Gaspard Ulliel
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Gaspard Thomas Ulliel (; 25 November 198419 January 2022) was a French actor and model. He was known for having portrayed the young
Hannibal Lecter Dr. Hannibal Lecter is a character created by American novelist Thomas Harris. Lecter is a cannibalistic serial killer and former forensic psychiatrist; after his incarceration, he is consulted by FBI agents Will Graham and Clarice Starling ...
in ''
Hannibal Rising ''Hannibal Rising'' is a psychological horror novel by American author Thomas Harris, published in 2006. It is the fourth and final novel in Harris's series and the first novel in chronological order of the novels of Thomas Harris centered aro ...
'' (2007), fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent in the biopic '' Saint Laurent'' (2014), and for being the face of
Chanel Chanel ( , ) is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. It is privately owned by French brothers, Alain and Gérard Wertheimer, through the holding company Chanel Limited, established in 2018 and headquarte ...
men's fragrance Bleu de Chanel for twelve years. He also voiced Jack Frost in the French version of '' Rise of the Guardians'' (2012), and portrayed Anton Mogart in the
Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
miniseries ''
Moon Knight Moon Knight is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin, the character first appeared in ''Werewolf by Night'' #32 (August 1975). The son of a rabbi, Marc S ...
'' (2022). Ulliel made his feature film debut in '' Brotherhood of the Wolf'' (2001), and had his breakthrough in '' Strayed'' (2003). He was nominated for the
César Award Cesar or César may refer to: Arts and entertainment * César (film), ''César'' (film), a 1936 French romantic drama * César (film), ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt Places * Cesar, Portugal * Cesar Department, Colombia * Cesar R ...
for Most Promising Actor for three consecutive years for his performances in '' Summer Things'' (2002), ''Strayed'' (2003), and '' A Very Long Engagement'' (2004); winning that award in 2005 for his performance as
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
soldier Manech in ''A Very Long Engagement''. In 2015, he earned his first César nomination for Best Actor for his performance in ''Saint Laurent''. In 2017, he won the
César Award for Best Actor This is the list of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Actor (). History Superlatives Winners 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s Multiple wins and nominations The following individuals received two or more Best ...
for his role as a terminally ill playwright in '' It's Only the End of the World'' (2016). He became a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in France in 2015. His other notable works include '' The Last Day'' (2004), ''
Paris, je t'aime ''Paris, je t'aime'' (; ) is a 2006 anthology film starring an ensemble cast of actors of various nationalities. The two-hour film consists of eighteen short films set in different '' arrondissements'' (districts). The 22 directors include Guri ...
'' (2006), '' Jacquou le Croquant'' (2007), '' The Princess of Montpensier'' (2010), '' To the Ends of the World'' (2018), ''
Sibyl The sibyls were prophetesses or oracles in Ancient Greece. The sibyls prophet, prophesied at holy sites. A sibyl at Delphi has been dated to as early as the eleventh century BC by Pausanias (geographer), PausaniasPausanias 10.12.1 when he desc ...
'' (2019), and '' Twice Upon a Time'' (2019). Ulliel died on 19 January 2022 at the age of 37, following a skiing accident at La Rosière resort in
Savoie Savoie (; Arpitan: ''Savouè'' or ''Savouè-d'Avâl''; English: ''Savoy'' ) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Southeastern France. Located in the French Alps, its prefecture is Chambéry. In 2019, Savoie had a population o ...
, France.


Early life

Ulliel was born in the Paris suburb of
Neuilly-sur-Seine Neuilly-sur-Seine (; 'Neuilly-on-Seine'), also known simply as Neuilly, is an urban Communes of France, commune in the Hauts-de-Seine Departments of France, department just west of Paris in France. Immediately adjacent to the city, north of the ...
to Christine, a stylist and
runway In aviation, a runway is an elongated, rectangular surface designed for the landing and takeoff of an aircraft. Runways may be a human-made surface (often asphalt concrete, asphalt, concrete, or a mixture of both) or a natural surface (sod, ...
show producer, and Serge Ulliel, a fashion designer. Ulliel was an only child. His great-grandfather, Raoul Ulliel (1889–1943), was a bronzesmith who distinguished himself in combat during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. His paternal grandmother was of
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
and
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...
descent. He had a
scar A scar (or scar tissue) is an area of fibrosis, fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin after an injury. Scars result from the biological process of wound repair in the skin, as well as in other Organ (anatomy), organs, and biological tissue, t ...
on his left
cheek The cheeks () constitute the area of the face below the eyes and between the nose and the left or right ear. ''Buccal'' means relating to the cheek. In humans, the region is innervated by the buccal nerve. The area between the inside of th ...
as a result of a doberman attacking him with its claws when he attempted to ride the dog like a horse at the age of six. He once quipped that the scar increased his emotional acting abilities because it looked like a
dimple A dimple, also called a gelasin (, ), and a fovea buccalis, is a small natural indentation in the flesh on a part of the human body, most notably in the cheek. Numerous cultures believe that cheek dimples are a good luck charm that entices peop ...
. His
obituary An obituary (wikt:obit#Etymology 2, obit for short) is an Article (publishing), article about a recently death, deceased person. Newspapers often publish obituaries as Article (publishing), news articles. Although obituaries tend to focus on p ...
in the French newspaper ''
Libération (), popularly known as ''Libé'' (), is a daily newspaper in France, founded in Paris by Jean-Paul Sartre and Serge July in 1973 in the wake of the protest movements of May 1968 in France, May 1968. Initially positioned on the far left of Fr ...
'' described him as having the "most famous scar in French cinema". Ulliel attended the bilingual school École Jeannine Manuel in Paris where he learned English. Ulliel wanted to be a
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
musician and even tried playing the saxophone for a couple of years, but he quit because he thought he wasn't talented. He also learned how to play the piano. He was also interested in architecture and photography. He dreamed of becoming a film director and attended the University of Saint-Denis in Paris, where he studied cinema for two years until he quit to focus on his acting career.


