---
name: "Jean-Paul Belmondo"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/jean-paul-belmondo"
fi1m_id: "jean-paul-belmondo"
imdb_id: "nm0000901"
tmdb_id: 3829
wikidata_id: "Q106255"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "9 April 1933"
died: "6 September 2021"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 68
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-26T15:57:17.787664+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-Paul Belmondo

## Identity

Jean-Paul Belmondo

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/jean-paul-belmondo
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** jean-paul-belmondo
- **IMDb ID:** nm0000901
- **TMDB ID:** 3829
- **Wikidata ID:** Q106255
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Paul_Belmondo, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q106255, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000901/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/3829

Actor. Born 9 April 1933 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Seine [now Hauts-de-Seine], France. Died 6 September 2021.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 9 April 1933, Neuilly-sur-Seine, Seine [now Hauts-de-Seine], France
- **Died:** 6 September 2021
- **Active:** 1960–1967
- **Also known as:** Жан-Поль Бельмондо, Жан Поль Бельмондо, 장 폴 벨몽도, Jean Paul Charles Belmondo, Bébel, ژان پل بلموندو
- **Frequently works with:** [Georges de Beauregard](https://film.one/person/georges-de-beauregard.md), [Jean-Luc Godard](https://film.one/person/jean-luc-godard.md)
- **Venice Film Festival:** 2 Venice prizes (2 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 68, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Paul_Belmondo, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q106255, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000901/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/3829

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Breathless*](https://film.one/film/breathless.md) (86)

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

## Fi1m on Jean-Paul Belmondo

> Jean-Paul Belmondo makes swagger funny by letting us see how hard a man is working at it. We value the charm most when a director lets it wear thin and gives the uncertainty underneath time to show.

Watch Jean-Paul Belmondo’s Michel Poiccard in *Breathless* (1960): the swagger takes effort, and he lets us notice. That is why the vanity is funny rather than simply tiresome, and why we can enjoy his company without accepting his opinion of himself. He plays a man trying to look at ease, while keeping his own performance relaxed. We rate him highly here because the charm never quite excuses the selfishness.

*Breathless* was his breakthrough and associated him with the French New Wave. Crime roles with Jean-Pierre Melville included Silien in *Le Doulos* (1962), while *That Man from Rio* (1964) put his stunt work into adventure-comedy. He returned to Jean-Luc Godard for *Pierrot le Fou* (1965), as his work was turning towards commercial action, adventure and comedy. That shift made use of his comic timing as well as his willingness to perform his own stunts. *The Professional* (1981) belongs to the later action-hero phase.

In *Breathless*, Godard gives him Jean Seberg’s Patricia Franchini, whose reserve prevents Michel from controlling every exchange. In the long bedroom scene, their conversation keeps going without bringing them much closer to understanding each other. We were moved by the loneliness that becomes apparent as they talk, once his charm has begun to wear. Belmondo needs Seberg’s resistance: her limited outward response makes us watch their exchanges more carefully, and Godard gives their uncertainty time to emerge.

Belmondo’s humour matters as much as the tough-guy confidence. In *Breathless*, we can laugh at Michel because the actor lets us see how pleased this man is with himself; the later adventure films had a ready use for that comic timing. There are limits to its usefulness, and the clever conversation in Godard’s film sometimes wears thin despite the performers. Start with *Breathless*, paying Seberg as much attention as him, then try *That Man from Rio* for the stunt work.

## Biography

Jean-Paul Belmondo was a French actor. Born on 9 April 1933 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, he trained at the Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique in Paris before making his screen debut in the late 1950s.

He rose to prominence with his performance as Michel Poiccard in Jean-Luc Godard's *Breathless* (1960). Belmondo appeared in further New Wave films including *A Woman Is a Woman* (1961) and *Pierrot le Fou* (1965), and later in popular action and comedy films such as *That Man from Rio* (1964), *The Professional* (1981) and *Ace of Aces* (1982). He won the César Award for Best Actor for *Itinéraire d'un enfant gâté* (1988) and received BAFTA nominations for *Léon Morin, Priest* (1961) and *Pierrot le Fou* (1965). Belmondo died on 6 September 2021 in Paris.

