Jean Reno facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jean Reno
Reno at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival
Born	Juan Moreno y Herrera-Jiménez (1948-07-30) 30 July 1948 (age 76) Casablanca, French Morocco
Citizenship	France Spain
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1977–present
Spouse(s)	Geneviève Reno ​ ​ (m. 1977; div. 1995)​ Nathalie Dyszkiewicz ​ ​ (m. 1996; div. 2001)​ Zofia Borucka ​ (m. 2006)​
Children	6
Signature

Jean Reno (born Juan Moreno y Herrera-Jiménez on July 30, 1948) is a famous French-Spanish actor. He became well-known for his roles in French movies, especially those directed by Luc Besson. Jean Reno has also starred in many international films.

He has been nominated three times for the César Awards, which are like the Academy Awards in France. These nominations were for his roles in Les Visiteurs (1993), Léon: The Professional (1994), and The Big Blue (1988).

Some of his other popular movies include Mission: Impossible (1996), Ronin (1998), Godzilla (1998), and The Da Vinci Code (2006). He also voiced a character in the animated movie Flushed Away (2006).

Early Life and Family Background

Jean Reno was born as Juan Moreno y Herrera-Jiménez on July 30, 1948, in Casablanca, which was then part of French Morocco. His parents were from Spain, specifically from Sanlúcar de Barrameda and Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia. They moved to North Africa to find work and escape the difficult political situation in Spain at the time.

Jean Reno has a younger sister named María Teresa, also known as Maite. Their family raised them as Catholics. His father worked as a linotypist, which is someone who operates a machine that sets type for printing. Sadly, his mother passed away when he was a teenager.

At 17, Jean Reno and his family moved to France. There, he began studying acting at the Cours Simon School of Drama in Paris. He also served in the French Army, as military service was required once his family became French citizens. Jean Reno is fluent in Spanish, French, Arabic, and Italian.

Jean Reno's Acting Career

When Jean Reno started getting acting jobs in France, he changed his name from Juan to Jean. He also shortened his last name to Reno. Because he is tall (about 1.88 meters or 6 feet 2 inches), he often played tough or strong characters early in his career. Later, he also starred in romantic comedies and action films.

He began his film journey in France, working on many movies with director Luc Besson. Their first film together was Le Dernier Combat (1983). They continued to work together on many successful films. Some of their most famous collaborations include La Femme Nikita (1990), The Big Blue (1988), and Léon: The Professional (1994).

Jean Reno and Juliette Binoche at Cannes Film Festival in 2002

Jean Reno also lent his voice to the character of Mufasa in the French version of The Lion King. This role was originally voiced by James Earl Jones in English. He has appeared in many big Hollywood movies, such as French Kiss (1995) with Meg Ryan, Mission: Impossible (1996) with Tom Cruise, and Godzilla (1998).

He even turned down the role of Agent Smith in the movie The Matrix. In France, he starred in popular films like Les Visiteurs (1993), which was later remade in English as Just Visiting (2001).

In 2006, Jean Reno played Gilbert Ponton in The Pink Panther remake and its sequel The Pink Panther 2, alongside Steve Martin. He also played Captain Bezu Fache in the movie The Da Vinci Code.

Beyond movies, Jean Reno was involved in the video game Onimusha 3: Demon Siege. He provided his voice for the French dialogue and his appearance for the main character, Jacques Blanc. He has also appeared in commercials, including for UPS and as Doraemon in Japanese Toyota ads. In 2013, he starred in the English TV series Jo.

In 2024, Jean Reno released his first novel, which is a book he wrote, called Emma.

Jean Reno's Personal Life

Jean Reno has been married three times and has six children. His first marriage was to Geneviève in 1977, and they divorced in 1988. He then married Polish model Nathalie Dyszkiewicz in 1995, and they divorced in 2001.

On July 29, 2006, he married for the third time to Zofia Borucka, a British model and actress of Polish descent. The former French presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy was his best man at the wedding. Jean Reno has two children from each of his three marriages.

He has homes in Paris, Malaysia, and Los Angeles. Jean Reno is a citizen of both France and Spain. In an interview from 2016, he shared that his family roots are mainly Spanish, from the Andalusia region.

Stage Performances

Film Roles

Television Roles

Video Game Appearances

Awards and Nominations

Honours and Recognitions

• 2003 Officer of the National Order of Merit
• 2007 Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters
• 2015 Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts
• 2024 Commander of the Legion of Honor

Images for kids

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  Reno at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival

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  Jean Reno's signature

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  Reno with his wife Zofia Borucka at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival

See also

In Spanish: Jean Reno para niños