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Jacques Villeret

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Jacques Villeret
Villeret in 1999
Born
Jacky Boufroura

(1951-02-06)6 February 1951
Tours, France
Died28 January 2005(2005-01-28) (aged 53)
Évreux, France
OccupationActor
SpouseIrina Tarassov (1979–1998)

Jacques Villeret (French pronunciation: [ʒak vilʁɛ]; 6 February 1951 – 28 January 2005) was a French actor, best known internationally for his role as François Pignon in the comedy Le Dîner de Cons. During his career, he earned many awards including the prestigious medal and title of Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur.[1]

Life and career

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Villeret was born Jacky Boufroura in Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France, to an Algerian father and a French mother.[2] He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSAD) in the same class as Louis Seigner, the grandfather of Emmanuelle Seigner and Mathilde Seigner. While he was most famous for his role as François Pignon in Le Dîner de Cons; both on the stage and in the film, his other celebrated roles included the extra terrestrial in La soupe aux choux, the autistic Mo in L'été en pente douce, and marshal Ludwig von Apfelstrudel in Papy fait de la résistance.

At the time of making the film Un aller simple directed by Laurent Heynemann – a film about integration and racism and the clash of generations – Villeret said that watching the young actors in the film, Barbara Schulz and Lorant Deutsch, reminded him of the insouciance he had had as a young man with his friends at the Conservatoire.

When his career was at its height, with the success of Le Dîner de Cons, everything collapsed in a tragedy mirroring the plot of the film. Villeret separated from his wife and suffered an enormous financial downfall due to tax issues, plunging him into depression. Villeret turned to alcohol for comfort, and became an alcoholic. He isolated himself and hid away for long periods. He later said: "Alcohol is a friend, but a friend who means you harm."[3]

Villeret's love of his profession helped to bring his career back from the brink. In an interview in 2001 he spoke of his admiration for performers like Johnny Hallyday and Jacques Brel for their level of commitment, and quoted the author Louis-Ferdinand Céline: "When I write, I put my balls on the table."[4]

In 1979 Villeret married Irina Tarassov, an actress and writer. They separated in 1998. Tarassov wrote about their life together in her book Un jour, tout ira bien. (One day, everything will go well).[5]

In 2002 Villeret met Seny, a Senegalese-French widow descended through her grandfather, Mor Diarra N'Dao, from a long line of Sérès nobles of the ancient Kingdom of Saloum, and they fell instantly and deeply in love.[6] They were partners for three years, and she was about to move to Paris to be with him when he died in Évreux in January 2005 of a liver haemorrhage. Seny wrote a memoir of their life together, Jacques Villeret, mon bébé blanc, which was published in Paris by Le Cherche Midi in 2005.

Filmography

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Year Title Role Director Notes
1973 R.A.S. Soldier Girot Yves Boisset
1974 Un amour de pluie Guillaume Jean-Claude Brialy
The Mouth Agape Maurice Pialat Uncredited
And Now My Love Spectator Claude Lelouch
1975 Serious as Pleasure Policeman Robert Benayoun
The Common Man Gérald Yves Boisset
1976 The Good and the Bad Simon Claude Lelouch
If I Had to Do It All Over Again Real Estate Broker Claude Lelouch
Les Naufragés de l'île de la Tortue Bernard 'Petit Nono' Dupoirier Jacques Rozier
1977 Another Man, Another Chance Customer Claude Lelouch
1978 Robert et Robert Robert Villiers Claude Lelouch
Mon premier amour Jacques Labrousse Elie Chouraqui
Passe montagne Georges Jean-François Stévenin
Un balcon en forêt' Soldier Gourcuff Michel Mitrani
1979 Confidences pour confidences Job-Seeking Student Pascal Thomas
Us Two Uncle Musique Claude Lelouch
Bête, mais discipliné Jacques Cardot Claude Zidi
Rien ne va plus Henri Fisserman / Paul Flantier / Bouli / Dr. Delomien / Jacques du Breuil / Robert Valier / Florence / Commissaire Blandin / Le patron de La Grenade / M. Fremelin Jean-Michel Ribes
1981 Malevil Momo Christian de Chalonge
Les Uns et les Autres Jacques Claude Lelouch
La Soupe aux choux The Alien Jean Girault
1982 The Big Brother Inspector Coleau Francis Girod
1983 Danton François Joseph Westermann Andrzej Wajda
Effraction Valentin Tralande Daniel Duval
Édith et Marcel Jacques Barbier Claude Lelouch
Circulez y'a rien à voir Pelissier Patrice Leconte
First Name: Carmen Man at the Petrol Station Jean-Luc Godard
Papy fait de la résistance Ludwig Von Apfelstrudel Jean-Marie Poiré
Waiter! Gilbert Claude Sautet
1984 Les Morfalous Béral Henri Verneuil
1985 Drôle de samedi Maurice Tunç Okan
Hold-Up Jérémie Planchet Alexandre Arcady
Les Folles Années du twist Mr. John Wayne Mahmoud Zemmouri
1986 La galette du roi Prince Utte of Danemark
Black Mic Mac Michel Le Gorgues Thomas Gilou
Les Frères Petard Momo Herve Palud
1987 L'été en pente douce Maurice Leheurt, aka Mo Gérard Krawczyk
Keep Your Right Up Man Jean-Luc Godard
1988 La petite amie Guillaume Bertin Luc Béraud
Mangeclous Salomon Moshé Mizrahi
1990 Trois années Alexandre Guillermen Fabrice Cazeneuve
1991 Les secrets professionnels du Dr Apfelglück Martineau
The Favour, the Watch and the Very Big Fish Charles, the lingerie expert Ben Lewin
1992 588, rue Paradis Alexandre Henri Verneuil
Le bal des casse-pieds Jérôme Yves Robert
Le fils du Mékong Durieux François Leterrier
Le Batteur Du Boléro Drummer Patrice Leconte Short
Mayrig Alexandre Henri Verneuil 2 episodes
1994 Parano Gas Station Attendant (episode "Nuit d'essence")
1996 Golden Boy Antoine Bonvoisin Jean-Pierre Vergne
1998 Le Dîner de Cons François Pignon Francis Veber
Mookie Brother Benoît Hervé Palud
1999 The Children of the Marshland Riton Jean Becker
2000 Les Acteurs Himself Bertrand Blier
2001 A Crime in Paradise Jojo Braconnier Jean Becker
Un aller simple Jean-Pierre Laurent Heynemann
2003 Strange Gardens Jacques Pouzay Jean Becker
Le Furet Le Furet Jean-Pierre Mocky
2004 Malabar Princess Gaspard Gilles Legrand
Vipère au poing Jacques Rézeau Philippe de Broca
2005 Iznogoud Caliph Haroun El Poussah Patrick Braoudé
L'antidote André Morin Vincent de Brus
Les âmes grises Judge Mierck Yves Angelo
Les parrains Lucien Frédéric Forestier

Theatre

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  • 1990 : La Contrebasse
  • 1993 : Le Dîner de cons
  • 2000 : Jeffrey Bernard est souffrant

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ Jacques Villeret - Biography
  2. ^ Jacques Villeret - News & actus people sur Premiere
  3. ^ Paris Match, 14 June 2001
  4. ^ Paris Match, 14 June 2001
  5. ^ Irina Tarassov-Villeret, Un jour, tout ira bien, ISBN 2-08-068891-X
  6. ^ "Seny".
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