The future legendary Frenchman was born in the town of Chateauroux in France. He came from a very dysfunctional large family. In one of his biographical books, Depardieu will talk about his mother's confessions. She said that when she learned about her third pregnancy, she tried to provoke a miscarriage. But the baby was still born.
After Gerard, three more children appeared in the family. The artist’s father, an illiterate tinsmith, drank heavily and preferred not to appear at home. The child, without development, closed in on himself and preferred, instead of talking, to talk about his children's needs with gestures. The children grew up on their own; without parental control, none of them wanted to do school lessons and were definitely not interested in anything. There is no American airbase located in Chateauroux yet.
Butcher, printer, thief
There was no militarization of the population. The Americans attracted the French with their culture and personal charm. An island of American music, culture and cinema appeared in the town. Troubled boys dropped out of school and reveled in new, overseas hobbies.
Among them was Gerard.
He fell in love with cinema, but could not even imagine that he could someday be an artist.
The always hungry middle child, Depardieu, dreamed of becoming a butcher so that he could finally get enough to eat.
However, having received a certificate of incomplete education, he abandoned school, got a job in a printing house and began to engage in illegal activities like petty theft with other teenagers. They dragged everything that was not nailed down from the same American air base. One day the guys were draining fuel when they were caught by surprise. Gerard even had to serve several weeks in prison.
Accident
We had to decide what to do next. The young man had no plans, so when a friend invited him to Paris, he happily agreed. Depardieu's friend dreamed of passing a competition to an acting school, and took Gerard with him for support.
However, the famous French theater teacher Jean-Laurent Cochet noticed a tall guy with a strong-willed face in a group of applicants and called him to participate.
For the sake of humor, Deprdieu asked what should be done? Cochet asked for a pantomime.
And he hit the bull's eye: the boy, who had been expressing himself with gestures all his childhood, easily showed everything he wanted to say. The enthusiastic Cochet asked no more questions, immediately enrolling the guy in his group.
Actor
There, Gerard for the first time felt care and love and was glad to try, if only the teacher, who was so sensitive to his talent, was satisfied. Soon they began to invite him to the cinema. At that time, French directors finally began to move away from the handsome protagonist and lean towards types closer to the youth of beatniks and hippies. And Depardieu turned out to be ideal for these roles.
Pierre Richard and Gerard Depardieu
But he gained worldwide fame a little later, having participated in the filming with Pierre Richard. In contrast to the thin, funny klutz, the actor looked like a real macho man - strong and strong-willed. After the comedies with this couple, the whole world started talking about the actor.
Guillaume Depardieu
The first-born of the famous French actor Guillaume was born on April 7, 1971 in Paris. Due to the constant lack of parental attention, the boy behaved poorly, which significantly affected his studies at school. As a teenager, he became addicted to drugs and alcohol and often broke the law. For this he was sentenced to fines and imprisonment several times.
In order to somehow attract his father's attention, Guillaume decides to choose an acting career. At the age of 20, he first appeared on screen in the film “All the Mornings of the World,” where he starred with Gerard Depardieu. This French musical film received 7 Cesar awards. The film gave an excellent start to the career of young Guillaume.
In 1995, a terrible misfortune happened: Guillaume Depardieu was involved in a traffic accident: he fell from a motorcycle in the Saint-Cloud tunnel. The result was a severe injury to the right knee. While undergoing treatment, the young actor contracted an infection caused by staphylococcus, which further weakened his health.
Despite this, Guillaume Depardieu already in 1996 received his Cesar prize in the category “Best Young Actor” for his role in the film “The Apprentice,” directed by Pierre Salvadori.
The actors who worked with Guillaume Depardieu noted his excessive emotionality. He could laugh and smile, and a minute later he would cry or rage. Guillaume never stopped playing for a minute, even in life.
In 2003, the young Frenchman's leg pain became so severe that he had to take morphine. Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs no longer helped, and the old infection and diabetes made themselves felt more and more often. Therefore, doctors decided to amputate the leg. Guillaume was given an excellent prosthesis, thanks to which he was able to walk and even act in films again.
In 2004, the actor wrote an autobiography, where he openly talks about his difficult relationship with Gerard Depardieu.
In 2008, Guillaume Depardieu went to Romania to shoot the film “The Childhood of Icarus.” The main character, Jonathan Vogel, lost his leg, and in order to try to restore what was lost, he takes part in a mysterious biological experiment. Guillaume was very inspired by this role and took an active part in adjusting the script.
A week after filming ended, the actor became very ill and had to be hospitalized. But the doctors could not do anything; on October 13, 2008, Guillaume Depardieu died of pneumonia at the peak of his acting career.
Culinary
He still basks in the glory and is considered one of the most extravagant and interesting actors. Without detracting from his talent for transformation and ability to “elevate” any role, let’s just say that Depardieu turned out to be talented in other industries.
At some point he became seriously interested in cooking.
No one understands meat and wine as well as this actor, let alone another French traditional hobby - romance.