*Sources: theguardian.com, britannica.com, bfi.org.uk, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Casino Royale* (1967), Fi1m 50, as French Legionnaire — [page](https://film.one/film/casino-royale-1967.md)
- *Breathless* (1960), Fi1m 86, as Michel Poiccard / László Kovács — [page](https://film.one/film/breathless.md)

## Complete filmography (92)

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

- *Senza malizia* (2023), as (archive footage)
- *Mythos Côte d'Azur - Liebe, Luxus, Leidenschaft* (2021), Actor
- *Morceaux de Cannes* (2021), Actor
- *A Man and His Dog* (2009), as Charles
- *Let Sleeping Guns Lie* (2005), Thanks
- *Around Jacques Baratier* (2003), Actor
- *The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller* (2002), as Ferdinand Griffon (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *L'Aîné des Ferchaux* (2001), series, as Paul Ferchaux
- *Amazon* (2000), as Edouard
- *Actors* (2000), as Jean-Paul Belmondo
- *Peut-être* (1999), as Ako
- *Half a Chance* (1998), as Léo Brassac
- *La Puce à l'oreille* (1996), as Victor-Emmanuel Chandebise / Poche
- *Desire* (1996), as Désiré
- *Les Miserables* (1995), as Henri Fortin / Jean Valjean
- *One Hundred and One Nights* (1995), as Professor Bébel
- *Tailleur pour Dames* (1993), as Mouineaux
- *Stranger in the House* (1992), as Loursat · Producer
- *Tom and Lola* (1990), Producer
- *Cyrano de Bergerac* (1990), as Cyrano de Bergerac
- *Itinerary of a Spoiled Child* (1988), as Sam Lion · Producer
- *Kean* (1988), as Kean
- *Chocolat* (1988), Producer
- *The Loner* (1987), as Stan Jalard · Producer
- *Hold-up* (1985), as Grimm · Producer
- *Happy Easter* (1984), as Stephane Margelle
- *The Vultures* (1984), as Sergeant Pierre Augagneur
- *The Outsider* (1983), as Commissaire divisionnaire Philippe Jordan · Producer, Stunts
- *Ace of Aces* (1982), as Jo Cavalier · Producer
- *The Professional* (1981), as Commandant Joss Beaumont
- *Le Guignolo* (1980), as Alexandre Dupré / Vicomte de Valombreuse
- *Cop or Hood* (1979), as Divisional Commissioner Stanislas Borovitz / Antonio Cerutti · Producer
- *Animal* (1977), as Mike Gaucher / Bruno Ferrari · Producer
- *The Body of My Enemy* (1976), as François Leclercq · Producer
- *Hunter Will Get You* (1976), as Roger Pilard, aka l'Alpagueur · Producer
- *Incorrigible* (1975), as Victor Vauthier · Producer
- *The Night Caller* (1975), as Commissioner Jean Letellier · Producer
- *Stavisky...* (1974), as Serge Alexandre Stavisky · Producer
- *The Magnificent One* (1973), as François Merlin / Bob Saint-Clar · Producer, Stunts
- *The Inheritor* (1973), as Bart Cordell
- *The Pariah* (1972), as Roberto Borgo, aka 'La Scoumoune'
- *Scoundrel in White* (1972), as Le docteur Paul Simay
- *The Burglars* (1971), as Azad
- *The Married Couple of the Year Two* (1971), as Nicolas Philibert
- *Borsalino* (1970), as François Capella
- *Love Is a Funny Thing* (1969), as Henri
- *God Chose Paris* (1969), as Narrator / Presenter
- *Mississippi Mermaid* (1969), as Louis Mahé
- *The Brain* (1969), as Arthur Lespinasse
- *Ho !* (1968), as François Holin, aka Ho
- *Casino Royale* (1967), as French Legionnaire — Fi1m 50, [page](https://film.one/film/casino-royale-1967.md)
- *The Thief of Paris* (1967), as Georges Randal
- *Tender Scoundrel* (1966), as Tony Maréchal
- *Is Paris Burning?* (1966), as Yvon Morandat
- *Up to His Ears* (1965), as Arthur Lempereur
- *Pierrot le Fou* (1965), as Ferdinand Griffon, 'Pierrot'
- *Crime on a Summer Morning* (1965), as Francis
- *Weekend at Dunkirk* (1964), as Julien Maillat
- *Male Hunt* (1964), as Fernand
- *Backfire* (1964), as David Ladislas
- *Greed in the Sun* (1964), as Rocco
- *That Man from Rio* (1964), as Adrien Dufourquet
- *Magnet of Doom* (1963), as Michel Maudet
- *Crazy Sea* (1963), as le capitaine Il Livornese
- *Sweet and Sour* (1963), as Raymond
- *The Shortest Day* (1963), as Erede Siciliano (uncredited)
- *Banana Peel* (1963), as Michel Thibault
- *Le Doulos* (1962), as Silien
- *A Monkey in Winter* (1962), as Gabriel Fouquet
- *Cartouche* (1962), as Louis-Dominique Bourguignon alias Cartouche
- *Riviera-Story* (1961), as Rennfahrer
- *A Man Named Rocca* (1961), as Roberto La Rocca
- *Famous Love Affairs* (1961), as Lauzun
- *Léon Morin, Priest* (1961), as Léon Morin
- *A Woman Is a Woman* (1961), as Alfred Lubitsch
- *The Lovemakers* (1961), as Amerigo
- *Two Women* (1960), as Michele Di Libero
- *Letters of a Novice* (1960), as Giuliano Verdi
- *Trapped by Fear* (1960), as Paul Frapier
- *Love and the Frenchwoman* (1960), as Gilles, l'amant (segment "L'Adultère")
- *Seven Days… Seven Nights* (1960), as Chauvin
- *The Big Risk* (1960), as Éric Stark
- *Breathless* (1960), as Michel Poiccard / László Kovács — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/breathless.md)
- *The Three Musketeers* (1959), as D'Artagnan
- *À double tour* (1959), as Laszlo Kovacs
- *An Angel on Wheels* (1959), as Michel Barrot
- *Charlotte and Her Boyfriend* (1958), as Jules
- *Sunday Encounter* (1958), as Patrick
- *The Cheaters* (1958), as Lou
- *Be Beautiful and Shut Up* (1958), as Pierrot, un jeune de la bande d'Olga
- *On Foot, on Horse, and on Wheels* (1957), as Venin
- *Sunday Buddies* (1957), as Jacques Trébois

