Louis Garrel (born 14 June 1983) is a French actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his starring role in The Dreamers (2003), directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.The Auteurs – Louis Garrel theauteurs.comRozemeyer, Karl. "Louis Garrel – Better in Threes" Premiere.com. 21 March 2008. Retrieved 5 April 2010. He has regularly appeared in films by French director Christophe Honoré, including Ma Mère (2004), Dans Paris (2006), Love Songs (2007), The Beautiful Person (2008) and Making Plans for Lena (2009). He has also been in films directed by his father, Philippe Garrel, including Regular Lovers (2005), Frontier of the Dawn (2008), A Burning Hot Summer (2011), and Jealousy (2013).
He usually plays similar characters such as men in the middle of love triangles or important historical figures such as Jacques de Bascher in Saint Laurent (2014), Jean-Luc Godard in Redoutable (2017), and Alfred Dreyfus in An Officer and a Spy (2019). His performances have received many nominations at the César Awards.
Garrel has also performed in several feature films that he wrote and directed, including: Two Friends (2015), A Faithful Man (2018), The Crusade (2021) and The Innocent (2022).
He is also known for working with numerous female directors such as Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Brigitte Sy, Maïwenn, Greta Gerwig and Nicole Garcia.
Early life and education Garrel was born in Paris, France, the son of director Philippe Garrel and actress Brigitte Sy, and the brother of actress Esther Garrel. His grandfather, Maurice Garrel, and his godfather, Jean-Pierre Léaud, are also notable French actors.Internet Movie Database – Louis Garrel imdb.comThe Auteurs – Philippe Garrel theauteurs.com His maternal grandfather was of Sephardic Jewish descent. Garrel grew up in the district of Pigalle in Paris, where he lived with his mother.Alice Cavanagh (30 January 2026), Louis Garrel on French cinema, fashion and Angelina Jolie Financial Times.
Garrel is a graduate of the Conservatoire de Paris.
Career Garrel was six when he first appeared onscreen in the film Les Baisers de secours. Twelve years later, he appeared in Ceci est mon corps.
In 2002, Garrel gained international recognition playing Eva Green's twin brother in The Dreamers. Director Bernardo Bertolucci found him on the first session of casting in Paris.Morales, Wilson. "The Dreamers: An Interview with Bernardo Bertolucci", Blackfilm.com. 2004. Retrieved 5 April 2010. Garrel has starred in various French films, including Les Amants réguliers (2005), directed by his father Philippe Garrel. He was awarded the César Award for Most Promising Actor for his work in the film.
Garrel has collaborated five times with filmmaker Christophe Honoré in the feature films Ma Mère (2004), an adaptation of the eponymous novel by Georges Bataille; Dans Paris (2006); Love Songs (2007); The Beautiful Person (2008); Making Plans for Lena (2009); and Two Friends (2015). He also appeared in Valeria Bruni Tedeschi's Actrices (2007), Rachid Hami's Choisir d'aimer (2008) and Philipe Garrel's Frontier of the Dawn (2008).
In 2008, he launched into directing with his short film Mes copains. Two years later, he directed the short film Petit Tailleur.
He appeared in Heartbeats, by director Xavier Dolan, released in 2010. In 2011, Garrel directed the short film La Règle de trois, with Vincent Macaigne and Golshifteh Farahani, which he presented at the Locarno Festival.
In 2014, he played Jacques de Bascher, the lover of Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent in Bertrand Bonello's film Saint Laurent.
His directorial debut film Two Friends, starring Golshifteh Farahani, Vincent Macaigne and himself, was released in 2015.
In 2019, Garrel starred in An Officer and a Spy directed by Roman Polanski, which revolved around the Dreyfus affair. The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in August 2019, and was released in November 2019. The same year, he starred in Little Women, based upon novel of the same name.
In 2020, Garrel starred in Rifkin's Festival directed by Woody Allen, DNA directed by Maïwenn, and in 2021, The Story of My Wife opposite Léa Seydoux, directed by Ildikó Enyedi.
Other activities Garrel featured in Emporio Armani's fall 2004 ads – alongside his The Dreamers costars Michael Pitt and Eva Green –Armani Ad Reunion Women's Wear Daily, 11 June 2004. and also appeared in Armani's fall 2023 campaign. He became the face of Valentino's Uomo fragrance in 2014 and directed a short film featuring Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey for a Valentino Donna campaign in 2015.Jennifer Weil (1 October 2015), Valentino Donna Film Campaign Set to Launch Women's Wear Daily. In 2024, he was named a menswear brand ambassador for Dior.Joelle Diderich (16 May 2024), Dior Names French Actor and Director Louis Garrel as Men's Ambassador Women's Wear Daily.