Career


Early work and breakthrough (1997–2003)

Ulliel began acting while he was still at school, at eleven years old, when a friend of a friend of his mother was working at an agency and was looking for young actors. She asked Ulliel if he wanted to give it a try and he said "yes", but just for fun. It was only after he turned seventeen that he really decided to continue working in this industry. He left the University of Saint-Denis after two years because he was getting more offers as an actor, but he still dreamed about writing and directing his own film, stating in a 2011 interview for ''Anthem Magazine''; "I wake up every morning with this idea stuck in my mind that I want to write and direct my own film one day. As I work more and more on different sets, I see how hard it is to be a director. It's insane the amount of work and confidence that goes into it. I’m so respectful of filmmakers and I admire what they do. I hope that one day I'll find the right subject and the confidence to try it. I'm still young." He made his acting debut with a small part in one episode of ''Une femme en blanc'', a 1997 miniseries for
French television Television in France was introduced in 1931, when the first experimental broadcasts began. Colour television was introduced in October 1967 on La Deuxième Chaîne. Digital terrestrial television The digital terrestrial television platform ...
starring
Sandrine Bonnaire Sandrine Bonnaire (; born 31 May 1967) is a French actress, film director and screenwriter who has appeared in more than 40 films. She won the César Award for Most Promising Actress for '' À Nos Amours'' (1983), the César Award for Best Actre ...
. He continued appearing in made-for-television films and TV series during the late 1990s and early 2000s, and then became known as a film actor in France. In 2001, Ulliel made his feature film debut with a minor role in Christophe Gans's '' Brotherhood of the Wolf'', alongside
Vincent Cassel Vincent Cassel (; ; born 23 November 1966) is a French actor. He has earned a César Awards, César Award and a Canadian Screen Awards, Canadian Screen Award as well as nominations for a European Film Awards, European Film Award and a Screen Ac ...
and
Monica Bellucci Monica Anna Maria Bellucci (; born 30 September 1964) is an Italian actress and model who began her career as a fashion model before working in Italian, American, and French films. She has an eclectic filmography in a range of genres and langua ...
. In 2002, Ulliel played the role of Loic in
Michel Blanc Michel Blanc (16 April 1952 – 3 October 2024) was a French actor, writer and director. He is noted for his roles of losers and hypochondriacs. He is frequently associated with Le Splendid, which he co-founded, along with Thierry Lhermitte, ...
's romantic comedy-drama film '' Summer Things'', for which he earned his first
César Award Cesar or César may refer to: Arts and entertainment * César (film), ''César'' (film), a 1936 French romantic drama * César (film), ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt Places * Cesar, Portugal * Cesar Department, Colombia * Cesar R ...
nomination for Most Promising Actor, as well as winning the Lumière Award for Most Promising Actor. He also performed at the drama school
Cours Florent The Cours Florent is a private drama school in Paris, France, established in 1967 by French theater actor François Florent. The school's facilities are located on three sites in the 19th arrondissement of Paris: Rue Archereau, Rue Mathis, and ...
, where he was discovered by director
André Téchiné André Téchiné (; born 13 March 1943) is a French screenwriter and film director. He has a long and distinguished career that places him among the most accomplished post-French New Wave, New Wave French film directors. Téchiné belongs to a s ...
, who cast him in the lead role of his
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
drama film '' Strayed'' in 2003, starring opposite Emmanuelle Béart as a mysterious teenager who protects her family. For his breakthrough performance in the film, Ulliel was nominated for a
César Award for Most Promising Actor Cesar or César may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''César'' (film), a 1936 French romantic drama * ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt Places * Cesar, Portugal * Cesar Department, Colombia * Cesar River, in Colombia * Cesar ...
, and won the Étoiles d'Or for Best Male Newcomer.


''A Very Long Engagement'', English-language films and stage debut (2004–2012)

