Gaspard Ulliel

Biography

Perhaps it was inevitable that Gaspard Ulliel would become a model. Born in Paris, his mother produced runway shows while his father was a stylist. However, the young Ulliel showed a natural aptitude for acting. 

Making his TV debut in the French mini-series "Une femme en blanc" (1997) as a teenager, he was soon a regular face on French TV, appearing in several TV movies before making his feature debut with a small role in the epic werewolf movie "Brotherhood of the Wolf" (2001), followed by "Summer Things" (2002) with Charlotte Rampling. 

His love for all aspects of film was further emphasized by attending the University of Saint-Denis, where he majored in Cinema. It was Ulliel's role as Manech, opposite Audrey Tautou, in the Oscar-nominated "A Very Long Engagement" (2004) that raised his profile worldwide. 

For his first major English language role, Ulliel stepped into Anthony Hopkin's shoes to play young serial killer Hannibal Lecter in the big-budget prequel "Hannibal Rising" (2007). This was followed by major roles in several American and European productions including "The Sea Wall" (2008), "Ultimate Heist" (2009), and "The Princess of Montpensier" (2010). 

Ulliel continued to model and became the face of Chanel's new aftershave Bleu de Chanel in a global publicity campaign that included an ad directed by Martin Scorsese in 2010. 

Therefore Ulliel had the perfect background and experience to take on the title role in the biopic "Saint Laurent" (2014), as fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. Gaspard Ulliel died on January 19, 2022, at the age of 37 following a ski accident.