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 an ...

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

Claire Denis Claire Denis (; ; born 21 April 1946) is a French film director and screenwriter. Her feature film '' Beau Travail'' (1999) has been called one of the greatest films of the 1990s and of all time. Her work has dealt with themes of colonial and p ...

, Agnieszka Holland,

Robert Altman Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He is considered an enduring figure from the New Hollywood era, known for directing subversive and sat ...

and

Olivier Assayas Olivier Assayas (; born 25 January 1955) is a French film director, screenwriter and film critic. Assayas is known for his eclectic filmography, consisting of slow-burning Period Piece Films, period pieces, psychological thrillers, neo-noirs, an ...

. In 2007, he won a French

César Award Cesar or César may refer to: Arts and entertainment * César (film), ''César'' (film), a 1936 French romantic drama * César (film), ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt Places * Cesar, Portugal * Cesar Department, Colombia * Cesar R ...

after starring as a doctor suspected of double homicide in the thriller '' Tell No One'' (original title ''Ne le dis à personne''). Cluzet is best known for his role as Philippe in the 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 Diane Kurys (; born 3 December 1948) is a French director, producer, filmmaker and actress. Several of her films as director are semi-autobiographical. Personal life Kurys was born in Lyon, Rhône, France, the younger of two daughters. She is a ...

. 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'', reuniting with

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

('' 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 (2015 film) ...

('' Force majeure'', 1988, and one new César nomination for best second male role), Bertrand Blier ('' Trop belle pour toi'', 1989) and again Robert Enrico ('' 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''. In 1994, Cluzet tried international cinema, acting in ensemble movie ''

Prêt-à-Porter Ready-to-wear (RTW)also called ''prêt-à-porter'', or off-the-rack or off-the-peg in casual useis the term for garments sold in finished condition in standardized sizes, as distinct from made-to-measure or bespoke clothing tailored to a parti ...

'' for director

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 sens ...

'' 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 Tonie Marshall (29 November 1951 – 12 March 2020) was a French-American actress, screenwriter, and film director. In 2000, she became the first female director to win the César Award for Best Director, César Award for her film ''Venus Beauty ...

, 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'' with

, '' L'Examen de minuit'' (1998), and '' Je suis un assassin'' (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 activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...

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. The film portrayed the 1973 ''coup d'état'' in Chile. His starring role came in 2006 as a doctor suspected of double homicide in the thriller '' Tell No One''. For his performance, he received the 2007 César for best actor. Cluzet's biggest role was in ''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 had recently been released from jail. In March 2012, ''The Intouchables'' became the second highest-grossing French film in France.

Personal life

Cluzet married film producer Chantal Perrin in the 1980's, later divorcing. Cluzet has a son, Paul, with late actress Marie Trintignant. Cluzet was in a long-term relationship with actress Valérie Bonneton, the mother of two of his children. In 2011, he married Narjiss Slaoui-Falcoz, whom he had met six months before filming ''The Intouchables''.

Filmography

Theatre

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

Festival d'Avignon The ''Festival d'Avignon'', or Avignon Festival (), is an annual arts festival held in the France, French city of Avignon every summer in July in the courtyard of the Palais des Papes as well as in other locations of the city. Founded in 1947 by ...

Awards

*1984 : Nominated for

César Award for Most Promising Actor Cesar or César may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''César'' (film), a 1936 French romantic drama * ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt Places * Cesar, Portugal * Cesar Department, Colombia * Cesar River, in Colombia * Cesar ...

for '' Vive la sociale'' *1984 : Nominated for César Award for Best Supporting Actor for '' One Deadly Summer'' *1984 : Prix Jean Gabin *1990 : Nominated for César Award for Best Supporting Actor for ''Force majeure'' *1996 : Nominated for César Award for Best Actor for '' Les Apprentis'' *2003 : Nominated for César Award for Best Supporting Actor for '' The Adversary'' *2007 : Nominated for César Award for Best Supporting Actor for ''Quatre étoiles'' *2007 : César Award for Best Actor for '' Tell No One'' *2007 : Nominated for

Lumière Award for Best Actor The Lumière Award for Best Actor () is an annual award presented by the Académie des Lumières since 1996. Winners and nominees Winners are listed first with a blue background, followed by the other nominees. 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s T ...

for '' Tell No One'' *2007 : Étoile d'or du premier rôle masculin for '' Tell No One'' *2007 : Globes de Cristal Award for Best Actor for '' Tell No One'' *2010 : Nominated for César Award for Best Actor for '' One for the Road'' *2010 : Nominated for César Award for Best Actor for '' In the Beginning'' *2010 : Nominated for

for '' In the Beginning'' *2010 : Nominated for Globes de Cristal Award for Best Actor for '' In the Beginning'' *2010 : Étoile d'Or for '' In the Beginning'' *2011 : Nominated for Globes de Cristal Award for Best Actor for '' Little White Lies'' *2012 : Nominated for César Award for Best Actor for '' The Intouchables'' *2012 : Nominated for Globes de Cristal Award for Best Actor for '' The Intouchables'' *2017 : Nominated for César Award for Best Actor for '' Irreplaceable''

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