Ulliel had his first English-speaking role in
Peter Greenaway Peter Greenaway, (born 5 April 1942) is a British film director, screenwriter and artist. His films are noted for the distinct influence of Renaissance and Baroque painting, and Mannerist painting in particular. Common traits in his films a ...
's 2004 film '' The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 2: Vaux to the Sea'', where he played a French man named Leon. In 2004, he starred in
Jean-Pierre Jeunet Jean-Pierre Jeunet (; born 3 September 1953) is a French film director and screenwriter. His films combine fantasy, realism, and science fiction to create idealized realities or to give relevance to mundane situations. Jeunet debuted as a direc ...
's
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
drama '' A Very Long Engagement'', co-starring with
Audrey Tautou Audrey Justine Tautou (; born 9 August 1976) is a French actress. She made her acting debut at age 18 on television, and her feature film debut in '' Venus Beauty Institute'' (1999), for which she received critical acclaim and won the César Awa ...
and
Marion Cotillard Marion Cotillard (; born 30 September 1975) is a French actress who has appeared in both European and Hollywood productions. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Marion Cotillard, various accolades, including an Ac ...
, and won a
César Award for Most Promising Actor Cesar or César may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''César'' (film), a 1936 French romantic drama * ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt Places * Cesar, Portugal * Cesar Department, Colombia * Cesar River, in Colombia * Cesar ...
for his performance as soldier Manech Langonnet, the fiancé of Mathilde, Tautou's character, who disappeared in the trenches in 1917 and whom she refuses to believe is dead and starts investigating what happened to him. That same year, he also starred in Rodolphe Marconi's drama '' The Last Day'', opposite
Mélanie Laurent Mélanie Laurent (; born 21 February 1983) is a French actress and filmmaker. She has received two César Awards and a Lumière Award. Internationally, Laurent is known for her roles in ''Inglourious Basterds'' (2009), '' Now You See Me'' (2013 ...
and
Nicole Garcia Nicole Garcia (born 22 April 1946) is a French actress, film director and screenwriter. Her film '' Charlie Says'' was entered into the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. Her film '' Going Away'' was screened in the Special Presentation section at the ...
. In 2005, Ulliel played Izik in Richard Dembo's World War II drama '' Nina's House''. In 2006, he appeared opposite
Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (29 December 1946 – 30 January 2025) was an English singer and actress who achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her UK top 10 single " As Tears Go By". She became one of the leading female art ...
and Elias McConnell in
Gus Van Sant Gus Green Van Sant Jr. (born July 24, 1952) is an American filmmaker, photographer, painter, and musician. He has earned acclaim as an independent film, independent auteur. His films typically deal with themes of marginalized subcultures. His ...
's "Le Marais" segment of the anthology film ''
Paris, je t'aime ''Paris, je t'aime'' (; ) is a 2006 anthology film starring an ensemble cast of actors of various nationalities. The two-hour film consists of eighteen short films set in different '' arrondissements'' (districts). The 22 directors include Guri ...
'', in which he played Gaspard, a young gay man flirting with a male print shop worker played by McConnell. In 2007, Ulliel starred in the title role in the movie ''
Hannibal Rising ''Hannibal Rising'' is a psychological horror novel by American author Thomas Harris, published in 2006. It is the fourth and final novel in Harris's series and the first novel in chronological order of the novels of Thomas Harris centered aro ...
'', his first major English-language film where he portrayed the young
Hannibal Lecter Dr. Hannibal Lecter is a character created by American novelist Thomas Harris. Lecter is a cannibalistic serial killer and former forensic psychiatrist; after his incarceration, he is consulted by FBI agents Will Graham and Clarice Starling ...
. That same year, he also played the title role in Laurent Boutonnat's historical film '' Jacquou le Croquant'', based on the 1899 novel by Eugène Le Roy about a peasant who leads a revolt against the Count of Nansac. In 2008, he starred as François, a scientist researching black holes in the sci-fi film ''The Third Part of the World'', directed by Eric Forestier. He also starred as Joseph, the son of Isabelle Huppert's character in
Rithy Panh Rithy Panh (; born April 18, 1964) is a Cambodian documentary film director, author and screenwriter. The French-schooled director's films focus on the aftermath of the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. His works are from an authorit ...
's drama '' The Sea Wall'', based on the 1950 '' novel of the same name'' by
Marguerite Duras Marguerite Germaine Marie Donnadieu (, 4 April 1914 – 3 March 1996), known as Marguerite Duras (), was a French novelist, playwright, screenwriter, essayist, and experimental filmmaker. Her script for the film ''Hiroshima mon amour'' (1959) ea ...
. In 2009, Ulliel starred opposite
Jean Reno Juan Moreno y Herrera-Jiménez (born 30 July 1948), commonly known as Jean Reno (), is a French-Spanish actor. He established himself as a Leading actor, leading man of French cinema through his collaborations with director Luc Besson, and has w ...
in the thriller '' Inside Ring'' (also known as ''Ultimate Heist''), directed by Laurent Tuel. He also portrayed the angel Xas in
Niki Caro Nikola Jean Caro (born 20 September 1966) is a New Zealand film, television, and music video director and screenwriter. Her 2002 film ''Whale Rider'' was critically praised and won a number of awards at international film festivals. She directe ...
's English-language romantic drama film '' The Vintner's Luck'', based on the 1998 novel '' The Vintner's Luck'' by Elizabeth Knox, in which he appeared opposite
Jérémie Renier (; born 6 January 1981) is a Belgian actor. His film debut was in 1992 at the age of 11 in a small Belgian film entitled "Les sept péchés capitaux (The Seven Deadly Sins)". He became better known to worldwide audiences in '' Brotherhood of ...
, Vera Farmiga, and Keisha Castle-Hughes. That same year, he also starred as Nathanaël in Alain Tasma's drama ''
Ultimatum An ; ; : ultimata or ultimatums) is a demand whose fulfillment is requested in a specified period of time and which is backed up by a coercion, threat to be followed through in case of noncompliance (open loop). An ultimatum is generally the ...
'', set in 1990's Israel during
Gulf War , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
. In 2010, he portrayed
Henry I, Duke of Guise Henri I de Lorraine, Duke of Guise, Prince of Joinville, Count of Eu (31 December 1550 – 23 December 1588), sometimes called ('Scarface'), was the eldest son of François, Duke of Guise, and Anna d'Este. His maternal grandparents were Ercole ...
in
Bertrand Tavernier Bertrand Tavernier (; 25 April 1941 – 25 March 2021) was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer. Life and career Tavernier was born in Lyon, France, the son of Geneviève (née Dumond) and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, ...
's romance film '' The Princess of Montpensier'', based on the 1662 novel of the same name by Madame de La Fayette. In 2011, he played William in
Emmanuel Mouret Emmanuel Mouret (born 30 June 1970) is a French actor, Film director, director and screenwriter. Life and career He was born on 30 June 1970 in Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France. He graduated from La Fémis (9th ...
's comedy film '' The Art of Love''. In 2012, Ulliel made his stage debut in ''Que faire de Mister Sloane?'', an adaptation of English author
Joe Orton John Kingsley Orton (1 January 1933 – 9 August 1967), known by the pen name of Joe Orton, was an English playwright, author, and diarist. His public career, from 1964 until his murder in 1967 committed by his partner, was short but highly i ...
's 1963 play, '' Entertaining Mr. Sloane'', in which he played the title role and was directed by Michel Fau at the
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées () is an entertainment venue standing at 15 avenue Montaigne in Paris. It is situated near Avenue des Champs-Élysées, from which it takes its name. Its eponymous main hall may seat up to 1,905 people, while th ...
in Paris. That same year, he also voiced Jack Frost in the French version of the animated film '' Rise of the Guardians''; and played Balthazar, one of the four sons of Nicole Garcia's character in
Brigitte Roüan Brigitte Roüan (born 28 September 1946) is a French director, screenwriter and actress.This article borrows largely from a profile of the artist in ''The New York Times''. Riding, Alan. "When the Tables Are Turned in Adultery's Secret Rooms", ' ...
's comedy film, ''A Greek Type of Problem''.


