François Cluzet 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. Cluzet may be best known for his role as Philippe in the international hit 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 dramaCheval 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 Diane 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. 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, 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. Based on a true story, the film chronicles the friendship between a wealthy quadraplegic 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.
Personal life
Cluzet has a son, Paul, as well as three other children: Blanche, Joseph, and Marguerite.
