---
name: "Jean-Louis Trintignant"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/jean-louis-trintignant"
fi1m_id: "jean-louis-trintignant"
imdb_id: "nm0004462"
tmdb_id: 1352
wikidata_id: "Q106204"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "11 December 1930"
died: "17 June 2022"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 85
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 6
updated: "2026-09-26T16:56:44.777268+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Jean-Louis Trintignant

## Identity

Jean-Louis Trintignant

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/jean-louis-trintignant
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** jean-louis-trintignant
- **IMDb ID:** nm0004462
- **TMDB ID:** 1352
- **Wikidata ID:** Q106204
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Louis_Trintignant, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q106204, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004462/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1352

Actor. Born 11 December 1930 in Piolenc, Vaucluse, France. Died 17 June 2022.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 11 December 1930, Piolenc, Vaucluse, France
- **Died:** 17 June 2022
- **Active:** 1969–2012
- **Also known as:** Jean Louis Trintignant, Жан-Луи Тринтинян, Жан-Луј Тринтињан, Žan-Luj Trintignant
- **Cannes Film Festival:** 1 Cannes prize (1 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 85, as actor, over 6 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1960s 82 (2), 1970s 87 (1), 1990s 84 (2), 2010s 88 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 85 to 81 across 6 titles
- **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 4 of 5 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 5, Romance 3, Adventure 1, Comedy 1, Crime 1, Fantasy 1
- **Screen time:** 11 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $36m across 5 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Louis_Trintignant, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q106204, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004462/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1352

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Three Colors: Red*](https://film.one/film/three-colors-red.md) (90), [*Z*](https://film.one/film/z.md) (84), [*My Night at Maud's*](https://film.one/film/my-night-at-mauds.md) (81)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Conformist*](https://film.one/film/the-conformist.md) (87)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Jean-Louis Trintignant

> Jean-Louis Trintignant makes a withdrawn man's effort to care visible without making him easy to like. We value his restraint most when it leaves another actor room to answer back, as Irène Jacob does in *Three Colours: Red*.

In *Three Colours: Red* (1994), Trintignant lets the judge's severity remain even when we begin to understand his hurt. The man does not become pleasant simply because someone has taken an interest in him. We were moved by the effort it takes him to care about another person's life, because Trintignant makes that difficulty apparent without asking us to excuse his behaviour. It is an unusually persuasive performance of someone who gives us little encouragement to like him.

Romantic stardom came with *A Man and a Woman* (1966), though his appeal often rested on shyness or repression. He could suggest conflict without much outward expression, a useful quality for the intimate, morally complicated work of Éric Rohmer's *My Night at Maud's* (1969). The attraction is the sense that something matters to him before he is prepared to explain it. From the 1980s he took fewer film roles and concentrated more on theatre.

Krzysztof Kieślowski gives him a crucial partner in *Red*: Irène Jacob, whose model has concerns of her own. She is not there just to make the judge feel better. Piotr Sobociński uses colour and camera movement to keep us looking beyond the person who happens to be speaking. That suits an actor whose minimal outward expression can conceal a good deal of conflict. The attention can pass between Jacob and Trintignant without either having to force it.

The film does occasionally work too hard around them. Its coincidences can look overarranged, and Claude Lenoir's production design sometimes has us inspecting the surroundings for meanings that the performances do not need help supplying. We still believe in the friendship, but there are passages when a less insistent setting would let us pay better attention to the actors.

His return in *Amour* (2012), followed by *Happy End* (2017), came after those years of fewer film roles. In his later work, the distinctive voice and weathered face suited troubled patriarchs. Begin with *Three Colours: Red*, and give the judge longer than he seems to deserve.

## Biography

Jean-Louis Trintignant (1930–2022) was a French actor. He made his theatrical debut in 1951 and appeared in his first film in 1955. His early screen roles included And God Created Woman (1956).

He gained wider recognition for A Man and a Woman (1966). Subsequent films include Z (1969), My Night at Maud's (1969), The Conformist (1971), Three Colors: Red (1994) and Amour (2012). He provided the voice of L'oncle Irvin in The City of Lost Children (1995).