''Saint Laurent'' and ''It's Only the End of the World'' (2014–2019)

He portrayed French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent in the 2014 biographical film '' Saint Laurent'' directed by
Bertrand Bonello Bertrand Bonello (; born 11 September 1968) is a French film director, screenwriter, producer, composer and actor. His work has been associated with the New French Extremity. He wrote and directed ''Something Organic'' (1998), '' The Pornographe ...
, which earned him a
Lumière Award for Best Actor The Lumière Award for Best Actor () is an annual award presented by the Académie des Lumières since 1996. Winners and nominees Winners are listed first with a blue background, followed by the other nominees. 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s T ...
and nominations for the César, and for the Globe de Cristal for Best Actor. In December 2014, Ulliel was a member of the jury of the Cinecoles Short Film section at the 14th Marrakech International Film Festival. In 2015, Ulliel starred as Tomas in an adaptation of Lars Norén's play ''Démons'', directed by Marcial Di Fonzo Bo at the Théâtre du Rond-Point in Paris. In 2016, he appeared in two films: the lead role in
Xavier Dolan Xavier Dolan-Tadros (; born 20 March 1989) is a Canadian filmmaker and actor. He began his career as a child actor in commercials before directing several arthouse feature films. He first received international acclaim in 2009 for his feature ...
's '' It's Only the End of the World'' as Louis, a playwright who returns home after twelve years to tell his family that he's dying, in which he starred opposite
Marion Cotillard Marion Cotillard (; born 30 September 1975) is a French actress who has appeared in both European and Hollywood productions. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Marion Cotillard, various accolades, including an Ac ...
,
Vincent Cassel Vincent Cassel (; ; born 23 November 1966) is a French actor. He has earned a César Awards, César Award and a Canadian Screen Awards, Canadian Screen Award as well as nominations for a European Film Awards, European Film Award and a Screen Ac ...
,
Léa Seydoux Léa Hélène Seydoux-Fornier de Clausonne (; born 1 July 1985) is a French actress. Prolific in both French cinema and Cinema of the United States, Hollywood, she has received five César Award nominations, two Lumière Awards, a Palme d'Or a ...
and
Nathalie Baye Nathalie Marie Andrée Baye (; born 6 July 1948) is a French film, television, and stage actress. She began her career in 1970 and has appeared in more than 80 films. A ten-time César Award nominee, her four wins were for ''Every Man for Himsel ...
; and in
Stéphanie Di Giusto Stéphanie Di Giusto (also known by her former pseudonym "Paf le chien") is a French film director, photographer and art director. Life and career After her studies at the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs and ESAG Penninghen in ...
's '' The Dancer'', an unconventional biopic of American dancer
Loie Fuller Loie Fuller (; born Marie Louise Fuller; January 15, 1862 – January 1, 1928), also known as Louie Fuller and Loïe Fuller, was an American dancer and a pioneer of modern dance and theatrical lighting techniques. Auguste Rodin said of her, "Lo ...
where Ulliel portrayed Count Louis d'Orsay. In 2017, he was nominated for the Jury Prize for Best Actor at the Riviera International Film Festival for his role in Xavier Dolan's ''It's Only the End of the World'' alongside co-star
Vincent Cassel Vincent Cassel (; ; born 23 November 1966) is a French actor. He has earned a César Awards, César Award and a Canadian Screen Awards, Canadian Screen Award as well as nominations for a European Film Awards, European Film Award and a Screen Ac ...
. Ulliel also won his second César Award, this time for Best Actor, for his performance in the film, and also earned second nominations for Best Actor in both the Lumière Awards, and the Globe de Cristal awards (the latter with Cassel also nominated). In 2018, he co-starred with Isabelle Huppert in
Benoît Jacquot Benoît Jacquot (; born 5 February 1947) is a French film director and screenwriter who has had a varied career in European cinema. In July 2024, Jacquot was charged with rape, including of a minor, and was barred from directing and having cont ...
's drama '' Eva'', adapted from the 1945 novel ''
Eve Eve is a figure in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. According to the origin story, "Creation myths are symbolic stories describing how the universe and its inhabitants came to be. Creation myths develop through oral traditions and there ...
'' by
James Hadley Chase James Hadley Chase (24 December 1906 – 6 February 1985) was an English writer. While his birth name was René Lodge Brabazon Raymond, he was well known by his various pseudonyms, including James Hadley Chase, James L. Docherty, Raymond ...
. That same year, he voiced British poet
Percy Bysshe Shelley Percy Bysshe Shelley ( ; 4 August 1792 – 8 July 1822) was an English writer who is considered one of the major English Romantic poets. A radical in his poetry as well as in his political and social views, Shelley did not achieve fame durin ...
in ''Le Brasier Shelley'', a pictureless film in 3D sound; portrayed French soldier Robert Tassen opposite
Gérard Depardieu Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu (, , ; born 27 December 1948) is a French actor. An icon of French cinema, considered a world star in the same way as Alain Delon or Brigitte Bardot, he has completed over 250 films since 1967, most of which as ...
in Guillaume Nicloux's
First Indochina War The First Indochina War (generally known as the Indochina War in France, and as the Anti-French Resistance War in Vietnam, and alternatively internationally as the French-Indochina War) was fought between French Fourth Republic, France and Việ ...
drama '' To the Ends of the World''; and also starred in 's science-fiction film ; and in Pierre Schoeller's French Revolution film, '' One Nation, One King'', opposite
Louis Garrel Louis Garrel (born 14 June 1983) is a French actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his starring role in ''The Dreamers (2003 film), The Dreamers'', directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.
, Niels Schneider and Adèle Haenel. In 2019, he portrayed actor Igor Maleski in
Justine Triet Justine Triet (; born 17 July 1978) is a French film director, screenwriter, and editor. She has received several awards including an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, a Palme d'Or, three César Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Triet started her ...
's comedy-drama film ''
Sibyl The sibyls were prophetesses or oracles in Ancient Greece. The sibyls prophet, prophesied at holy sites. A sibyl at Delphi has been dated to as early as the eleventh century BC by Pausanias (geographer), PausaniasPausanias 10.12.1 when he desc ...
''; and played the lead role in the
Arte Arte (, , ; ' ('), sometimes stylised in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European Union, European public service Television channel, channel dedicated to culture. It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based Europea ...
/
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
's time-travel miniseries '' Twice Upon a Time'', directed by Guillaume Nicloux, where Ulliel starred as Vincent Dauda, a man who gets delivered by mistake a mysterious wooden box that allows him to travel back in time to save his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, portrayed by Freya Mavor. In 2007 and 2019, Ulliel was a member of the jury of the
Deauville American Film Festival The Deauville American Film Festival () is a yearly film festival devoted to Cinema of the United States, American cinema, which has taken place since 1975 in Deauville, France. It was established by Lionel Chouchan, André Halimi, and then ...
in France.


