Born in Châteauroux, France; trained at the Théâtre National Populaire, Paris. Burly, highly talented leading man and one of Europe's most prolific screen performers since the 1970s and 80s. Depardieu brings to his portrayals an intensity and attention to detail that endows all his characters with a sense of urgency. Landmark films include LES VALSEUSES / GOING PLACES (1974), as a nihilistic but somehow lovable petty thug; PRÉPAREX VOS MOUCHOIRS / GET OUT YOUR HANDKERCHIEFS (1978), as a man who tries to cheer up his wife by finding her a lover; THE RETURN OF MARTIN GUERRE (1982), as a 16th-century peasant who may not be what he claims; JEAN DE FLORETTE (1986), as a naïve, inexperienced farmer; and CYRANO DE BERGERAC (1990), in the title role of Jean-Paul Rappeneau's adaptation. Depardieu is probably best known to American audiences as the star of GREEN CARD (1990), Peter Weir's popular romantic comedy. He directed LE TARTUFFE (1984) and co-produced DRÔLE D'ENDROIT POUR UNE RENCONTRE / A STRANGE PLACE TO MEET (1988) and the Satyajit Ray-directed BRANCHES OF THE TREE (1991) / SHAKHA PROSHAKA. Other notable credits include MON ONCLE D'AMÉRIQUE / MY AMERICAN UNCLE and LE DERNIER MÉTRO / THE LAST METRO (both 1980), DANTON (1983), CAMILLE CLAUDEL (1988), 1492: CONQUEST OF PARADISE (1992), GERMINAL (1993), HAMLET (1996), THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK (1998), VATEL and 102 DALMATIANS (both 2000). LE PLACARD / THE CLOSET, CONCORRENZA SLEALE / UNFAIR COMPETITION, CQ and STEGNE VERSO NORD / WITCHES OF THE NORTH (all 2001), I AM DINA, AIME TON PÈRE / HONOR YOUR FAHTER, BETWEEN STRANGERS, CITY OF GHOSTS, "Napoléon" (TV mini-series) and BLANCHE (all 2002), LE PACTE DU SILENCE, CRIME SPREE, BON VOYAGE, NATHALIE, TAIS TOI! / SHUT UP! and LES CLEFS DE BAGNOLE / THE CAR KEYS (all 2003), RRRrrr!!!, SAN-ANTONIO, NOUVELLE-FRANCE, 36 QUAI DES ORFÈVRES and LES TEMPS QUI CHANGENT / CHANGING TIMES (all 2004), JE PRÉFÈRE QU'ON RESTE AMIS, BOUDU, COMBIEN TU M'AIMES? / HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE ME? and OLÉ! (all 2005), LAST HOLIDAY, PARIS, JE T'AIME and QUAND J'ÉTAIS CHANTEUR / THE SINGER (all 2006), LA MÔME / LA VIE EN ROSE, MICHOU D'AUBER, L'ABBUFFATA and LES ENFANTS DE TIMPELBACH (all 2007), ASTÈRIX AUX JEUX OLYMPIQUES, L'INSTINCT DE MORT / DEATH INSTINCT, L'ENNEMI PUBLIC N° 1, DISCO, BABYLON A.D., LE BOUQUET FINAL, LA PETITE FILLE DE MONSIEUR LINH, TOUS SANS EXCEPTION and VIVALDI (all scheduled for 2008), and KALACH and ONLY IN NEW YORK (both planned for 2009). Depardieu's actress wife Elisabeth (née Guignot) appeared opposite him several times, as in JEAN DE FLORETTE. They were married from 1971 to 1996 and had two children, actors Guillaume Depardieu (b. 1971) and Julie Depardieu (b. 1973). Depardieu separated from his second wife, actress Carole Bouquet, in 2005.  Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role 1990: CYRANO DE BERGERAC 1 nomination