CLAVIER, CHRISTIAN

(1952- )

Actor, producer, and screenwriter. Christian Clavier attended the lycée Pasteur de Neuilly with colleagues who would form thecafé-théâtregroup, the Troupe du Splendid, including Michel Blanc,Gérard Jugnot, andThierry Lhermitte. They were later joined byJosiane Balasko, Dominique Lavanant, Bruno Moynot, and Marie-Anne Chazel, whom Clavier eventually married. The group performed in the comedy and standup on the Parisian theater circuit, and many of them eventually went into film. Clavier made his film debut in Jacques Doillon,Alain Resnais, andJean Rouche'sL'An '01(1973).He went on to appear inBertrand Tavernier'sQue la fête commence(1974), Jacques Besnard'sC'est parce qu'on n'a rien à dire qu'il faut fermer sa guele(1974), Gérard Pirès'sAttention les yeux(1975), and Maurice Dugowson'sF.comme Fairbanks(1976).

Clavier landed his first major role alongside Lhermitte in Pierre Lary'sLe Diable dans la boîte(1977). He also acted inVous n'aurez pas L'Alsace et Lorraine(1977), a film directed by one of France's best-known comedians,Coluche. He played significant roles inPatrice Leconte's popular comediesLes Bronzés(1978) andLes Bronzés font du ski(1979). Leconte, Clavier, and members of the Splendid Troupe cowrote the scripts for these films. He followed these performances with leading roles in François Leterrier'sJe vais craquer(1980) andLes Babas cool(1981). He also cowrote and starred in the play and film adaptation of Jean-Marie Poiré'sLe Père Noël est une ordure(1982). Clavier would work with Poiré as a writer and actor on several films, among themPapy fait de la résistance(1983),Twist again à Moscou(1986),Mes meilleurs copains(1988), andOpération corned-beef(1991), where he starred with Jean Reno, an actor with whom he worked frequently. He was also paired withGérard Depardieuin Poiré'sLes Anges gardiens(1995).

With Poiré, Clavier cowrote the hugely popular filmLes Visiteurs(1993), for which he receivedCésarnominations for Best Screen-play and Best Actor. He also cowrote and starred in its sequel,Les Couloirs du temps,les visiteurs 2(1998). He subsequently starred in the less successful American version ofLes Visiteurs, Jean-Marie Gaubert'sJust Visiting(2000). He also worked with director Gérard Oury inLa Soif de l'or(1993) and played Astérix, the most famous and beloved of all French cartoon characters, inClaude Zidi'sAstérix et Obélix contre César(1999), and in Alain Chabat'sAstérix et Obélix:mission Cléopâtre(2002). He played leading roles in his brother Stéphane Clavier'sLovely Rita Sainte Patronne des cas désespérés(2003), as well as in Hervé Palud'sAlbert est méchant(2004), Alain Berberien'sL'Enquête corse(2004), Vincent de Brus'sL'Antidote(2005), and Leconte'sLes Bronzés 3:amis pour la vie(2005). An actor best known for his comic performances, Clavier has, at times, been compared to the lateLouis de Funès.