Trintignant received the Silver Bear for Best Actor in 1968 for The Man Who Lies and the Best Actor award at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival for Z. He won the César Award for Best Actor in 2013 for Amour.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, theguardian.com, bfi.org.uk.*

## On Fi1m (6)

- *Amour* (2012), Fi1m 88, as Georges — [page](https://film.one/film/amour.md)
- *The City of Lost Children* (1995), Fi1m 78, as L'oncle Irvin (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-city-of-lost-children.md)
- *Three Colors: Red* (1994), Fi1m 90, as The Judge — [page](https://film.one/film/three-colors-red.md)
- *The Conformist* (1971), Fi1m 87, as Marcello Clerici — [page](https://film.one/film/the-conformist.md)
- *My Night at Maud's* (1969), Fi1m 81, as Jean-Louis — [page](https://film.one/film/my-night-at-mauds.md)
- *Z* (1969), Fi1m 84, as Examining Magistrate — [page](https://film.one/film/z.md)

## Complete filmography (149)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Igor and After* (2026), Actor
- *One Hero, The People* (2026), as Excerpt from the film Z (archive footage)
- *The Most Precious of Cargoes* (2024), as Narrateur (voice)
- *Morceaux de Cannes* (2021), Actor
- *The Best Years of a Life* (2019), as Jean-Louis Duroc
- *Happy End* (2017), as Georges Laurent
- *Bardot, The Misunderstanding* (2013), Actor
- *Michel* (2013), as Narrator
- *Amour* (2012), as Georges — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/amour.md)
- *Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen* (2012), as (archive footage)
- *Agnès Varda: From Here to There* (2011), series, Actor
- *Brigitte Bardot: The Icon of France* (2009), Actor
- *Janis and John* (2003), as Monsieur Cannon
- *Zinédine Zidane - Comme dans un rêve* (2002), as Narator
- *Albert Camus, la tragédie du bonheur* (1999), as Narration (Voice)
- *Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train* (1998), as Lucien Emmerich / Jean-Baptiste Emmerich
- *Tykho Moon* (1996), as Le chirurgien
- *L'insoumise* (1996), as Roquepenne
- *A Self-Made Hero* (1996), as Albert Dehousse (old)
- *C'est jamais loin* (1996), as Elliot Spencer
- *Fiesta* (1995), as Colonel Masagual
- *The City of Lost Children* (1995), as L'oncle Irvin (voice) — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/the-city-of-lost-children.md)
- *See How They Fall* (1994), as Marx
- *Three Colors: Red* (1994), as The Judge — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/three-colors-red.md)
- *Shattered Lives* (1994), as Récitant (texte de Paul Éluard) (voice)
- *Ernesto Che Guevara, the Bolivian Diary* (1994), as Narrator (French version)
- *L'Interdiction* (1993), as Marquis d'Espard
- *L'Œil écarlate* (1993), as René Montijoux · Adaptation
- *Angel's Wing* (1993), as Colonel Édouard
- *The Big Pardon 2* (1992), as Le Commissaire Duché (archive footage)
- *Dispute in Valladolid* (1992), as Ginèse de Sepúlveda
- *Thank You, Life* (1991), as le colonel SS
- *Julie de Carneilhan* (1990), as Herbert d'Espivant
- *Pour un oui ou pour un non* (1989), as H1
- *Bunker Palace Hotel* (1989), as Holm
- *The Ghost Valley* (1987), as Paul
- *Le Moustachu* (1987), as le général Gougeard
- *The Woman of My Life* (1986), as Pierre
- *August 15th* (1986), Actor
- *A Man and a Woman: 20 Years Later* (1986), as Jean-Louis Duroc
- *L'Homme aux yeux d'argent* (1985), as Mayene
- *Volley for a Black Buffalo* (1985), as Mr. Fodó, teacher
- *Rendez-vous* (1985), as Scrutzler
- *Going and Coming Back* (1985), as Roland Rivière
- *Next Summer* (1985), as Paul
- *Long Live Life* (1984), as François Gaucher
- *Femmes de personne* (1984), as Michel Gilquin
- *Le Bon Plaisir* (1984), as Le Président de la République
- *Under Fire* (1983), as Marcel Jazy
- *Cover Up* (1983), as Christian Lacassagne
- *Confidentially Yours* (1983), as Julien Vercel
- *Credo* (1983), as Prof. Lenski
- *Blow to the Heart* (1982), as Dario
- *That Night of Varennes* (1982), as Monsieur Sauce
- *Boulevard des assassins* (1982), as Daniel Salmon
- *The Big Pardon* (1982), as Le commissaire Duché
- *Deep Water* (1981), as Vic
- *A Business of Men* (1981), as Louis Faguet
- *Passion of Love* (1981), as Le médecin major
- *Malevil* (1981), as Fulbert
- *An Assassin Passes By* (1981), as Ravic
- *I Love You All* (1980), as Julien Tellier