Last roles and unfinished projects (2021–2022)

In January 2021, he was a member of the jury of the Gérardmer Fantasy Film Festival in France. Between April and May 2021, Ulliel filmed
Alex Lutz Alex Lutz (born 24 August 1978) is a French actor, comedian and director. He is best known for his role of Catherine in ''La revue de presse de Catherine et Liliane'' in '' Le Petit Journal''. He won two Molière awards for comedy in 2016 and 2 ...
and Arthur Sanigou's '' La Vengeance au Triple Galop'', a comedy TV film for France's Canal Plus (and a parody of the 1983 Australian TV series '' Return to Eden''), where he appeared as plastic surgeon Danley Marchal-Widkins opposite
Marion Cotillard Marion Cotillard (; born 30 September 1975) is a French actress who has appeared in both European and Hollywood productions. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Marion Cotillard, various accolades, including an Ac ...
and Audrey Lamy. This was Ulliel's last film to be released during his lifetime, and it was broadcast by Canal Plus on 4 October 2021. In June 2021, Ulliel finished shooting his penultimate film (and his last live-action) '' More Than Ever'', directed by Emily Atef, which made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on 21 May 2022. In July 2021, Ulliel joined the cast of the
Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
streaming superhero miniseries ''
Moon Knight Moon Knight is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin, the character first appeared in ''Werewolf by Night'' #32 (August 1975). The son of a rabbi, Marc S ...
'', set in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
and released on 30 March 2022. He portrayed the villain Anton Mogart / Midnight Man opposite
Oscar Isaac Óscar Isaac Hernández Estrada (born March 9, 1979) is an American actor. Recognized for his versatility, he has been credited with breaking stereotypes about Hispanic and Latino Americans, Latino characters in Cinema of the United States, H ...
,
Ethan Hawke Ethan Green Hawke (born November 6, 1970) is an American actor, author, and film director. He made his film debut in ''Explorers (film), Explorers'' (1985), before making a breakthrough performance in ''Dead Poets Society'' (1989). Hawke starr ...
and May Calamawy, guest starring in the episode " The Friendly Type". Ulliel voiced the doll Scott in Bertrand Bonello's hybrid live-action and animation film ''
Coma A coma is a deep state of prolonged unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to Nociception, respond normally to Pain, painful stimuli, light, or sound, lacks a normal Circadian rhythm, sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate ...
'', which had its world premiere at the
Berlin Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (), usually called the Berlinale (), is an annual film festival held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festival has been held every February since 1978 and is one of Europ ...
where it competed in the Encounters section on 12 February 2022, marking it as the first film released after Ulliel's death. Bonello said on 24 December 2021 that he had just finished filming ''Coma'', which makes it the last film that Ulliel filmed but Ulliel's presence in ''Coma'' was kept a secret until it was selected for the Berlin Film Festival in February 2022. He was also set to collaborate for the third time with Bonello in the science-fiction film '' The Beast'', co-starring with Léa Seydoux. Shooting was scheduled to start in April 2022. In December 2021, Ulliel started shooting '' Of Money and Blood'', a Canal Plus crime thriller miniseries about the
carbon tax A carbon tax is a tax levied on the carbon emissions from producing goods and services. Carbon taxes are intended to make visible the hidden Social cost of carbon, social costs of carbon emissions. They are designed to reduce greenhouse gas emis ...
fraud where he would play a character inspired by French businessman Arnaud Mimran. In January 2022, Ulliel was on a break from shooting ''Of Money and Blood'', when he died after a skiing accident. The production was directed by Xavier Giannoli, still had 84 more days of shooting and Ulliel was expected to return to the set on 24 January. On 18 February 2022, Canal Plus confirmed to France's '' Le HuffPost'' that actor Niels Schneider will replace Ulliel in the miniseries. Ulliel and Schneider were friends and co-stars in the films '' One Nation, One King'' (2018) and ''
Sibyl The sibyls were prophetesses or oracles in Ancient Greece. The sibyls prophet, prophesied at holy sites. A sibyl at Delphi has been dated to as early as the eleventh century BC by Pausanias (geographer), PausaniasPausanias 10.12.1 when he desc ...
'' (2019).


Other endeavours

In 2003, at the age of 19, Ulliel walked the runway for the first and only time for Hedi Slimane's
Dior Homme Dior Homme is the menswear division of Christian Dior SA, the French clothing retailer. Dior Homme named Jonathan Anderson as creative director on April 17, 2025 following his exit from Loewe. History During the 1980s and 1990s Dior's men ...
Autumn/Winter 2003 fashion show entitled "Luster". In 2007, Ulliel appeared on the cover of the February issue of French '' Vogue'' with supermodel Doutzen Kroes. In 2008, Ulliel was the face of Longchamp, a French leather and luxury goods company, along with
Kate Moss Katherine Ann Moss (born 16 January 1974) is an English model. Arriving towards the end of the "supermodel era", Moss rose to fame in the early 1990s as part of the heroin chic fashion trend. Her collaborations with Calvin Klein brought her t ...
.


Bleu de Chanel campaigns

Ulliel was announced as the face for
Chanel Chanel ( , ) is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. It is privately owned by French brothers, Alain and Gérard Wertheimer, through the holding company Chanel Limited, established in 2018 and headquarte ...
new men's fragrance, Bleu de Chanel, on 16 February 2010, making him Chanel's first male ambassador. His first television commercial for the campaign was directed by
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
, filmed in New York City and debuted on 25 August 2010. Ulliel's second commercial for Bleu de Chanel was directed by James Gray and released on 5 February 2015. It was filmed in Los Angeles and featured
Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...
's cover of
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
's " All Along the Watchtower". In 2016, Ulliel became the face of Chanel's first men's watch, Monsieur de Chanel. His third commercial for Bleu de Chanel was released on 1 June 2018 and was directed by
Steve McQueen Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of counterculture of the 1960s, 1960s counterculture, made him a top box office draw for his films of the late ...
. Shot in
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
and London, it featured Ulliel crossing the city looking for a woman while
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...
's " Starman" plays in the background. In June 2020, Ulliel narrated the last episode of the "Chanel Parfumeur" series, ''I Am a Fragrance Trail'', in both French and English. Ulliel was the face of Bleu de Chanel for twelve years. His last campaign for the fragrance was released on 8 December 2020. Upon his death, Chanel released a statement on their official
Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
and Facebook accounts paying tribute to him. Chanel also paid tribute to Ulliel during their Spring/Summer 2022 Haute Couture show at
Paris Fashion Week Paris Fashion Week (, commonly ) is a series of designer presentations held semi-annually in Paris, France, with spring/summer and autumn/winter events held each year. Dates are determined by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. Pa ...
on 25 January 2022. A model dressed as a bride finished the show by holding a bouquet of camellias—
Coco Chanel Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel ( , ; 19 August 1883 – 10 January 1971) was a French fashion designer and Businessperson, businesswoman. The founder and namesake of the Chanel brand, she was credited in the post-World War I era with populari ...
's favorite flower—tinted midnight blue as a nod to Ulliel and the Bleu de Chanel perfume.


