Popular Film Actors from France

Updated June 14, 2019 35.4k views3.6k items

List of famous film actors and actresses from France, listed by their popularity with photos when available. France has given birth to some great movie actors and actresses over the years, many of who have gone on to star in comedies, dramas, horror movies and more. These are some of the best French screen actors in the history of the world, so if you're a native of France and an aspiring actor/actress then these are people you should look up to.

Film actors here include everything from Henri Vidal to Catherine Ringer.

This list answers the questions, "Who are the best French actors?" and "Which movies stars are from France?"

You can click on the names of these legendary movie stars of France in order to get more information about each one. If you're a film buff use this list of talented French film actors to find some new movies you haven't already seen.

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1
Catherine Deneuve
Repulsion, Dancer in the Dark
Birthplace: Paris, France
Nationality: France
Catherine Fabienne Dorléac, known professionally as Catherine Deneuve (French: [katʁin dənœv],... more
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2
Humphrey Bogart
Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon
Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Nationality: United States of America
Humphrey DeForest Bogart (; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957) was an American film and... more
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3
Sophia Loren
Nine, El Cid
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Nationality: Kingdom of Italy, France, Italy
Sofia Villani Scicolone Dame Grand Cross OMRI (born 20 September 1934), known professionally... more
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4
Max von Sydow
The Exorcist, Shutter Island
Birthplace: Lund, Sweden
Nationality: Sweden, France
Max von Sydow (born Carl Adolf von Sydow, April 10, 1929 - March 8, 2020) is a Swedish actor.... more
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5
Monica Bellucci
Bram Stoker's Dracula, The Passion of the Christ
Birthplace: Città di Castello, Italy
Nationality: Italy
Monica Anna Maria Bellucci (Italian pronunciation: [ˈmɔːnika belˈluttʃi]; born 30 September... more
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6
Isabelle Huppert
Heaven's Gate, The Piano Teacher
Birthplace: Paris, France
Nationality: France
Isabelle Anne Madeleine Huppert (French pronunciation: [izabɛl yˈpɛʁ]; born 16 March 1953) is... more
7
Omar Sharif
Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago
Birthplace: Alexandria, Egypt
Nationality: France, Egypt
Omar Sharif (Arabic: عمر الشريف‎, Egyptian Arabic pronunciation: [ˈʕomɑɾ eʃʃɪˈɾiːf]; born... more
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8
Alain Delon
Le Samouraï, The Leopard
Birthplace: Sceaux, France
Nationality: France
Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (born 8 November 1935) is a French actor and businessman. He... more
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9
Kristin Scott Thomas
The English Patient, Mission: Impossible
Birthplace: Redruth, United Kingdom
Nationality: France, United Kingdom
Dame Kristin Ann Scott Thomas (born 24 May 1960) is an English actress. Five times a BAFTA... more
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10
Jean Reno
Mission: Impossible, Hotel Rwanda
Birthplace: Casablanca, Morocco
Nationality: France,Morocco
Juan Moreno y Herrera-Jiménez (born 30 July 1948), known as Jean Reno (French: [ʒɑ̃ ʁeno]), is... more
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11
Gérard Depardieu
Life of Pi, The Man in the Iron Mask
Birthplace: Châteauroux, France
Nationality: France, Russia
Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu (French: [ʒeʁaʁ ɡzavje maʁsɛl dəpaʁdjø] (listen); born 27... more
12
Claudette Colbert
It Happened One Night, The Palm Beach Story
Birthplace: Saint-Mandé, France
Nationality: France, United States of America
Claudette Colbert ( kohl-BAIR; born Émilie Claudette Chauchoin; September 13, 1903 – July 30,... more
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13
Brigitte Bardot
Cinema Paradiso, Contempt
Birthplace: Paris, France
Nationality: France
Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot (French: [bʁiʒit baʁdo]; born 28 September 1934), often referred to... more
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14
Juliette Binoche
The English Patient, Chocolat
Birthplace: Paris, France
Nationality: France
Juliette Binoche (born 9 March 1964) is a French actress, artist, and dancer. She has appeared... more
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15
Marion Cotillard
The Dark Knight Rises, Inception
Birthplace: Paris, France
Nationality: France
Marion Cotillard (French: [maʁjɔ̃ kɔtijaʁ] (listen); born 30 September 1975) is a French... more
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16
Louis Jourdan
Octopussy, Gigi
Birthplace: France, Marseille
Nationality: France
Louis Jourdan (born Louis Robert Gendre; 19 June 1921 – 14 February 2015) was a French film... more
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17
Adolphe Menjou
Paths of Glory, Pollyanna
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, USA, Pennsylvania
Nationality: United States of America
Adolphe Jean Menjou (February 18, 1890 – October 29, 1963) was an American actor. His career... more
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18
Yves Saint Laurent
Yves St. Laurent: His Life and Times, L'Amour Fou
Birthplace: Oran, Algeria
Nationality: France
Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent (French: [iv sɛ̃ lɔʁɑ̃]; 1 August 1936 – 1 June 2008),... more
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19
Christopher Reeve
Superman, Superman II
Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Nationality: United States of America
Christopher D'Olier Reeve (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor who... more
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20
Charles Boyer
Casino Royale, Gaslight
Birthplace: Figeac, France
Nationality: France, United States of America
Charles Boyer (French: [bwaje]; 28 August 1899 – 26 August 1978) was a French-American actor... more
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21
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, A Bug's Life
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America,France
Julia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus Hall (; born January 13, 1961) is an American actress,... more
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22
Audrey Tautou
Amélie, The Da Vinci Code
Birthplace: Beaumont, Puy-de-Dôme, France
Nationality: France
Audrey Justine Tautou (French pronunciation: [odʁɛ ʒystin totu] (listen); born 9 August 1976)... more
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23
Vincent Cassel
Shrek, Black Swan
Birthplace: France, Paris
Nationality: France
Vincent Cassel (born Vincent Crochon, 23 November 1966) is a French actor. He first achieved... more
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24
Clémence Poésy
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Birthplace: L'Haÿ-les-Roses, France
Nationality: France
Clémence Poésy (French: [klemɑ̃s pɔezi]; born 30 October 1982 as Clémence Guichard) is a... more
25
JoJo
Aquamarine, RV
Birthplace: Brattleboro, Vermont, United States of America
Nationality: United States of America
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