Biography
Distinct and quintessentially French actor Denis Lavant began appearing on film in 1982. After a string of small parts Lavant began his famed collaboration with director Leos Carax with Carax's feature film debut, the relationship drama "Boy Meets Girl," launching both their careers. Their second film together, the crime drama "Mauvais sang," paired Lavant with Juliette Binoche with whom he would star in one of Carax's greatest accomplishments, "The Lovers on the Bridge," in which they played two young lovers on the Pont Neuf. The film was nominated for a BAFTA and earned Lavant his first nomination for best actor. In the '90s, Lavant worked with some of France's most talented filmmakers, starring in Jean-Michel Carré's "Visiblement je vous aime," Claire Denis's award-winning drama "Beau travail" about an ex-Foreign Legion officer, and Veit Helmer's celebrated, visually stunning debut comedy "Tuvalu." Maintaining his reputation as one of France's most talented actors, Lavant starred in Andrea Vecchiato's sci-fi drama "Luminal," set in the year 2010, and in international sensation Jean-Pierre Jeunet's romantic war drama "A Very Long Engagement," starring Audrey Tautou. In 2007 Lavant joined Diego Luna, Samantha Morton, and Werner Herzog in Harmony Korine's quirky comedy, "Mister Lonely," a story about a community of celebrity impersonators living on a commune in Scotland. Lavant memorably was cast as a Charlie Chaplin impersonator in a relationship with Marilyn Monroe. Maintaining his relationship with Carax, Lavant starred in the segment "Merde" of "Tokyo!" as a sewer dweller who occasionally attacks people.
