Daniel Auteuil

Daniel Auteuil, a French actor and director, is known for appearing in a wide range of film genres such as period dramas, romantic comedies, and crime thrillers. His outstanding performance as Ugolin Soubeyran in Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources won him a César Award for Best Actor in 1987. He also won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for the same role. Besides this, Auteuil won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1996 alongside Belgian actor Pascal Duquenne. With all these accolades, Auteuil is considered one of the most respected actors in France.

Born in Algiers, French Algeria, on 24th January 1950, Auteuil's parents were opera singers. He took up stage acting at the age of 16 in Chekhov's La Demande en mariage, and made his film debut in 1972. Auteuil didn't have a smooth journey into the industry; despite several attempts, he was never accepted into the Conservatoire national supérieur d'art dramatique. However, this didn't stop him from pursuing his career, and by 1970 he was making his debut in théâtre national populaire in Early Morning. Auteuil continued to gain recognition with roles in various films and TV series, gaining international recognition with his roles in Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources in 1986.