In the media

Ulliel's
androgynous Androgyny is the possession of both masculine and feminine characteristics. Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex or gender expression. When ''androgyny'' refers to mixed biological sex characteristics in humans, it often r ...
look in films such as 2003's '' Strayed'', 2006's ''
Paris, je t'aime ''Paris, je t'aime'' (; ) is a 2006 anthology film starring an ensemble cast of actors of various nationalities. The two-hour film consists of eighteen short films set in different '' arrondissements'' (districts). The 22 directors include Guri ...
'', and his performance as Yves Saint Laurent in the 2014 film '' Saint Laurent'', turned him into a gay icon. In January 2007, Ulliel was included on
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
's "What's In and Out for 2007" list in the "In" category. In June 2007, Ulliel was ranked No. 12 on France's
Elle Elle may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Elle (magazine), ''Elle'' (magazine), a fashion publication ** Elle Style Awards * Elle (India), ''Elle'' (India), the Indian edition * Elle (film), ''Elle'' (film), a 2016 French film * ''Elle: ...
magazine's "15 Sexiest Men" poll. On season 4, episode 5 of '' Call My Agent!'',
Sigourney Weaver Susan Alexandra ( ; born October 8, 1949), better known by her stage name Sigourney Weaver, is an American actress. Prolific in film since the late 1970s, she is known for her pioneering portrayals of action heroines in Blockbuster (entertainme ...
(playing herself) wants Ulliel to be cast as the male lead in her upcoming film. On 24 January 2022, he jumped from No. 8979 to No. 1 on
IMDb IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...
's STARMeter chart based on page views following his death.


Personal life

Ulliel dated French actress and singer Cécile Cassel (the younger sister of
Vincent Cassel Vincent Cassel (; ; born 23 November 1966) is a French actor. He has earned a César Awards, César Award and a Canadian Screen Awards, Canadian Screen Award as well as nominations for a European Film Awards, European Film Award and a Screen Ac ...
) from 2005 to 2007, and Chanel's then-International VIP relations officer, Jordane Crantelle, from 2008 to 2011. He was in a relationship with French model and singer Gaëlle Pietri from 2013 to 2020, with whom he had a son, born in January 2016. In July 2015, he was made a ''Chevalier'' ("Knight") of the Order of Arts and Letters in France.


Philanthropy and environmentalism

In 2012, Ulliel supported the charity campaign "Juste Un Coeur" ("Just One Heart") by choosing a blue T-shirt whose sales were donated to
UNICEF UNICEF ( ), originally the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, officially United Nations Children's Fund since 1953, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Development a ...
's Action Against Hunger. That same year, he donated the coat he had worn in the 2010 ''Bleu de Chanel'' commercial to be auctioned off for the "Vestiaire Solidaire" ("Solidarity Closet") campaign in support of the French
Telethon A telethon (a portmanteau of "television" and "marathon") is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other cause. Most telethons feature heavy solicitatio ...
and the French Muscular Dystrophy Association (AFM). In 2015, Ulliel signed ''The Calais Appeal'', which asked the French government for an emergency plan to end the undignified living conditions that migrants and refugees were facing in the
Calais Jungle The Calais Jungle (known officially as Camp de la Lande) was a refugee and immigrant encampment in the vicinity of Calais, France, that existed from January 2015 to October 2016. There had been other camps known as "jungles" in previous years, ...
. In August 2018, he signed a petition supporting Aquarius, the humanitarian ship chartered by the European sea rescue organization SOS Méditerranée and carried out in partnership with
Doctors Without Borders Doctor, Doctors, The Doctor or The Doctors may refer to: Titles and occupations * Physician, a medical practitioner * Doctor (title), an academic title for the holder of a doctoral-level degree ** Doctorate ** List of doctoral degrees awarded ...
, demanding the ship to be allowed to return to the sea and continue to rescue people in mortal danger in international waters after being prevented from saving refugees and turned back from the rescue zone off the coast of Libya in June 2018. In November 2018, he signed French magazine ''
L'Express (, stylized in all caps) is a French weekly news magazine headquartered in Paris. The weekly stands at the political centre-right in the French media landscape, and has a lifestyle supplement, ''L'Express Styles'', and a job supplement, ''R ...
s petition against homophobic attacks. In 2020, he was one of the signatories of the tribune "Académie des Césars : nous n'avons aucune voix au chapitre" ("César Academy: we have no voice in the matter"), published on 10 February 2020 on the website of the French newspaper ''
Le Monde (; ) is a mass media in France, French daily afternoon list of newspapers in France, newspaper. It is the main publication of Le Monde Group and reported an average print circulation, circulation of 480,000 copies per issue in 2022, including ...
'' asking for an in-depth reform of the César Awards Academy to remedy its "elitist and closed" functioning. In March 2021, he signed the petition of France's Society of Film Directors (SRF) entitled "Un jour sans fin" ("An Endless Day"), asking President Emmanuel Macron to reopen theaters in France following a decision to close them in 2020 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. Ulliel was an
environmentalist Environmentalism is a broad Philosophy of life, philosophy, ideology, and social movement about supporting life, habitats, and surroundings. While environmentalism focuses more on the environmental and nature-related aspects of Green politics, g ...
and committed to
planetary health Planetary Health is a multi- and transdisciplinary research paradigm, a new science for exceptional action, and a global movement. Planetary health refers to "the health of human civilization and the state of the natural systems on which it depends" ...
. He said in a 2019 interview for '' Madame Figaro'' that he was trying to fly less frequently for the sake of the environment, "but only action by governments will really make a difference." In 2019, he signed the petition "Résister et créer" ("Resist and Create"), created by the movement ''On Est Prêt'' along with Cyril Dion to challenge the world of cinema at a time of mobilizations for the climate, and also narrated the campaign "Nos objets ont plein d’avenirs" ("Our objects have plenty of future"), designed by DDB Paris for Ademe and the Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition, which highlights all the actions to be taken to extend the life of objects and help preserve the planet's resources and reduce the production of waste. While supporting the Monte-Carlo Gala for Planetary Health in September 2021, he said: "We are facing an unprecedented ecological crisis. Never before has our planet and life on earth been so threatened. ..I want to be part of those fighting to leave a healthy planet for our future generations. Let's see this as a hopeful wake-up call. It is still within our reach, but not for long - we have entered this highly decisive period. Today, there are no more important concerns or priorities to address."