- *The Lady Banker* (1980), as Horace Vannister
- *The Terrace* (1980), as Enrico D'Orsi
- *Melancoly Baby* (1979), as Pierre
- *Swimming Instructor* (1979), as le jardinier · Director
- *Other People's Money* (1978), as Henri Rainier
- *Faces of Love* (1977), as Victor
- *The Passengers* (1977), as Alex Moineau
- *The Desert of the Tartars* (1976), as Magg. Med. Rovine
- *The Honeymoon Trip* (1976), as Paul Carter
- *The Probability Factor* (1976), as Fred Malone
- *The Sunday Woman* (1975), as Massimo Campi
- *Rain over Santiago* (1975), as Le Sénateur
- *Flic Story* (1975), as Émile Buisson
- *Act of Aggression* (1975), as Paul Varlin
- *Playing with Fire* (1975), as Franz
- *The Secret* (1974), as David Daguerre
- *Violins at the Ball* (1974), as Him (Michel)
- *Escapade* (1974), as Ferdinand
- *Love at the Top* (1974), as Nicolas Mallet
- *Successive Slidings of Pleasure* (1974), as The Police Commissioner
- *The Last Train* (1973), as Julien Maroyeur
- *Défense de savoir* (1973), as Jean-Pierre Laubray
- *A Full Day's Work* (1973), as Le Metteur en scène de la troupe des 'Enfants du Gard' · Screenplay, Director
- *The Outside Man* (1972), as Lucien Bellon
- *The Assassination* (1972), as François Darien
- *And Hope to Die* (1972), as Tony
- *Without Apparent Motive* (1971), as Stéphane Carella
- *The Conformist* (1971), as Marcello Clerici — Fi1m 87, [page](https://film.one/film/the-conformist.md)
- *The Crook* (1970), as Simon the Swiss
- *Ramparts of Clay* (1970), as L'entrepreneur
- *Opium and the Stick* (1970), as Chaudier
- *Las secretas intenciones* (1970), as Miguel
- *So Sweet... So Perverse* (1969), as Jean Reynaud
- *The American* (1969), as Bruno
- *My Night at Maud's* (1969), as Jean-Louis — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/my-night-at-mauds.md)
- *Crime Thief* (1969), as Jean Girod
- *Love Circle* (1969), as Michele
- *Z* (1969), as Examining Magistrate — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/z.md)
- *The Libertine* (1968), as Dr. Carlo De Marchi
- *The Great Silence* (1968), as Silence
- *La société est une fleur carnivore* (1968), as Narrator
- *The Man Who Lies* (1968), as Jan Robin / Boris Varissa
- *Les Biches* (1968), as Paul Thomas
- *Death Laid an Egg* (1968), as Marco
- *Deadly Sweet* (1967), as Bernard
- *A Man to Kill* (1967), as Raphaël
- *My Love, My Love* (1967), as Vincent Falaise
- *Trans-Europ-Express* (1966), as Elias
- *Is Paris Burning?* (1966), as Captain Serge
- *Diamond Safari* (1966), as Raphaël Vincente
- *Long March* (1966), as Philippe
- *A Man and a Woman* (1966), as Jean-Louis Duroc
- *Seventeenth Heaven* (1966), as François
- *The Sleeping Car Murders* (1965), as Éric Grandin, étudiant vétérinaire
- *Le Train Bleu s'arrête 13 fois* (1965), series, as Mezure
- *Angelique: The Road to Versailles* (1965), as Claude le Petit, dit Le poète croté
- *I Kill, You Kill* (1965), as Gianni Santi (segment "La donna che viveva sola")
- *The Real Bargain* (1965), as Jacques Danzac
- *Fragilité, ton nom est femme* (1965), Actor
- *Les Siffleurs* (1964), as Jean-Louis Trintignant
- *Avatar* (1964), as Octave
- *The Last Steps* (1964), as Georges Guichard
- *Mata Hari, Agent H21* (1964), as Captain François Lasalle
- *L'un d'entre vous* (1963), as René Dézange
- *Nutty, Naughty Chateau* (1963), as Frédéric
- *Il successo* (1963), as Sergio
- *Way of the Wrong Road* (1963), Actor
- *Il Sorpasso* (1962), as Roberto Mariani
- *Le Combat dans l'île* (1962), as Clément Lesser
- *The Seven Deadly Sins* (1962), as Bernard Duparc (segment "La luxure")
- *Lust* (1962), as Bernard Duparc
- *The Fabiani Affair* (1962), as Joseph Fabiani
- *Un jour à Paris* (1962), Actor
- *Parisienne... Parisiennes* (1962), as Récitant (voice)
- *The Game of Truth* (1961), as Guy de Fleury
- *Three Faces of Sin* (1961), as Guest at the opening
- *Journey Beneath the Desert* (1961), as Pierre
- *Spotlight on a Murderer* (1961), as Jean-Marie de Kerloquen
- *The French Game* (1960), as François
- *Austerlitz* (1960), as Ségur fils
- *The Thousandth Window* (1960), as Georges Desvignes
- *Violent Summer* (1959), as Carlo Caremoli
- *Dangerous Love Affairs* (1959), as Danceny
- *...And God Created Woman* (1956), as Michel Tardieu
- *Club of Women* (1956), as Michel
- *Law of the Streets* (1956), as Yves Tréguier aka 'Le Breton'
- *If All the Guys in the World...* (1956), as Jean-Louis

