Daniel Auteuil
A French screen titan whose intense, earthy performances brought a raw, human vulnerability to some of cinema's most memorable characters.
Born 1950 (age 76)·French actor and director·Birthday: January 24·Baby Boomers
Biography
Daniel Auteuil did not take a conventional path to stardom. Born in Algiers, he began his career in theatre and television before his explosive breakthrough in Claude Berri's two-part Provençal epic, 'Jean de Florette' and 'Manon des Sources.' As the scheming, morally conflicted Ugolin, Auteuil delivered a performance of such agonizing depth that it catapulted him to international fame and defined his screen persona: a man of powerful, often inarticulate passions. He became the anchor of the French cinema of the 1990s and 2000s, equally convincing in romantic dramas like 'The Girl on the Bridge' and in chilling thrillers like 'The Widow of Saint-Pierre.' Auteuil possesses a rare ability to convey complex interior states with minimal dialogue, using his physical presence and expressive eyes to communicate volumes. While he has occasionally stepped behind the camera to direct, his primary legacy is that of an actor who consistently strips his characters bare, revealing the fragile humanity beneath even the most flawed exteriors.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Daniel was born in 1950, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Daniel Was Born
The biggest hits of 1950
#1 Movie
Cinderella
Best Picture
All About Eve
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Daniel's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1950Born
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1955Started school
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1963Became a teenager
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Could drive
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1968Could vote
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Turned 21
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1980Turned 30
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 40
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 50
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 60
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 70
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 76 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the César Award for Best Actor for his role as Ugolin in 'Jean de Florette' (1987).
- Shared the Best Actor Award at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival for 'The Eighth Day.'
- Won a second César Award for Best Actor for his performance in 'The Girl on the Bridge' (1999).
- Received a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for 'Jean de Florette.'
Did You Know?
He is a skilled guitarist and has performed music for some of his film roles.
He turned down the lead role in the Hollywood film 'The Da Vinci Code.'
He made his directorial debut in 2013 with the film 'Marius,' based on Marcel Pagnol's plays.
He was married to actress Emmanuelle Béart from 1993 to 1995.
“The camera sees everything; my job is to give it something true to find.”
