François Cluzet


François Cluzet is a French film and theatre actor. Cluzet has collaborated with many important European and American directors, including Claude Chabrol, Bertrand Tavernier, Claire Denis, Agnieszka Holland, Robert Altman and Olivier Assayas. In 2007, he won a French César Award after starring as a doctor suspected of double homicide in the thriller Tell No One. Cluzet is best known for his role as Philippe in the film The Intouchables.

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 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 Bertrand Tavernier, Tony Gatlif, Claire Denis, Pierre Jolivet, Bertrand Blier and again Robert Enrico. Next, the actor worked with Claude Chabrol to play a husband tortured by jealousy in L'Enfer 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 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, and Je suis un assassin. He played the double of John Lennon in Janis et John and an animator of teleshopping in France Boutique. 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. Based on a true story, the film chronicles the friendship between a wealthy quadraplegic 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 1980s, later divorcing. Cluzet has a son, Paul, with late actress Marie Trintignant. In 1994 he was living with Chiara Mastroianni. 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.

Theatre

Awards