## Gallery

- ![Jean-Louis Trintignant](https://film.one/media/person/84193/gallery-76c9b07f4695.png) Jean-Louis Trintignant — Reporters Associati & Archivi / Mondadori, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Trintignant-Italie-1963.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Châteauneuf-du-pape - Domaine Trintignant (2015)](https://film.one/media/person/84193/gallery-5b8d644f3b65.jpg) Châteauneuf-du-pape - Domaine Trintignant (2015) — Arnaud 25, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/Ch%C3%A2teauneuf-du-pape_-_Domaine_Trintignant_01.jpg/1280px-Ch%C3%A2teauneuf-du-pape_-_Domaine_Trintignant_01.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Châteauneuf-du-pape - Domaine Trintignant (2015)](https://film.one/media/person/84193/gallery-380984470b4d.jpg) Châteauneuf-du-pape - Domaine Trintignant (2015) — Arnaud 25, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Ch%C3%A2teauneuf-du-pape_-_Domaine_Trintignant_02.jpg/1280px-Ch%C3%A2teauneuf-du-pape_-_Domaine_Trintignant_02.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jean-Louis Trintignant in una scena del film Il sorpasso (1962), girato in Italia](https://film.one/media/person/84193/gallery-21e60af4f035.png) Jean-Louis Trintignant in una scena del film Il sorpasso (1962), girato in Italia — Screenshot catturato da Spinoziano dal film, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Il_sorpasso_%281962%29_Jean-Louis_Trintignant.png/1280px-Il_sorpasso_%281962%29_Jean-Louis_Trintignant.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jean-Louis Trintignant](https://film.one/media/person/84193/gallery-8873bc0b95cc.jpg) Jean-Louis Trintignant — Image via TMDB
- ![Jean-Louis Trintignant](https://film.one/media/person/84193/gallery-ddbdd3d4181b.jpg) Jean-Louis Trintignant — Image via TMDB
- ![Jean-Louis Trintignant](https://film.one/media/person/84193/gallery-89820b5f7a5f.jpg) Jean-Louis Trintignant — Image via TMDB
- ![Jean-Louis Trintignant in una scena del film Il sorpasso (1962), girato in Italia](https://film.one/media/person/84193/gallery-e49307b1cbac.png) Jean-Louis Trintignant in una scena del film Il sorpasso (1962), girato in Italia — Screenshot catturato da Spinoziano dal film, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Il_sorpasso_%281962%29_Jean-Louis_Trintignant_%282%29.png/1280px-Il_sorpasso_%281962%29_Jean-Louis_Trintignant_%282%29.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jean-Louis Trintignant in una scena del film Il sorpasso (1962), girato in Italia](https://film.one/media/person/84193/gallery-b7ac0a4df97b.png) Jean-Louis Trintignant in una scena del film Il sorpasso (1962), girato in Italia — Screenshot catturato da Spinoziano dal film, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Il_sorpasso_%281962%29_Jean-Louis_Trintignant_%282%29_%28cropped%29.png/1280px-Il_sorpasso_%281962%29_Jean-Louis_Trintignant_%282%29_%28cropped%29.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jean-Louis Trintignant](https://film.one/media/person/84193/gallery-4e19f079399d.jpg) Jean-Louis Trintignant — Image via TMDB
- ![Jean-Louis Trintignant](https://film.one/media/person/84193/gallery-bc55efad54db.jpg) Jean-Louis Trintignant — Image via TMDB
- ![Jean-Louis Trintignant](https://film.one/media/person/84193/gallery-236471459735.jpg) Jean-Louis Trintignant — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Cannes Film Festival — 1 won

- 1969: Best Actor (won), for *Z*

### Berlin International Film Festival — 2 won

- 1968: Best Actor (won), for *The Man Who Lies*
- 1968: Silver Bear (won)

### Other awards — 2 won, 6 nominated

- European Film Award for Best Actor 2017: European Film Award for Best Actor (nominated), for *Happy End*
- César Award for Best Actor 2013: César Award for Best Actor (won), for *Amour*
- European Film Award for Best Actor 2012: European Film Award for Best Actor (won), for *Amour*
- César Award for Best Supporting Actor 1999: César Award for Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train*
- César Award for Best Actor 1996: César Award for Best Actor (nominated), for *Fiesta*
- César Award for Best Actor 1995: César Award for Best Actor (nominated), for *Three Colours: Red*
- César Award for Best Supporting Actor 1987: César Award for Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *La Femme de ma vie*
- National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor 1970: National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor (nominated), for *My Night at Maud's*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/jean-louis-trintignant