released from jail. In March 2012, ''The Intouchables'' became the highest-grossing non-English language film yet released (not accounting for inflation).

Personal life

Cluzet has a son, Paul (son of the late actress Marie Trintignant), as well as three other children: Blanche, Joseph, and Marguerite.

Filmography

Theatre

* 1992: ''Belgicae'' by Anita Van Belle, directed by Pierre Pradinas, at the Festival d'Avignon

Awards

*1984 : Nominated for César Award for Most Promising Actor for '' Vive la sociale'' *1984 : Nominated for

César Award for Best Supporting Actor List of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Supporting Actor (french: César du meilleur second rôle masculin). History Superlatives List of winners and nominees 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s Multiple awards and ...

for ''

One Deadly Summer ''One Deadly Summer'' (french: L'Été meurtrier) is a 1983 French drama film directed by Jean Becker from a screenplay by Sébastien Japrisot, based on Japrisot's 1977 One Deadly Summer (novel), novel of the same name. Isabelle Adjani won a C ...

'' *1984 : Prix Jean Gabin *1990 : Nominated for

for ''Force majeure'' *1996 : Nominated for César Award for Best Actor for '' Les Apprentis'' *2003 : Nominated for

for '' The Adversary'' *2007 : Nominated for

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cluzet, Francois 1955 births Living people French male stage actors French male film actors Male actors from Paris 20th-century French male actors 21st-century French male actors Best Actor César Award winners