Death

On 18 January 2022 at around 4:00 pm, Ulliel was critically injured while
skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International S ...
at the resort of La Rosière in
Savoie Savoie (; Arpitan: ''Savouè'' or ''Savouè-d'Avâl''; English: ''Savoy'' ) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Southeastern France. Located in the French Alps, its prefecture is Chambéry. In 2019, Savoie had a population o ...
, France, when he collided with another skier at an intersection between two blue/intermediate slopes after turning left, presumably to join his friends on an adjoining slope, and suffered serious brain trauma. Ulliel was airlifted by helicopter to the trauma unit of the
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Grenoble Alpes The Grenoble Alpes University Hospital (, abbreviated as CHU Grenoble Alpes or CHUGA) is a French teaching hospital built in 1974. With a total capacity of over 2 133 beds in 2020, it is the main hospital of Grenoble and Isère in France. The CHU G ...
in nearby
La Tronche La Tronche () is a commune in the Isère department, Southeastern France. It is part of the Grenoble urban unit (agglomeration).
, where he died the following day around 4:00 p.m. at the age of 37. According to French magazine ''
Paris Match ''Paris Match'' () is a French-language weekly gossip magazine. It covers major national and international news along with celebrity lifestyle features. ''Paris Match'' has been considered "one of the world's best outlets for photojournalism". ...
'', Ulliel arrived brain dead at the hospital. Ulliel's parents along with his last partner, Gäelle Pietri, decided to donate his organs, saving the lives of six people. An investigation indicated that both skiers fell to the ground after the collision, and that Ulliel was motionless and unconscious when rescuers arrived. La Rosière's director, Jean Regaldo, told France's BFM TV that Ulliel was not wearing a helmet when rescuers arrived. Helmets are not required on French ski slopes. Regaldo also said weather conditions were "perfect" at the time of the accident and that there were no rocks in the area of the collision, which he described as easily accessible. The other skier, a Lithuanian man in his forties, was wearing a helmet and was not injured. He told the investigators that the collision was not too violent. Upon hearing the Lithuanian skier and other eyewitnesses of the accident, the public prosecutor of
Albertville Albertville (; Franco-Provençal, Arpitan: ''Arbèrtvile'') is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Savoie Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region in Southeastern France. It is best k ...
, Anne Gaches, stated that wearing a helmet "would not necessarily have changed things", and that "it was not noted excessive speed, inappropriate behavior or fault of one of the two skiers". Following their testimonies, the prosecutor also declared that the two skiers were moving side by side when they collided. "For the moment, it is difficult to say whether it was the shock or the fall that led to Mr. Ulliel's death", she said. Gaches also stated that no autopsy would be performed on Ulliel's body. The resort offered psychological support for both the Lithuanian skier, who was very shocked, and for Ulliel's friends and relatives. Ulliel was on vacation at the resort with his friends. On 27 January 2022, a memorial service for Ulliel was held at the Church of St. Eustache in Paris. It was attended by nearly a thousand people, including his family, friends and co-stars such as
Audrey Tautou Audrey Justine Tautou (; born 9 August 1976) is a French actress. She made her acting debut at age 18 on television, and her feature film debut in '' Venus Beauty Institute'' (1999), for which she received critical acclaim and won the César Awa ...
,
Marion Cotillard Marion Cotillard (; born 30 September 1975) is a French actress who has appeared in both European and Hollywood productions. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Marion Cotillard, various accolades, including an Ac ...
,
Louis Garrel Louis Garrel (born 14 June 1983) is a French actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his starring role in ''The Dreamers (2003 film), The Dreamers'', directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.
, Jérémie Rénier (who also acted as a pallbearer), Isabelle Huppert, Vincent Lindon, Niels Schneider,
Nathalie Baye Nathalie Marie Andrée Baye (; born 6 July 1948) is a French film, television, and stage actress. She began her career in 1970 and has appeared in more than 80 films. A ten-time César Award nominee, her four wins were for ''Every Man for Himsel ...
,
Léa Seydoux Léa Hélène Seydoux-Fornier de Clausonne (; born 1 July 1985) is a French actress. Prolific in both French cinema and Cinema of the United States, Hollywood, she has received five César Award nominations, two Lumière Awards, a Palme d'Or a ...
and
Vincent Cassel Vincent Cassel (; ; born 23 November 1966) is a French actor. He has earned a César Awards, César Award and a Canadian Screen Awards, Canadian Screen Award as well as nominations for a European Film Awards, European Film Award and a Screen Ac ...
. He was buried in a private ceremony at the
Père Lachaise Cemetery Père Lachaise Cemetery (, , formerly , ) is the largest cemetery in Paris, France, at . With more than 3.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited necropolis in the world. Buried at Père Lachaise are many famous figures in the ...
in Paris. The resort, La Rosière, also paid tribute to Ulliel by stopping the ski lifts for one minute at 3:58 pm, the time of his accident on 18 January. On 18 January 2023, a year after the accident, Albertville's public prosecutor, Anne Gaches, announced to French radio station RTL that the investigation on the accident had been officially closed with no further action several months before. Justice has officially cleared the Lithuanian skier of all responsibilities and he will not be subjected to any prosecution.