It is known that the most recognized beauties in the world had their eyes on the charismatic actor, including Monica Bellucci, Catherine Deneuve, Andie MacDowell. But then he was already married to Elisabeth Guigno, an aristocrat and beauty, with whom he fell in love as a student in Paris.
Films starring Gerard Depardieu
The first, episodic, film role in the film “The Beatnik and the Young Lady” (1965). And in 1971, Depardieu already plays one of the characters in the film “A Little Sun in Cold Water,” based on the novel by Francoise Sagan. Gerard Depardieu had a great future in store. In 1973, the tragicomedy “Waltzers” by Bertrand Blier was released, where Gerard starred along with his fellow students and friends - Miu-Miu and Devaer. The story about young, reckless people shocking the people around them met with mixed reviews from film critics. Some saw behind this a revolution in the world of cinema and a response to the student unrest in France in 1968, others said that there was nothing sacred left for the director, they reproached him for cruelty, not seeing the love and longing for freedom from bourgeois conventions behind the external unscrupulousness of the main characters. Be that as it may, it was in Depardieu’s hero that young people recognized themselves and accepted the actor.
He would star in Blier more than once: in the parody of soap operas “Have Your Handkerchiefs Ready” (1977), the black comedy “Cold Appetizers” (1979), and in the film “Too Beautiful for You” (1989), contrary to common logic, he would prefer an ordinary secretary to his beautiful wife. In the first half of his career, actor Gerard Depardieu, feeling the time, starred with real film rebels. For example, in Marco Ferreri's The Last Woman (1976), he plays a man surrounded by feminists and neurotics who trample on his masculinity. Stars in Bertolucci's politically charged Twentieth Century. Depardieu also works with representatives of the “new wave” of French cinema. Truffaut starred in the story of love and war, “The Last Metro” (1980), with Catherine Deneuve as his co-star. In “The Girl Next Door” (1981), together with Fanny, Ardant spoke about love and passion leading to tragic consequences. Piala played the irrepressible “stallion” in “Lulu” (1980) with Huppert, and the brutal inspector in “Police” (1985) with Sophie Marceau. Another component of Depardieu’s multifaceted talent is comic. She manifested herself especially clearly in tandem with Pierre Richard. In 1981, “The Unlucky Ones” was released, directed by Francis Weber, who knows how to make amazingly light and subtle comedies. The naive and funny Richard and the reserved and courageous Depardieu complemented each other so well that every time you watch it you never tire of being amazed at the magic that can only arise between two truly gifted people. Depardieu played with Pierre Richard twice more - in the films “The Runaways” and “Papas.” In the 80s and 90s he actively starred in film adaptations of literary classics and films on historical themes. Among them, the actor pays special attention to his work on the film “Cyrano de Bergerac”, for his role in which he was recognized at the Cannes Film Festival and awarded the Cesar Award as best actor. Depardieu is no stranger to Hollywood cinema; in 1996, he starred in the family comedy “Bogus” with Whoopi Goldberg, and in 1998 he played Porthos in “The Man in the Iron Mask.” In the 2000s, he starred in “Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar” and its sequel, with an old friend Blier in “How Much Are You Worth?” together with the attractive Monica Bellucci, in the erotic melodrama “Natalie” and in many other films; He also played the main role in the Russian-French film “Rasputin” in 2011. All the works of actor Gerard Depardieu cannot be counted.
Lover of women
The actress was never overly jealous of her husband, and he responded to her with sincere love. The couple raised their daughter Julie and son Guillaume, until in the mid-90s it turned out that Depardieu had another child. Model Karinn Sylla gave birth to a daughter, Roxanne, from the actor. Because of this old relationship, which stretched back to 1992, the couple divorced in 1996.
Gerard Depardieu and Carole Bouquet
Gerard Depardieu and Carole Bouquet
However, Depardieu did not live with Karinne. A year after the divorce, the charming hedonist, who was not used to denying himself anything, was again named one of the most mentioned actors in the media. This time Gerard appeared in the photo with actress Carole Bouquet. They lived together until 2005.
Later, Depardieu will tell you that the beauty had one, but very serious flaw - damn jealousy, because of which this union fell apart.
It is known that Depardieu later had another child - from the Cambodian model Hélène Bizot. In addition, the artist has already become a grandfather several times. His first grandson was given to him by his eldest son, Guillaume. The happiness from this news was soon overshadowed by grief. In 2008, Guillaume caught a bad cold, came down with pneumonia and died from its consequences a short time later.
Personal life of Gerard Depardieu
Unequal marriage
Depardieu's first wife was his friend from the theater studio, Elizabeth Guigno. The commoner Gerard could not even count on such a marriage - an aristocratic bride seemed to him and his relatives something ephemeral. But Elizabeth agreed to become his wife, and in April 1970 they got married.
In this marriage he had two children, both Julie and Guillaume, together with their father, starred in the mini-series “The Count of Monte Cristo”.
Alas, Guillaume, who is very similar to Gerard, at one time became addicted to drugs, then suffered a leg amputation as a consequence of an accident. He died from complications of pneumonia at age 37.
Hero father?
