Benoît Magimel | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Magimel in 2023 | |
| Born | 11 May 1974 (1974-05-11) (age 51) Paris, France |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Spouse | [1] |
| Partner(s) | Juliette Binoche (1998–2003) Nikita Lespinasse (2004–14) |
| Children | 2 |
Benoît Magimel (French pronunciation:[bənwamaʒimɛl]; born 11 May 1974) is a French actor. He was 14 when he appeared in his first film, and has starred in a variety of roles in French cinema. At age 16, Magimel left school to pursue acting as a career. In 2001, he won the Best Actor award at theCannes Film Festival for his role inMichael Haneke'sThe Piano Teacher.[2][3] He also starred inClaude Chabrol'sLa Demoiselle d'honneur.
He won two consecutiveCésar Awards forBest Actor for starring as an acting teacher diagnosed withlate-stage cancer inPeaceful (2021)[4][5] and theHigh Commissioner of French Polynesia De Roller inPacifiction (2022).[6][7]
Magimel was named Chevalier of theOrdre des Arts et des Lettres in 2006 and was promoted to the rank of Officier in 2013.[8][9]
Benoît Magimel was born inParis on 11 May 1974. His mother was a nurse and his father worked in a bank.[10] Through his maternal grandfather he is ofHungarian Jewish descent.[11] He has a brother, Arnaud, and a sister, Bénédicte.[11][12]
In 1988, he landed his first film role inÉtienne Chatiliez's comedyLife Is a Long Quiet River, in which he played Maurice "Momo" Groseille. At sixteen, while inpremière (the second year oflycée), Magimel left school without a diploma to pursue acting as a career.[10][11]
For his second film, theChristine Lipinska-directed comedyPapa est parti, maman aussi (1989), his name appeared at the top of the bill alongsideSophie Aubry andJérôme Kircher.[13][14]
He spent the decade accumulating roles, on television and in cinema, growing up in front of the camera, often under the direction of respected filmmakers.
In 1995, Magimel appeared as boyfriend Rémi inBenoît Jacquot's New Wave-style dramaA Single Girl, which starsVirginie Ledoyen as a hotel waitress who discovers she is pregnant.[15] That same year, Magimel made a brief appearance inMathieu Kassovitz's black-and-whitebanlieue dramaLa Haine, which went on to become acult film.[16][17]
In 1996, Magimel took on a supporting role inAndré Téchiné's psychodramaThieves, starringCatherine Deneuve,Daniel Auteuil andLaurence Côte.[18] His performance garnered him a nomination for theCésar Award for Most Promising Actor in 1997.[19]
He then achieved leading roles, often depicting rough and violent characters. In 1998, he shared the screen withRomain Duris andZoé Félix forOlivier Dahan's crime dramaDéjà mort.[20] He also starred in themining dramaUne minute de silence, directed byFlorent-Emilio Siri,[21][22] who would become one of Magimel's most frequent collaborators.
In 1999, he shared the screen withJuliette Binoche in the romantic dramaChildren of the Century. Under the direction ofDiane Kurys, he portrayedAlfred de Musset.[23]
In 2000, he appeared inXavier Beauvois's dramaTo Matthieu, in which he portrayed the lover of Claire, played byNathalie Baye.[24] Magimel surprised audiences with his performance asLouis XIV in the costume dramaThe King Is Dancing, directed byGérard Corbiau.[25]
The following decade allowed him to secure roles in more popular films.
