Jean Dujardin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jean Dujardin
Dujardin at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival
Born	Jean Edmond Dujardin (1972-06-19) 19 June 1972 (age 53) Rueil-Malmaison, France
Occupation	Actor comedian television director
Years active	1996–present
Spouse(s)	Gaëlle Demars ​ (div. 2003)​ Alexandra Lamy ​ ​ (m. 2009; div. 2014)​ Nathalie Péchalat ​ (m. 2018)​
Children	4

Jean Edmond Dujardin (born 19 June 1972) is a famous French actor and comedian. He started his career doing stand-up comedy in Paris. Later, he became well-known for starring in TV shows and movies.

He first became very popular with the TV series Un gars, une fille (1999–2003). In this show, he acted alongside Alexandra Lamy. After that, he starred in many popular comedies like Brice de Nice (2005) and OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (2006).

Jean Dujardin became famous around the world for his role as George Valentin in the 2011 silent movie The Artist. This role won him many important awards. These included the Academy Award for Best Actor, the Golden Globe Award, and the BAFTA Award. He was the first French actor to win an Academy Award for Best Actor. Even with this global fame, he mostly continued to work in France. He also appeared in English movies like The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) and The Monuments Men (2014).

Early Life of Jean Dujardin

Jean Dujardin was born on 19 June 1972. His birthplace was Rueil-Malmaison, a town near Paris, France. He grew up in a nearby town called Plaisir.

After high school, he worked for his father's construction company as a locksmith. A few years later, while doing his military service, he started thinking about becoming an actor.

Jean Dujardin's Acting Career

Jean Dujardin began his acting journey by performing his own one-man comedy show. He performed in different bars and clubs in Paris. He first got noticed on a French talent show called Graines de star in 1996. He was part of a comedy group called Nous Ç Nous.

From 1999 to 2003, Dujardin starred in the French TV comedy series Un gars, une fille. He acted with Alexandra Lamy, who later became his wife. This TV series showed the ups and downs of a relationship. Each episode was short, less than ten minutes long.

Becoming a Film Star

After his TV success, Jean Dujardin moved into movies. In 2005, he played the main character, a surfer, in the popular comedy film Brice de Nice. He also sang on the movie's soundtrack.

In 2006, Dujardin starred as a secret agent named Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath in the comedy OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies. This role earned him an Etoile D'Or Award and a nomination for a César Award for Best Actor. The movie was so successful that it led to a sequel, OSS 117: Lost in Rio.

In 2007, he starred in 99F (99 francs). This film was a funny look at the advertising world. The same year, he tried a serious role for the first time in the movie Contre-enquête. In this film, he played a troubled father and police officer.

Jean Dujardin with Charlotte Gainsbourg in 2011

In 2009, he appeared in A Man and His Dog with the legendary actor Jean-Paul Belmondo. Many people have compared Dujardin to Belmondo. In 2010, he acted alongside Albert Dupontel in the comedy The Clink of Ice.

International Success with The Artist

In 2011, Dujardin played the movie star George Valentin in the silent film The Artist. He worked again with director Michel Hazanavicius and co-star Bérénice Bejo from OSS 117. The film was shown for the first time at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. There, he won the Best Actor Award.

His acting in The Artist received a lot of praise. He won many awards, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy on 15 January 2012. He also won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor and the BAFTA for Best Actor.

Dujardin then won the Best Actor award at the 84th Academy Awards. This made him the first French actor to win the Best Actor Oscar. After his Oscar nomination, he was signed by the WME talent agency.

Later Films

In February 2012, Dujardin appeared in Les Infidèles with his friend Gilles Lellouche. In 2013, he starred in Möbius with Cécile de France and Tim Roth.

Jean Dujardin in 2014

His second film that year was Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street. He acted alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill. He also appeared in The Monuments Men, directed by George Clooney. In this film, he co-starred with Clooney, Matt Damon, and Cate Blanchett.

In late 2014, La French was released. In this movie, he played a French police judge. The judge tries to stop the French Connection, a big crime organization.

Jean Dujardin's Personal Life

Jean Dujardin has been married three times and has four children. His first marriage ended in 2003. He has two sons from that marriage.

In 2003, he started dating Alexandra Lamy. They had met during auditions for the TV series Un gars, une fille. They fell in love while filming the show. They got married in 2009. In 2013, they announced that they had separated.

He began dating French ice dancer Nathalie Péchalat in 2014. He even traveled to Japan to watch her perform in an ice skating championship. They had a daughter named Jeanne in December 2015. They got married on 19 May 2018. Their second daughter, Alice, was born in February 2021.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music video

• 2005 : "Le Casse de Brice" (directed by J.G. Biggs)
• 2016 : "Pour un pote" featuring Bigflo & Oli

Awards and Nominations

Jean Dujardin has won many awards throughout his career, especially for his role in The Artist.

See also

In Spanish: Jean Dujardin para niños