Personal life Aside from his native French, Garrel speaks English and Italian.
Garrel was in a relationship with Valeria Bruni Tedeschi from 2007 to 2012. She is the elder sister of Carla Bruni. In 2009, Bruni Tedeschi and Garrel adopted a baby girl, Oumy, from Senegal.
Garrel was also in a relationship with Iranian and French actress Golshifteh Farahani, who he directed and co-starred with in Two Friends (2015).
In June 2017, Garrel married French model and actress Laetitia Casta and the couple have been together since 2015. In March 2021, they welcomed their first child together, a son named Azel. In 2025, several media outlets reported that they had separated. This was confirmed in Garrel's 2026 interview with the Financial Times..
In 2009 and 2010, Garrel signed two petitions in support of film director Roman Polanski, calling for his release after Polanski was arrested in Switzerland in relation to his 1977 charge for drugging and raping a then 13-year-old girl.
Filmography As actor Year Title Role Notes 1989 Les Baisers de secours Lo 2001 Ceci est mon corps Antoine 2002 The War in Paris (La Guerre à Paris) 2003 The Dreamers Théo 2004 Ma mère Pierre 2005 Regular Lovers François Dervieux César Award for Most Promising ActorEtoiles d'Or for Best Male Newcomer 2006 Dans Paris Jonathan 2006 A Curtain Raiser (Un lever de rideau) Bruno Short film 2007 Love Songs Ismaël Bénoliel Nominated—Globes de Cristal Award for Best Actor Actrices Éric 2008 Choisir d'aimer Pascal Frontier of the Dawn François The Beautiful Person Jacques Nemours 2009 Making Plans for Lena Simon 2010 Le Mariage à trois Théo Heartbeats Guest in the final scene DiarchyLuc Short film written and directed by Ferdinando Cito Filomarino 2011 Beloved Clément La Règle de trois Louis Short film (also as director and screenwriter)Prix Jean Vigo A Burning Hot Summer Frédéric 2012Les coquillettes Louis Garrel 2013A Castle in Italy NathanJealousy Louis 2014 Saint Laurent Jacques de Bascher Nominated—César Award for Best Supporting Actor 2015 L'Astragale Jacky In the Shadow of Women Narrator (voice) Mon roi Solal Nominated—César Award for Best Supporting Actor Two Friends Abel Also as director and screenwriter 2016 Planetarium Fernand Prouvé From the Land of the Moon André Sauvage 2017 False Confessions Dorante TV movie Redoubtable Jean-Luc Godard Nominated—César Award for Best ActorNominated—Lumière Award for Best Actor Ismael's Ghosts Ivan Dedalus 2018 One Nation, One King Robespierre At Eternity's Gate Aurier's Article (voice) A Faithful Man Abel Also writer and director 2019 Funan Khuon (voice)An Officer and a SpyAlfred DreyfusNominated—César Award for Best Supporting Actor Little Women Friedrich Bhaer 2020 DNA FrançoisNominated—César Award for Best Supporting Actor Rifkin's Festival Philippe 2021 The Crusade Abel The Story of My WifeDedin Our Men Maxime 2022 Coma Dr. Ballard voice Scarlet Jean Forever Young Patrice Chéreau The Innocent Abel Lefranc Nominated—César Award for Best Actor Nominated—César Award for Best Director Caravaggio's Shadow The Shadow 2023 The Plough Louis The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan King Louis XIII 2024 The Second Act David 2024 Saint-Ex Antoine de Saint-Exupéry 2025 Arco Stewie (voice) Chien 51Jon Mafram Couture Anton 2026House of LoveSelfShort filmIt Will Happen TonightMatteoJust an IllusionYves Dayan TBA Filming
As filmmaker Year Title Credited as NotesDirectorScreenwriter 2008 Mes copains Short film 2010 Petit Tailleur Short filmNominated—César Award for Best Short Film 2011 La Règle de trois Short film (also as actor) 2015 Two Friends Also as actorNominated—Cannes Film Festival – Caméra d'OrNominated—Lumière Award for Best First Film 2018 A Faithful Man Also as actor 2021The CrusadeAlso as actor2022The InnocentAlso as actor
Other awards 2009: Prix Patrick Dewaere
References
External links
Official website