Romain Duris

Devilishly handsome and effortlessly charming, French actor Romain Duris was a popular leading man when he starred in "The Beat That Skipped My Heart" (2005) and "Heartbreaker" (2010). Born in Paris, Duris was not an aspiring actor from the very start. He was studying painting when a chance encounter in front of a high school with a casting director led to his casting in the Cédric Klapisch film "Le péril jeune" (1994). Despite having no formal acting training, the naturally charismatic Duris showed incredible promise. In fact, he was twice nominated for France's prestigious César Award for Most Promising Actor, first for 1997's "Gadjo dilo" and again two years later for the science fiction comedy "Peut-être" (1999). However, it was his portrayal of the conflicted realtor Thomas Seyr in "The Beat That Skipped My Heart" that brought international attention and earned him several Best Actor nominations at the 2006 César Awards and 2006 European Film Awards. He became one of France's most popular leading men with a string of romantic films, most notably the box office hit "Heartbreaker" (2010), which paired him with French singer, model and actress Vanessa Paradis. In 2013, he starred in French auteur Michel Gondry's critically acclaimed romantic drama "Lécume des jours" ("Mood Indigo") as well as Cédric Klapisch's final installment of the "Spanish Apartment trilogy," "Casse-tête chinois" ("Chinese Puzzle"). At the 2014 Toronto Film Festival, the dramatic film "Une nouvelle amie" ("The New Girlfriend") premiered to critical acclaim, with several reviewers praising Duris' performance.