Gérard Depardieu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gérard Depardieu
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Depardieu at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival
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Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu
27 December 1948 Châteauroux, France
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| Other names | Жерар Ксавие Депардьё |
| Citizenship |
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1966–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Élisabeth Depardieu
(m. 1970; div. 2006) |
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| Children | 4, including Guillaume Depardieu Julie Depardieu |
| Relatives | Delphine Depardieu (niece) |
| Awards | Full list |
Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu (born 27 December 1948) is a famous French actor. He is a major figure in French movies, much like other world stars such as Alain Delon or Brigitte Bardot. Since 1967, he has acted in over 250 films.
Depardieu is also a film producer, businessman, and owns vineyards. He has worked with more than 150 directors, including famous names like François Truffaut, Ridley Scott, and Bernardo Bertolucci. He is one of the most successful actors in the history of French cinema.
He is known for playing many historical figures and famous characters. These include Cyrano de Bergerac, Christopher Columbus, and Jean Valjean. He also played Obelix in four live-action Asterix films.
Depardieu has received many honors for his work. He is a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, a high honor in France. In 2013, he was granted citizenship in Russia. He also became a cultural ambassador for Montenegro.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps in Acting
Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu was born on December 27, 1948, in Châteauroux, France. He was the third of six children in a working-class family. His mother, Anne, was a stay-at-home mom, and his father, René, was a metal worker.
Growing up, Depardieu spent a lot of time on the streets. He left school when he was 13. During his teenage years, he worked at a print shop and did some boxing.
When he was 16, a friend named Michel Pilorgé suggested they move to Paris to become actors. Depardieu agreed and went with him. In Paris, he started taking acting classes at the Théâtre National Populaire. A teacher noticed him and asked him to perform, which sparked his passion for acting.
He continued his acting studies with teacher Jean-Laurent Cochet. To improve his speaking, he also took special therapy. He became friends with actress Élisabeth Guignot, who later became his wife. She introduced him to people in the entertainment world.
A Career in Film
Becoming a Star
Depardieu's first film role was in a short film in 1967. He also performed in small theaters, where he met other future stars like Patrick Dewaere and Coluche.
His big break came in 1974 with the film Going Places (original title Les Valseuses). The movie was a huge success in France and made him an instant star. This started a long partnership with the film's director, Bertrand Blier.
Throughout the 1970s, Depardieu starred in many important films. These included the thriller Seven Deaths by Prescription (1975) and the historical movie 1900 (1976), where he acted alongside Robert De Niro. He also worked with director Bertrand Blier again on the comedy Get Out Your Handkerchiefs (1978), which won an Academy Award.
Reaching the Top
The 1980s were a very successful decade for Depardieu. In 1980, he starred with Catherine Deneuve in The Last Metro. The film was a big hit, and he won his first César Award for Best Actor.
He starred in many successful dramas, like The Return of Martin Guerre (1982) and Danton (1983). For his role in the crime drama Police (1985), he won the Best Actor award at the Venice Film Festival.
Depardieu also showed his talent for comedy. He starred with actor Pierre Richard in a series of popular comedies, including Knock on Wood (1981) and ComDads (1983). These films were huge hits in France.
In 1986, his role as a hunchbacked farmer in Jean de Florette brought him international fame. The film was loved by both audiences and critics.
Hollywood and International Fame
In 1990, Depardieu played the lead role in Cyrano de Bergerac. His performance was praised around the world. He won his second César Award for Best Actor and was nominated for an Academy Award.
He then starred in his first American movie, the romantic comedy Green Card (1990). For this role, he won a Golden Globe Award. This film was meant to introduce him to American audiences.
He continued to appear in big international films. He played Christopher Columbus in 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992) and appeared in The Man in the Iron Mask (1998) and Life of Pi (2012).
During the late 1990s, he also starred in popular TV series. He played Edmond Dantès in The Count of Monte Cristo (1998) and Jean Valjean in Les Misérables (2000). In 1999, he first played the character Obelix in a live-action Asterix movie, a role he would play three more times.
Recent Work
Depardieu has remained a very active actor. In the 2000s and 2010s, he starred in films like the crime movie The 36 (2004) and the romantic drama When I Was a Singer (2006).
In 2010, he starred in the successful comedy Potiche and the drama My Afternoons with Margueritte. He also appeared in Welcome to New York (2014), where he played a character based on a famous public figure.
From 2016 to 2018, he had a leading role in Marseille, Netflix's first French-language series. He has also written several books about his life and philosophy.
More recently, he appeared in the successful comedy Retirement Home and the crime film Maigret (both 2022). In May 2025, he began working on a new film called Elle regardait sans plus rien voir.
Personal Life
In 1970, Depardieu married actress Élisabeth Guignot. They had two children, Guillaume (1971–2008) and Julie (born 1973), who both became actors. The couple separated in the 1990s.
Depardieu has two other children from other relationships: a daughter named Roxane (born 1992) and a son named Jean (born 2006). From 1996 to 2005, he was in a relationship with actress Carole Bouquet.
On October 13, 2008, his son Guillaume died from pneumonia at the age of 37. Depardieu and his son had a difficult relationship but had made peace before his death.
Depardieu has held citizenship in France, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates. He has also been a cultural ambassador for Montenegro.
Business and Interests
Besides acting, Depardieu is a successful businessman. In the late 1980s, he began investing in vineyards. He owns wine estates in France and other parts of the world.
He also owned a famous restaurant in Paris called La Fontaine Gaillon, which he sold in 2019. In Paris, he owns several other food-related businesses, including a Japanese deli and a seafood shop. By 2012, his companies in France employed over a hundred people. His total wealth was estimated at $200 million in 2013.
Awards
Depardieu has been nominated for the César for Best Actor 17 times and has won twice. He was also nominated for an Oscar in 1990 for Cyrano de Bergerac.
Some of his honors include:
- 1985: Chevalier (Knight) of the Ordre national du Mérite
- 1996: Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur
- His rank as a Knight of the National Order of Quebec, awarded in 2002, was taken back in 2023.
Filmography
See also
In Spanish: Gérard Depardieu para niños
- Cinema of France
- List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards
External links
- Russian artist Shishkin writes portrait of Gerard Depardieu//Channel One
- Photo of Gérard Depardieu