Tributes

Among those who paid tribute to Ulliel following his death were France's president
Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron (; born 21 December 1977) is a French politician who has served as President of France and Co-Prince of Andorra since 2017. He was Ministry of Economy and Finance (France), Minister of Economics, Industr ...
, who described Ulliel as "an icon of French elegance who dazzled the cameras", France's Prime Minister
Jean Castex Jean Castex (; born 25 June 1965) is a French politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 3 July 2020 to 16 May 2022. He was a member of The Republicans (LR) until 2020. Castex served for twelve years as mayor of the small town of ...
, and France's Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot, as well as peers and collaborators such as
Xavier Dolan Xavier Dolan-Tadros (; born 20 March 1989) is a Canadian filmmaker and actor. He began his career as a child actor in commercials before directing several arthouse feature films. He first received international acclaim in 2009 for his feature ...
,
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
,
Marion Cotillard Marion Cotillard (; born 30 September 1975) is a French actress who has appeared in both European and Hollywood productions. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Marion Cotillard, various accolades, including an Ac ...
, Isabelle Huppert,
Juliette Binoche Juliette Binoche (; born 9 March 1964) is a French actress. She has appeared in more than 60 films, particularly in French and English, and has been the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Juliette Binoche, numerous accolades, ...
, Chanel,
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
, Cannes Film Festival director Thierry Fremaux, Cannes Film Festival president Pierre Lescure,
Jean Dujardin Jean Edmond Dujardin (; born 19 June 1972) is a French actor and comedian. He began his career as a stand-up comedian in Paris before guest starring in comedic television programmes and films. He first came to prominence with the cult TV series ...
, Peter Webber, Pierre Niney,
Louis Garrel Louis Garrel (born 14 June 1983) is a French actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his starring role in ''The Dreamers (2003 film), The Dreamers'', directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.
,
André Téchiné André Téchiné (; born 13 March 1943) is a French screenwriter and film director. He has a long and distinguished career that places him among the most accomplished post-French New Wave, New Wave French film directors. Téchiné belongs to a s ...
, and
Bertrand Bonello Bertrand Bonello (; born 11 September 1968) is a French film director, screenwriter, producer, composer and actor. His work has been associated with the New French Extremity. He wrote and directed ''Something Organic'' (1998), '' The Pornographe ...
. On 25 February 2022, the 47th César Awards ceremony opened with a tribute video to Ulliel featuring his last scene in the 2016 film ''It's Only the End of the World'', and a message on the screen that read "this ceremony is dedicated to Gaspard Ulliel". Later in the evening, Xavier Dolan, who directed Ulliel in ''It's Only the End of the World'', paid a tribute to him in the form of a letter addressed to Ulliel's mother, which he finished by saying "Because a mother's love is stronger than anything. I believe it. Stronger than life. Stronger than art itself. And certainly stronger than death." Dolan's speech was followed by the ceremony's "In Memoriam" segment, which also began with a tribute to Ulliel featuring scenes from the films ''A Very Long Engagement'' and ''Saint Laurent''. On 27 February 2022, Ulliel was honored in the "In Memoriam" segment from the 28th SAG Awards ceremony, which featured his last scene in ''A Very Long Engagement''. Despite not being mentioned during the
Oscars The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence i ...
' In Memoriam segment on 27 March 2022, Ulliel was included in the online memorial from the official website of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., with the stated goal of adva ...
among other artists who had died recently. On 13 April 2022, that week's episode of the
Marvel Studios Marvel Studios, LLC, formerly known as Marvel Films, is an American film and television production company. Marvel Studios is the creator of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a media franchise and shared universe of films and television ser ...
miniseries ''
Moon Knight Moon Knight is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin, the character first appeared in ''Werewolf by Night'' #32 (August 1975). The son of a rabbi, Marc S ...
'', which featured Ulliel guest starring in the role of Anton Mogart, was dedicated to his memory with a tribute in the end credits. Marvel Studios also shared a tribute to Ulliel on their social media. Ulliel's last partner, Gaëlle Pietri, wrote a book paying tribute to him titled ''Le Temps de te dire adieu'' ("Time to Say Goodbye"), published on 26 April 2023. Bertrand Bonello dedicated the film The Beast to “Gaspard” (who was originally to play the part of Louis in the film).


Aftermath

Following Ulliel's death, politicians and ski professionals urged for helmets to be made obligatory on the French slopes. Jean-Marc Peillex, the mayor of
Saint-Gervais-les-Bains Saint-Gervais-les-Bains () is a Communes of France, commune in the Haute-Savoie Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region, southeastern France. The village is best known for tourism and has been a po ...
in Haute-Savoie, stated that they must impose helmet-wearing to reduce the risk of serious accidents and also reexamine on a case-by-case basis the dangerousness of different pistes and potentially reclassify their colors. When asked if helmets should be made compulsory for skiing in France – like they are in other European countries – during a press conference on 20 January 2022, government spokesperson
Gabriel Attal Gabriel Nissim Attal de Couriss (; born 16 March 1989) is a French politician who was the prime minister of France from January to September 2024. He was the youngest and the first openly Gay man, gay prime minister in French history. A member ...
said that it was "not the moment to begin a debate around the subject." It was reported that 97% of children under the age 12 do wear a helmet in France, but the National Mountain Safety Observation System noted that this percentage decreases as people get older. The Canadian Medical Association Journal estimates that wearing a helmet reduces the risk of head injury by 35%. Ulliel's death caused a rise in the number of ski helmet sales in France. On 19 February 2022, Ulliel's ex-girlfriend, Gaëlle Pietri, announced that the family wanted to honor his memory by contributing to the French non-governmental organization Tara Ocean Foundation, which has the mission of raising awareness about the impact of
climate change Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...
and the current ecological crisis on the oceans. Pietri said: "Gaspard was a diver, sensitive to climate issues and concerned about the protection of underwater biodiversity, he would have liked the momentum generated by his death to go to the defense of these causes that were close to his heart." A special page was opened on the foundation's website in memory of Ulliel to support this cause.


Filmography


Film


Television


Theatre


Awards and nominations


Decorations

* Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (2015)


References


External links

* * *
Gaspard Ulliel
at
Turner Classic Movies Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie channel, movie-oriented pay television, pay-TV television network, network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcas ...

Gaspard Ulliel
at The-Numbers.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Ulliel, Gaspard 1984 births 2022 deaths French male film actors Male actors from Paris Male actors from Neuilly-sur-Seine French people of Italian descent French people of Spanish descent 20th-century French male actors 21st-century French male actors Best Actor César Award winners Best Actor Lumières Award winners French male models French male stage actors French male television actors Most Promising Actor César Award winners Most Promising Actor Lumières Award winners Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Cours Florent alumni Paris 8 University Vincennes-Saint-Denis alumni Skiing deaths Sport deaths in France Deaths from head injury Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery