Gerard Depardieu

Depardieu was born in Chateauroux, Indre. Born to an impoverished familythe son of Anne Jeanne Josephe and Rene Maxime Lionel Depardieu, who was a metal worker.

Depardieu spent a Dickensian childhood replete with brushes with the law. A classic "juvenile delinquent", he dropped out of school at age 12 and embarked on a hitchhiking tour of Europe that found him stealing cars and selling goods on the black market. He may have been destined for a life of crime had he not discovered acting, thanks to a friend who was attending drama school in Paris. Depardieu enrolled in classes at the Theatre National Populaire and later was apprenticed at the Cafe de la Gare alongside future co-stars Patrick Dewaere and Miou-Miou.

He made his film acting debut in the short "Le Beatnik et le minet" (1965). After appearing regularly on French TV and in small roles in a variety of films, the actor enjoyed breakout success co-starring as a nihilistic but lovable petty thug with Dewaere in "Les Valseuses/Going Places" (1974), directed by Bertrand Blier.

Kicking off the 1980s, Depardieu offered a sterling, award-winning performance as a Resistance fighter in the dark drama "Le Dernier Metro/The Last Metro" (1980).

Despite near fatal accidents (a 1996 plane collision and a 1998 motorcycle crash) and health problems (he underwent coronary bypass surgery in July 2000), Depardieu appeared unstoppable as the new millennium unfolded. In addition to reteaming with Daniel Auteuil as a homophobe in "The Closet/Le Placard" (2000), he had the title role as the famous detective "Vidocq" (2001) as well as reprised the part of Obelix in "Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra" (2002). On the small screen, was attached to such projects a TV projects as "Napoleon" (to star Christian Clavier and air in 2003), "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "The Three Musketeers".

He first married Elisabeth , with whom he had two children. Guillaume and Julie. Divorced from actress Elisabeth Depardieu (nee Guignot).

He also has a younger daughter, Roxane, with Karine Silla.

He later had an affair with actress Carole Bouquet from 1997 to 2005.