Gerard Depardieu's personal life changed in 1992, when Elizabeth learned of his next betrayal: the artist was forced to admit his illegitimate child, daughter Roxanne, from model Karin Sylla. The couple litigated for a long time and divorced in 1996.
Depardieu decided on another, civil, marriage - with his colleague Carole Bouquet, but the ten-year union was not very happy: the actor remained a ladies' man.
And in 2006, already very old, Gerard became a father again: as a result of a fleeting relationship with Hélène Bizot - she gave birth to his son Jean and even ensured that the baby bore his father’s surname.
The actor himself says that he has many more children, but he managed to pay off their mothers.
Having met the philologist Clementine Igou, Gerard became seriously interested in her - it seems they are still together.
Russian
Depardieu’s attitude towards registration and other bureaucratic issues is also interesting. In 2012, the artist bought a house in Belgium and moved there. The French authorities called this act an attempt by Depardieu to hide from taxes, to which the angry actor sent his French passport and other documents to the French Prime Minister and renounced his citizenship, declaring that he was a citizen of the world.
Gerard Depardieu
After some time, Russian President Vladimir Putin heard rumors that the actor had great respect for our country and would like to become its citizen. The head of state considered this issue resolved and ordered that the legend of the world cinematograph be issued a Russian passport. So Depardieu moved to Saransk, where he was given the choice of a mansion or apartments in a new building.
Belgium and France
After some time, the artist established connections with the powers that be. After communicating with Ramzan Kadyrov, he received a five-room apartment in the center of Grozny, but did not live there. In 2018, Depardieu moved to Krasnoyarsk to act as a director and shoot a documentary about life in Siberia, commissioned by Channel One.
However, after some more time, he again began to live in Belgium and fly to France for work.
It is known that in 2019 the actor was busy filming the French films “Anatolian History” and the biographical film “Bach”, where he played the main role. Depardieu's work in the latter was announced back in 2016. However, it is still unclear when fans will be able to enjoy the actor’s performance in the new film.
Autobiography of Gerard Depardieu: confessions of gay prostitution, grave robbery and banditry
The 65-year-old actor reveals in a book full of shocking revelations that he was born into a very poor family. All his life he had heard stories from his mother about how she tried several times to have an abortion using an iron needle and thought that she had already killed her son in the womb. “I survived all the torment that my poor mother caused herself with these knitting needles. That third child she didn't want was me, Gerard. I survived,” the BBC quotes the actor’s book. Depardieu calls his father, who worked as a tinsmith, a drunkard. The actor admits that his dad was completely illiterate and his name was Dede, because two “Ds” were the only letters he knew.
In his autobiography, Depardieu recalls that he began wandering the streets when he was only ten years old, although at that time he could easily have been fifteen. This helped young Gerard understand that he was very attractive to men. “Because I was very young, I realized that homosexuals really liked me,” Depardieu writes, adding that when men approached him asking for sex, he “asked them to give him money for it.” The Independent notes: in order to get money, young Gerard often gave himself to drivers of passing trucks. And Depardieu even attacked some clients, trying to take away cash.
The Daily Mail notes that at the age of sixteen, Depardieu even served several weeks in prison for stealing a car. Moreover, in his youth, the famous actor did not disdain to rob fresh graves and engage in smuggling. “At twenty years old, a real bandit lived and lived in me,” The Daily Mail quotes the actor’s autobiography. Depardieu also talks about how he stole watches and money from students who took part in anti-government protests in 1968, while they slept on the streets between clashes with police.
The revelations in the new book also shed light on Depardieu's relationship with his son Guillaume, who died in 2008 - at the age of 37 - from viral pneumonia. The actor says that Guillaume was addicted to drugs and did the same thing as his father - he sold himself. Talking about his children, Depardieu blames himself for not being able to tell them how he feels about them. “I know how to speak other people’s words,” The Daily Mail quotes from his autobiography. “But when it comes to my words, I am Dede’s son.” It is noted that Depardieu had a difficult relationship with Guillaume: he tried to distance himself from his son because he was a talented actor.
In his book, the actor explains the reason for his alcohol addiction. Not without boasting, Depardieu writes that he can drink up to 14 bottles a day - starting with champagne in the morning and ending with whiskey in the evening. However, the French film star claims that in this way he is trying to cope with the phobias that haunt him: “I am haunted by sounds in my body - the beating of my heart, the gurgling of my intestines, the cracking of my joints,” writes Depardieu. – It has become such a phobia that if I am alone in a hotel, I have to drink so as not to hear these sounds, so as not to go crazy from them. I can't sleep unless I'm drunk."
On the occasion of the release of his autobiography, Depardieu gave an interview to the French magazine Le Point, in which he explained why he left France. According to the actor, he had the impression that they “wanted to rob him.” “Like after 1945, as a collaborator,” admits Depardieu. At the same time, he emphasized that he and the Russian president have a lot in common. “He’s like me,” says the actor. “Nobody would have bet a penny on him when he was a kid. This could have turned out very badly for him in Leningrad, where he was born... Like me, I tell you.”
