Famous French Actors

French-American actor Hervé Villechaize is best remembered for playing the evil henchman in the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun. Born with dwarfism, he was bullied at school for his condition. After initially working as an artist, painter and photographer, he ventured into acting. He was popular and much loved by the audience.

Max von Sydow was a Swedish actor and director. In an illustrious career spanning seven decades, Max contributed immensely to American and European cinema, theatre, and television. He appeared in 11 of Ingmar Bergman's films, including The Seventh Seal, which houses the iconic scene where Max's character challenges the personification of Death to a game of chess.

Christopher Lambert shot to fame with his portrayal of Tarzan in the 1984 film Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes. He is also known as Connor MacLeod from the Highlander franchise and as Raiden from Mortal Kombat. He has also been part of several French films.

Charles Aznavour was a French-Armenian actor, singer, diplomat, and lyricist. One of France's most famous singers, Aznavour was called the Frank Sinatra of France. One of the best-selling musicians of his generation, Aznavour sold 200 million records. In 1998, CNN named him the Entertainer of the Century. In 2017, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

French actor and musician Tchéky Karyo is best known as Julien Baptiste from the series The Missing and its spin-off, Baptiste. His performance in La Balance earned him a Cesar Award nomination. He has also appeared in character roles in films such as Kiss of the Dragon and The Patriot.

French-American actor Charles Boyer appeared in more than 80 films in a career that spanned over half a century. He pursued a theatrical career as a young man and eventually moved into films. He achieved extreme popularity with his roles in romantic movies like The Garden of Allah and Love Affair in the 1930s. He received four Academy Award nominations.

Samuel Benchetrit is a French writer, scenarist, actor, and director. Over the years, Benchetrit's achievements as a writer and actor have been overshadowed by his personal life and relationships with popular actresses like Marie Trintignant, Anna Mouglalis, and Vanessa Paradis.

Jean Renoir was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer. The son of the prominent painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Jean was one of the first filmmakers to be known as an auteur. He started working during the silent film era and made more than 40 silent films. In 1975, he received a Lifetime Achievement Academy Award.

Yvan Attal is an Israeli-French actor, director, and screenwriter best known for his work in the film My Wife Is an Actress, for which he received a Cesar Award nomination. He acted in one segment of the film New York, I Love You, and directed another. He also dubs and has dubbed for Tom Cruise’s character in many films.