François Cluzet

François Cluzet

François Cluzet in 2013
Born 21 September 1955
Paris, France
Occupation Actor
Years active 1976–present

François Cluzet (born 21 September 1955) is a French film and theatre actor. In 2007 Cluzet 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).

Life and 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 Claude Chabrol. 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 has a gap and he then next collaborated with a number of major name French directors, all of whom had a predilection towards dramatic works: reuniting with Diane Kurys in 1983 for Coup de foudre, reuniting with Bertrand Tavernier (to co-star in jazz film Round Midnight in 1985), Tony Gatlif (Rue du départ, 1985), Claire Denis (Chocolat, 1987), Pierre Jolivet (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 Claude Chabrol 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 for director Robert Altman and romance French Kiss with Lawrence Kasdan. 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 with Olivier Assayas, L'Examen de minuit (1998), and Je suis un assassin (2004). He played the double of John Lennon in Janis et John (2003) and an animator of tele-shopping 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.

2006 was a big year for Cluzet with his Quatre étoiles role of an over-the-hill F1 champion, touching and naive, paralysed with love for Isabelle Carré. 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 Intouchable (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 carer 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).

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

Selected filmography

Year Title Role Director
1979 Cocktail Molotov[1] Bruno Diane Kurys
1980 The Horse of Pride Pierre-Alain, the father Claude Chabrol
1982 The Hatter's Ghost the journalist Claude Chabrol
Entre Nous a soldier Diane Kurys
1983 One Deadly Summer Mickey Jean Becker
1985 Round Midnight François Borler Bertrand Tavernier
États d'âme[2] Pierrot Jacques Fansten
Elsa, Elsa[3] Ferdinand, as adult Didier Haudepin
Rue du départ[4] Paul Triana Tony Gatlif
1987 Association of Wrongdoers Thierry Claude Zidi
1988 Chocolat Marc Claire Denis
Force majeure[5] Daniel Pierre Jolivet
Story of Women Paul Claude Chabrol
Deux [6] Louis Claude Zidi
1989 Too Beautiful for You Pascal Chevassu Bertrand Blier
La Révolution française Camille Desmoulins Robert Enrico
1992 Olivier, Olivier Serge Duval Agnieszka Holland
L'Instinct de l'ange[7] Ernest Devrines Richard Dembo
1994 Le Vent du Wyoming[8] Chester André Forcier
L'Enfer Paul Prieur Claude Chabrol
Prêt-à-porter Nina's assistant Robert Altman
1995 French Kiss Bob Lawrence Kasdan
The Horseman on the Roof the doctor Jean-Paul Rappeneau
Les Apprentis[9] Antoine Pierre Salvadori
1996 Enfants de salaud[10] Sandro Tonie Marshall
1997 The Swindle Maurice Claude Chabrol
1998 Late August, Early September Adrien Olivier Assayas
2001 The Adversary Luc Nicole Garcia
2002 Janis et John[11] Walter Kingkate Samuel Benchetrit
2003 Je suis un assassin[12] Ben Castelano Thomas Vincent
2006 Tell No One Alexandre Beck Guillaume Canet
2007 Détrompez-vous Lionel Bruno Dega
2008 Les Liens du Sang[13] Gabriel Jacques Maillot
Paris Philippe Verneuil Cédric Klapisch
2009 In the Beginning Philippe Miller Xavier Giannoli
One for the Road Hervé Chabalier Philippe Godeau
2010 Little White Lies Max Cantara Guillaume Canet
2011 The Art of Love Achille Emmanuel Mouret
The Intouchables Philippe Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache
2013 11.6 Toni Musulin Philippe Godeau

Theatre

Awards

References

  1. ↑ "Cocktail Molotov". Retrieved 2012-10-23.
  2. ↑ "États d'âme". Retrieved 2012-10-23.
  3. ↑ "Elsa, Elsa". Retrieved 2012-10-23.
  4. ↑ "Elsa, Elsa". Retrieved 2012-10-23.
  5. ↑ "Force majeure". Retrieved 2012-10-23.
  6. ↑ "Deux". Retrieved 2012-10-23.
  7. ↑ "L'instinct de l'ange". Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  8. ↑ "Le vent du Wyoming". Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  9. ↑ "Les Apprentis". Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  10. ↑ "Enfants de salaud". Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  11. ↑ "Janis et John". Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  12. ↑ "Je suis un assassin". Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  13. ↑ "Rivals". Retrieved 2012-10-24.

External links

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