In 2001, he played a young protégé to a masochistic piano teacher who attempts to engage him in a sadomasochistic relationship, played byIsabelle Huppert, in the acclaimed dramaThe Piano Teacher, directed byMichael Haneke.[26][27] He won theBest Actor award at the2001 Cannes Film Festival for his performance.[28] Then in 2002, he reunited with Florent-Emilio Siri for the action thrillerThe Nest.[29]
In 2003, he shared the screen withLaetitia Casta for the dramaErrance.[30] He also accepted a supporting role underJacques Villeret andAndré Dussollier inJean Becker's dramaStrange Gardens.[31] He then portrayed a son alongsideNathalie Baye inClaude Chabrol's family dramaThe Flower of Evil.[32]
He continued this momentum in 2004 withOlivier Dahan's police thrillerCrimson Rivers II: Angels of the Apocalypse, in which he appeared oppositeJean Reno.[33] He then appeared alongsideLaura Smet inClaude Chabrol's psychological thrillerThe Bridesmaid.[34][35]
He continued in 2005 with the thrillerTrouble, starringNatacha Régnier.[36] He then shared the screen withClovis Cornillac for the blockbusterSky Fighters.[37][38] Around the same time, Magimel was also approached byBarbet Schroeder to portray French criminalJacques Mesrine afterVincent Cassel withdrew from the role. Magimel refused the role because he felt his physique would be unsuitable to portray Mesrine.[39] The project was later revived byJean-François Richet, with Cassel returning, which produced the widely acclaimedMesrine.[40]
On 2 January 2006, Magimel was named Chevalier of theOrdre des Arts et des Lettres by Minister of CultureRenaud Donnedieu de Vabres.[8] In 2006, he was part of the choral cast ofNicole Garcia's dramaCharlie Says.[41] He played an office employee inLionel Bailliu'sFair Play, a psychological thriller about moral harassment in the workplace.[42][43]
Magimel had four film releases in 2007. In January, he led the Parisian organized crime thrillerParis Lockdown, directed byFrédéric Schoendoerffer;[44] in August, he co-starred withLudivine Sagnier forA Girl Cut in Two, by Claude Chabrol;[45] in October, he reunited withFlorent-Emilio Siri for the Algerian War dramaIntimate Enemies;[46] and in December, he plays in themulti-narrative drama24 Mesures, byJalil Lespert.[47]
In 2008, the novelistMichel Houellebecq directed Magimel ina film adaptation of one of his bestsellers,The Possibility of an Island.[48] Magimel also traveled to Japan to star inBarbet Schroeder's mystery thrillerInju: The Beast in the Shadow, based on the novel byEdogawa Ranpo.[49]
In 2010, he co-starred in the crime thrillerSans laisser de traces withFrançois-Xavier Demaison and played the title lawyer inCédric Anger's thrillerL'Avocat.[50][51] The year also marked his return to the comedy genre with two new films. He was cast inGuillaume Canet's hit comedy-drama filmLittle White Lies.[52] He also shared the screen withÉdouard Baer inMarc Esposito'sMon pote.[53] The same year, he provided the voice for theKen doll in the French dub of thePixar animation filmToy Story 3.[54]
In 2011, he starred underDiane Kruger in Afghanistan war adventure filmForces spéciales.[55] He then reunited withJalil Lespert for the intimate dramaHeadwinds, appearing oppositeIsabelle Carré.[56] Finally, he lends his voice to the video gameCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.[57]
In 2012, audiences saw him collaborating once again withFlorent-Emilio Siri for the biopicMy Way, in which he portrayed the entertainment producer Paul Lederman.[58] His performance was hailed and garnered him a nomination for theCésar Award for Best Supporting Actor in2013.[59]
In 2013,Diane Kurys cast him oppositeMélanie Thierry in the dramaFor a Woman.[60] On 9 July 2013, Magimel was promoted to the rank of Officier of theOrdre des Arts et des Lettres by Minister of CultureAurélie Filippetti.[9] In 2014, he appeared in the action crime thrillerThe Connection, led by actorJean Dujardin.[61][62]
In 2015, he co-starred withKad Merad andCharles Berling in thebuddy comedyOn voulait tout casser.[63] The same year, he starred inEmmanuelle Bercot's coming-of-age dramaStanding Tall.[64] His performance as a counselor to a troubled teen was hailed and won him theCésar Award for Best Supporting Actor in2016.[65][66]
In 2016, Magimel was again directed by Emmanuelle Bercot in her medical drama150 Milligrams, starringSidse Babett Knudsen.[67] He was also again directed byFrédéric Schoendoerffer in the action thrillerLe Convoi.[68] Magimel returned to television for the political drama seriesMarseille, developed byFlorent-Emilio Siri forNetflix.[69] He appeared alongsideGérard Depardieu andGéraldine Pailhas.[70]
In 2017, he played a supporting role in the dramaMemoir of War, carried byMélanie Thierry.[71] He then played the protagonist of the crime thrillerCarbon,[72] which marked his first collaboration with directorOlivier Marchal.
