Jean-Pierre Marielle

A renowned French actor with several decades of experience, Jean-Pierre Marielle has distinguished himself in both comedic and dramatic roles. He became part of France's National Conservatory (Conservatoire National Superieur d'Art Dramatique) where he met fellow actors, Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Rochefort, and in 1957, began acting on the screen. He had his first significant role in the Marcel Ophüls comedy, "Banana Peel," with Belmondo and co-starred with comedic legend, Louis de Funès, in the 1964 heist caper, "Rob the Bank." After a series of comedy roles, he began to show his dramatic range in the '70s, playing a serial killer in the thriller, "Sans mobile apparent" (AKA "Without Apparent Motive"). He played an Israeli agent in the adventure, "Man in the Trunk," in 1973 and was the star of the dramatic comedy, "Cookies," which earned him a 1976 César Award nomination, his first of many. In 1981 Marielle played one of his most significant parts in a historical film set in French colonial Africa; Bertrand Tavernier's, "Coup de Torchon," earned him another César nomination. He played another dramatic role in the 1987 film, "Les mois d'avril sont meurtriers," this time portraying a suicidal policeman. He further cemented his reputation with his work in the 1991 historical drama, "Tous les matins du monde," a highly lauded film that co-starred Gérard Depardieu. In 2006, he appeared in the blockbuster, "The Da Vinci Code," and has continued acting well into his 70s.