Benoît Magimel

Benoît Magimel (French pronunciation: [bənwa maʒimɛl]; born 11 May 1974) is a distinguished French actor. Magimel tasted fame at the tender age of 14 when he landed his debut film role. Determined to follow his showbiz dream, Magimel quit school at 16 to focus on acting. Throughout his career, he has shown an immense range, playing a wide variety of roles in French cinema. His unparalleled acting prowess led him to win the coveted Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for his role in Michael Haneke's The Piano Teacher in 2001. Besides this, he has given remarkable performances in Claude Chabrol's La Demoiselle d'honneur. His acting journey did not stop there. Magimel has won two consecutive César Awards for Best Actor for playing an acting teacher diagnosed with late-stage cancer in Peaceful (2021) and the High Commissioner of French Polynesia De Roller in Pacifiction (2022). His contributions to art and culture were acknowledged both in 2006 and 2013 when he was named Chevalier and later promoted to Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres respectively. Magimel was born in Paris, and his work spans multiple decades, making him an undeniable pillar of the French cinema industry.