Then in 2019, he became attached toNous finirons ensemble, the sequel to the hit comedy-dramaLittle White Lies, again directed byGuillaume Canet.[73] The seriesMarseille was not renewed for a third season, following poor reviews.[74]
In 2022, he received theCésar Award for Best Actor andLumière Award for Best Actor forPeaceful (2021),[75][76] directed byEmmanuelle Bercot, in which he starred oppositeCatherine Deneuve in portraying an acting teacher diagnosed withlate-stage cancer.[77]
In 2022, he starred as the enigmaticHigh Commissioner of French Polynesia De Roller inPacifiction, directed by Catalan auteur filmmakerAlbert Serra.[78] Set inTahiti, the film explores De Roller's work and social engagements amid the surrounding political and colonial tensions of the island territory. The film is distinct for its lush widescreen panoramic shots of the Polynesian landscape and for its hypnotic atmosphere.[79][80] With a nearly three-hour runtime,[81]Pacifiction is a thriller that juxtaposes its "aesthetic sublime" with a "sense of paranoia and dread as its narrative is consistently thwarted in favour of modulated moods and atmospheres".[82] The film premiered in competition at the2022 Cannes Film Festival,[83] and was awarded theLouis Delluc Prize.[84] Magimel received widespread acclaim for his performance, for which he received both the César and Lumière awards for Best Actor.[85][86] In doing so, Magimel became the first actor in the history of both the Lumière and César Awards to win Best Actor two years in a row.[87][88]
In 2023, Magimel starred in three films presented at the76th Cannes Film Festival:Stéphanie Di Giusto'sRosalie, a historical drama set in 1870s Brittany and starringNadia Tereszkiewicz as abearded lady;[89]The King of Algiers, a comedy set in Algeria and starringReda Kateb;[90] andTran Anh Hung'sThe Taste of Things, a historical drama starring that depicts a romance between a cook, played by Juliette Binoche, and the gourmet she works for.[91]
In June 2024,Apple TV+ announced the six-part thriller seriesÀ l'ombre des forêts starring Magimel andMélanie Laurent, created and directed by Cédric Anger.[92]
In 1998, Magimel began a relationship withJuliette Binoche, whom he met during the filming ofChildren of the Century. They have a daughter, Hana, who was born in 1999. They separated in 2003.[93] In 2004,[94] Magimel began a relationship with actress Nikita Lespinasse, whom he had met during the filming ofCrimson Rivers II: Angels of the Apocalypse.[95] Their daughter, Djinina, was born in 2011.[96] Magimel and Lespinasse separated in 2014.[95]
In February 2016, Magimel appeared at theCésar Awards ceremony alongside his partner Margot Pelletier.[97] The couple were married on 10 November 2018, during a ceremony held at the town hall of the16th arrondissement of Paris.[98]
On 11 March 2016, he was taken into police custody after hitting a 62-year-old woman in Paris, on the boulevard Exelmans while driving a rental car without a licence. He was charged withhit and run, unintentional injury, and driving despite cancellation of a driving licence. He was subject to drug testing, which revealed traces ofcocaine in his system.[99][100] The pedestrian, who suffered injuries to her legs, was hospitalised.[101] In June 2017, he was sentenced on appeal to a fine of€5,000 for having hit the pedestrian and a€1,200 fine for driving under the influence of drugs.[102][103]
On 18 September 2017, Magimel was again arrested in Paris in his car and in the company of another man whiledriving against traffic in a one-way street. Pouches of white powder containingheroin were found in his possession although he tested negative on a saliva test. He was sentenced to a three-month suspended prison sentence for possession of narcotics.[104]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Life Is a Long Quiet River | Momo Groseille | |
| 1989 | Papa est parti, maman aussi | Jérôme | |
| 1992 | Toutes peines confondues | Thomas | |
| Les Années campagne | Jules | ||
| Le cahier volé | Maurice | ||
| 1995 | La Haine | Benoît | |
| A Single Girl | Rémi | ||
| 1996 | Thieves | Jimmy Fontana | |
