Jean-Louis Trintignant

Jean-Louis Xavier Trintignant was a critically acclaimed French actor, esteemed as one of the premier dramatic performers of the post-war era. His career started in 1951 and spanned nearly seven decades during which he worked with many revered auteur directors. His portrayal of roles in films such as And God Created Woman (1956) and A Man and a Woman (1966) are noteworthy and earned him recognition in the international film industry. Trintignant won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival. Aside cinema, his life was marked by family tragedy, his daughter Marie was a successful actress who tragically lost her life.

Trintignant grew up with aspirations of studying law only to find his passion in acting. He made his film debut in 1955, gaining prominence in 1956. His career was interrupted due to mandatory military service, but resumed to great acclaim on his return. He starred in many films during the 1970s and reprised his best-known role in the sequel to A Man and a Woman two decades later. Despite announcing retirement in 2018, he accepted a role in Claude Lelouch's film The Best Years of a Life in 2019. Apart from being an actor and director, he also dabbled in rally driving, a testament to his interest in automobile racing, a trait he shared with members of his race driver family.