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Jacques Villeret
Actor

Jacques Villeret

6 Feb 1951Born
28 Jan 2005Died
53Age at death
75Credits

Biography

Jacques Villeret (6 February 1951 – 28 January 2005) was a French actor, best known internationally for his role as François Pignon in the comedy Le Dîner de Cons. During his career, he earned many awards including the prestigious medal and title of Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur.

Villeret was born Jacky Boufroura in Loches, Indre-et-Loire, France, to an Algerian father and a French mother. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSAD) in the same class as Louis Seigner, the grandfather of Emmanuelle Seigner and Mathilde Seigner.

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While he was most famous for his role as François Pignon in Le Dîner de Cons; both on the stage and in the film, his other celebrated roles included the extra terrestrial in La soupe aux choux, the autistic Mo in L'été en pente douce, and marshal Ludwig von Apfelstrudel in Papy fait de la résistance.

At the time of making the film Un aller simple directed by Laurent Heynemann – a film about integration and racism and the clash of generations – he said that watching the young actors in the film, Barbara Schulz and Lorant Deutsch, reminded him of the insouciance he had had as a young man with his friends at the Conservatoire.

When his career was at its height, with the success of Le Dîner de Cons, everything collapsed in a tragedy mirroring the plot of the film. Villeret separated from his wife and suffered an enormous financial downfall due to tax issues, plunging him into depression. Villeret turned to alcohol for comfort, and became an alcoholic. He isolated himself and hid away for long periods. He later said: Alcohol is a friend, but a friend who means you harm.

Villeret's love of his profession helped to bring his career back from the brink. In an interview in 2001 he spoke of his admiration for performers like Johnny Hallyday and Jacques Brel for their level of commitment, and quoted the author Louis-Ferdinand Céline: When I write, I put my balls on the table.

In 1979 Villeret married Irina Tarassov, an actress and writer. They separated in 1998. Tassarov wrote about their life together in her book Un jour, tout ira bien. (One day, everything will go well).

In 2002 Villeret met Seny, a Senegalese-French widow descended through her grandfather, Mor Diarra N'Dao, from a long line of Sérès nobles of the ancient Kingdom of Saloum, and they fell instantly and deeply in love. They were partners for three years, and she was about to move to Paris to be with him when he died in Évreux in January 2005 of a liver haemorrhage. Seny wrote a memoir of their life together, Jacques Villeret, mon bébé blanc, which was published in Paris by Le Cherche Midi in 2005.

Source: Article "Jacques Villeret" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Known for

Filmography

  1. 2022Belmondo: The IncorrigibleFilm
  2. 2005The Do-GoodersFilm: lucien
  3. 2005Grey SoulsFilm: Le juge Mierck
  4. 2005The AntidoteFilm: André Morin
  5. 2005IznogoudFilm: Haroun El Poussah
  6. 2004Viper in the FistFilm: Jacques Rézeau
  7. 2004Malabar PrincessFilm: Gaspard
  8. 2003Le FuretFilm: le Furet
  9. 2003Strange GardensFilm: Jacques Pouzay
  10. 2001One Way TicketFilm: Jean-Pierre
  11. 2001A Crime in ParadiseFilm: Jojo Braconnier
  12. 2000ActorsFilm: Jacques Villeret
  13. 1999The Children of the MarshlandFilm: Henri Pignol, aka Riton
  14. 1998MookieFilm: Frère Benoît
  15. 1998The Dinner GameFilm: François Pignon
  16. 1997Le Dernier ÉtéFilm: Georges Mandel
  17. 1997Georges Dandin de MolièreFilm: Georges Dandin
  18. 1996Golden BoyFilm: Antoine Bonvoisin
  19. 1994WackoFilm: Le pompiste
  20. 1992The Drummer of Ravel's BoléroFilm: Le batteur
  21. 1992The Son of the MekongFilm: Durieux
  22. 1992Le Bal des casse-piedsFilm: Jérôme, le présentateur de la météo
  23. 1992588 rue ParadisFilm: Alexandre Pagès
  24. 1991The Favour, the Watch and the Very Big FishFilm: Lingerie Man
  25. 1991The Professional Secrets of Dr. ApfelgluckFilm: Martineau
  26. 1990Three YearsFilm: Alexandre Guillermen
  27. 1989Un fil à la patteFilm: Bouzin
  28. 1988La Petite AmieFilm: Guillaume Bertin
  29. 1988NailcruncherFilm: Salomon
  30. 1987Keep Your Right UpFilm: Individual
  31. 1987L'été en pente douceFilm: Maurice Leheurt aka Mo
  32. 1987Last Summer in TangiersFilm: Marcus
  33. 1987Sale TempsFilm
  34. 1987C'est encore mieux l'après-midiFilm: Georges Pigier
  35. 1986The Joint BrothersFilm: Momo
  36. 1986Black Mic MacFilm: Michel Le Gorgues
  37. 1986Les Folles Années du TwistFilm: M'sieur John Wayne
  38. 1986La Galette du roiFilm: Utte de Danemark
  39. 1985Hold-upFilm: Jeremie Blanchet, chauffeur de taxi
  40. 1985Drôle de samediFilm: Maurice, the butcher
  41. 1985Dialogue de sourdsFilm: The blind
  42. 1984The VulturesFilm: Brigadier Béral
  43. 1983First Name: CarmenFilm: The Man Who Eats Yogurt
  44. 1983Waiter!Film: Gilbert, Alex's friend
  45. 1983Gramps Is in the ResistanceFilm: Maréchal Ludwig von Apfelstrudel
  46. 1983Move Along, There Is Nothing to See!Film: Pelissier
  47. 1983EffractionFilm: Valentin Tralande, truand violent
  48. 1983DantonFilm: François-Joseph Westermann
  49. 1983Edith and MarcelFilm: Jacques Barbier
  50. 1982The Big BrotherFilm: Inspecteur Coleau
  51. 1982Merci BernardSeries (2 episodes)
  52. 1981The Cabbage SoupFilm: L'Oxien (La Denrée)
  53. 1981BoleroFilm: Jacques
  54. 1981MalevilFilm: Momo
  55. 1979Out of WhackFilm: Henri Fisserman / Paul Flantier / Bouli / Dr. Delomien, ...
  56. 1979Dumb But DisciplinedFilm: Jacques Cardot
  57. 1979Us TwoFilm: Tonton Musique
  58. 1979Heart to HeartFilm: Sitting student
  59. 1978Mountain PassFilm: Georges
  60. 1978Mon Premier AmourFilm: Jacques Labrousse
  61. 1978Robert et RobertFilm: Robert Villiers
  62. 1978Un Balcon en forêtFilm: Gourcuff
  63. 1978Ciné regardsSeries (1 episode)
  64. 1978Le Rabat-joieFilm: Léon
  65. 1977Another Man, Another ChanceFilm: Customer
  66. 1976Nono NénesseFilm: Nono
  67. 1976The Castaways of Turtle IslandFilm: Bernard Dupoirier, dit « Petit Nono »
  68. 1976A Second ChanceFilm: L'agent immobilier
  69. 1976The Good and the BadFilm: Jacques
  70. 1975The Common ManFilm: Gérald
  71. 1975Serious as PleasureFilm: Le gendarme
  72. 1974The Mouth AgapeFilm: (uncredited)
  73. 1974Loving in the RainFilm: Guillaume
  74. 1973Nothing to ReportFilm: Soldat Girot
  75. 1972Detective StoryFilm: Le photographe

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.