| 1998 | Déjà mort | David | |
| Une minute de silence | Marek | ||
| 1999 | Children of the Century | Alfred de Musset | |
| 2000 | Elle et lui au 14ème étage | Firmin | |
| The King Is Dancing | Louis XIV of France | ||
| To Matthieu | Matthieu Debris | ||
| 2001 | Lisa | Sam | |
| The Piano Teacher | Walter Klemmer | ||
| 2002 | The Nest | Santino | |
| 2003 | The Flower of Evil | François Vasseur | |
| Strange Gardens | Emile Bailleul | ||
| Errance | Jacques | ||
| 2004 | Crimson Rivers II: Angels of the Apocalypse | Capitaine Reda | |
| The Bridesmaid | Philippe Tardieu | ||
| 2005 | Trouble | Matyas / Thomas | |
| Sky Fighters | Capitaine Antoine "Walk'n" Marchelli | ||
| 2006 | Charlie Says | Pierre | |
| Fair Play | Jean-Claude | ||
| 2007 | Paris Lockdown | Franck | |
| A Girl Cut in Two | Paul André Claude Gaudens | ||
| 24 Mesures | Didier | ||
| Intimate Enemies | Lieutenant Terrien | ||
| 2008 | 2 Alone in Paris | Le commissaire | |
| La Possibilité d'une île | Daniel | ||
| Inju: The Beast in the Shadow | Alex Fayard | ||
| 2010 | Sans laisser de traces | Étienne Meunier | |
| L'Avocat | Léo Demarsan | ||
| Little White Lies | Vincent Ribaud | ||
| Mon pote | Bruno Duchêne | ||
| 2011 | Forces spéciales | Tic-Tac | |
| Headwinds | Paul Anderen | ||
| 2012 | My Way | Paul Lederman | |
| 2013 | For a Woman | Michel | |
| 2014 | The Connection | Le Fou | |
| 2015 | Standing Tall | Yann | |
| On voulait tout casser | Gérôme | ||
| Cafard | Jean Mordant (Voice) | ||
| 2016 | Le Convoi | Alex | |
| 150 Milligrams | Antoine Le Bihan | ||
| 2017 | Money | Vincent | |
| Memoir of War | Pierre Rabier | ||
| Carbon | Antoine Roca | ||
| 2019 | Nous finirons ensemble | Vincent | |
| An Easy Girl | Philippe | ||
| Lola | Philippe | ||
| 2020 | Lovers | Léo Redler | |
| 2021 | Dune Dreams | Simon | |
| Peaceful | Benjamin Boltanski | ||
| 2022 | Incredible but True | Gérard | |
| Paris Memories | Thomas | ||
| Pacifiction | De Roller | ||
| Jack Mimoun et les Secrets de Val Verde | Jonas Anatoli | ||
| Le Marchand de sable | Yvan | ||
| 2023 | Rosalie | Abel Deluc | |
| The King of Algiers | Roger | ||
| The Taste of Things | Dodin Bouffant | ||
| 2024 | Ni chaînes ni maîtres | Eugène Larcenet | |
| Saint-Ex | Le directeur de l'Aéropostale (voice) | ||
| 2025 | De Gaulle[105] | Post production | |
| TBA | Mi Amor[106] | In-production | |
| TBA | Banquise[107] | In-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Pause café pause tendresse | Gérard Nyzeures | Episode: "Les verres cassés" |
| 1990 | Les Enfants de Lascaux | Georges | TV movie |
| 1991 | Faux frère | TV movie | |
| Les Ritals | Francois | TV movie | |
| Le Lyonnais | Robert Rodrigue | Episode: "Régis l'éventreur" | |
| 1993 | L'Instit | Félix | Episode: "Les chiens et les loups" |
| Le Voyant | Young man | Episode: "Pleine lune" | |
| 1994 | Jalna | Eden | Miniseries; 8 episodes |
| La Colline aux mille enfants | René | TV movie | |
| Tous les garçons et les filles de leur âge... | Pierre | TV movie: "L'Incruste" | |
| 1996 | Long cours | Jeff | TV movie |
| 1999 | Bonne Nuit | Serge | TV movie |
| 2008 | Résolution 819 | Jacques Calvez | TV movie |
| 2016–2018 | Marseille | Lucas Barrès | Main role; 16 episodes |
| TBA | À l'ombre des forêts | Franck | Miniseries; 6 episodes |
Chevalier of theOrdre des Arts et des Lettres[8]
Officier of theOrdre des Arts et des Lettres[9]| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Les acteurs à l'Écran de Saint-Denis | 30 March 1997 | Prix Michel Simon | Thieves | Won | |
| Cabourg Film Festival | 14 June 2015 | Swann d'Or for Best Actor | Standing Tall | Won | |
| Cannes Film Festival | 20 May 2001 | Best Actor | The Piano Teacher | Won | |
| César Awards | 8 February 1997 | Most Promising Actor | Thieves | Nominated | |
| 22 February 2013 | Best Supporting Actor | My Way | Nominated | ||
| 26 February 2016 | Standing Tall | Won | |||
| 25 February 2022 | Best Actor | Peaceful | Won | ||
| 24 February 2023 | Pacifiction | Won | |||
| Lumière Awards | 13 January 2008 | Best Actor | A Girl Cut in Two | Nominated | |
| 17 January 2022 | Peaceful | Won | |||
| 16 January 2023 | Pacifiction | Won |
