Christian Clavier

Biography: life and films

The son of a doctor, Christian Clavier was born in Paris on 6th May 1952. At the high school where he was a model student, Clavier met a group of people with whom he would later form the popular comedy troupe Splendid: Michel Blanc, Thierry Lhermitte and Gérard Jugnot. It was through his early film ventures with the Splendid team that Clavier gained national recognition as a comedy performer. Many of these films have become classics and include: Les Bronzés (1978), Le Père Noël est une ordure (1982) and Papy fait de la résistance (1983). In 1993, Clavier scripted and starred alongside Jean Reno in a film that brought him international fame and confirmed his standing as one of France's leading comic actors: Les Visiteurs. In this film, a box office hit which he co-scripted with director Jean-Marie Poiré, he played two of his best known characters (the medieval vassal Jacquouille la Fripouille and priggish hotelier Jacques-Henry Jacquard) and acquired his famous catchphrase: "Ok-aaay!" Since, Clavier has appeared in several mainstream French comedies, many of which proved to be phenomenally successful. These include the sequel to Les Visteurs, Les Couloirs du temps (1998), the third Bronzés film Les Bronzés 3 - amis pour la vie (2006) and his two memorable outings as Astérix in: Astérix et Obélix contre César (1999) and Astérix et Obélix Mission Cléopâtre (2002). Despite being bracketed as a comedy actor for most of his career, Clavier had ambitions to broaden his repertoire and in 2002 he had the opportunity to do just that, taking on straight dramatic roles in two prestigious series for French television: Les Misèrables (as Thénardier) and Napoléon (as the Emperor himself).

Filmography