## Gallery

- ![Jean-Paul Belmondo](https://film.one/media/person/59998/gallery-d93961ce00af.jpg) Jean-Paul Belmondo — Keystone/Hulton Archive, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Belmondo_1960.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Jean-Paul Belmondo and Pascale Petit (and unknown driver) in Lancia Flaminia cabriolet. This could very well be during recording "Lettere di una novizia" in 196 (1960)](https://film.one/media/person/59998/gallery-484b16b2578a.jpg) Jean-Paul Belmondo and Pascale Petit (and unknown driver) in Lancia Flaminia cabriolet. This could very well be during recording "Lettere di una novizia" in 196 (1960) — Unknown photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/1960_Novizia_Lancia_Petit_e_Belmondo.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![La résidence de Jean-Paul Belmondo, située 39, Quai d'Orsay, le jour de ses obsèques. (2021)](https://film.one/media/person/59998/gallery-6e357e76b1d1.jpg) La résidence de Jean-Paul Belmondo, située 39, Quai d'Orsay, le jour de ses obsèques. (2021) — ManoSolo13241324, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/39%2C_Quai_d%27Orsay.jpg/1280px-39%2C_Quai_d%27Orsay.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Dessin à l'effigie d'une des images-clés d'"A bout de souffle". (2022)](https://film.one/media/person/59998/gallery-add2adf35c16.jpg) Dessin à l'effigie d'une des images-clés d'"A bout de souffle". (2022) — ManoSolo13241324, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/A_bout_de_souffle_dessin.jpg/1280px-A_bout_de_souffle_dessin.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jean-Paul Belmondo](https://film.one/media/person/59998/gallery-417fdd3aec0d.jpg) Jean-Paul Belmondo — Image via TMDB
- ![Jean-Paul Belmondo](https://film.one/media/person/59998/gallery-882a109915d1.jpg) Jean-Paul Belmondo — Image via TMDB
- ![Jean-Paul Belmondo](https://film.one/media/person/59998/gallery-19c6440b88e1.jpg) Jean-Paul Belmondo — Image via TMDB
- ![Amelita Vargas on cover of Radiolandia, c. 1959. Photograph by Annemarie Heinrich](https://film.one/media/person/59998/gallery-5dd294247b65.jpg) Amelita Vargas on cover of Radiolandia, c. 1959. Photograph by Annemarie Heinrich — Annemarie Heinrich (1912-2005), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Amelita_Vargas_by_Annemarie_Heinrich%2C_Radiolandia_c._1959.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Ceduľa Artist´s Mission Award (Hercova misia) na MFF Art Film pripevnená na starom moste slávy v Trenčianských Tepliciach. (2024)](https://film.one/media/person/59998/gallery-91538efd22a4.jpg) Ceduľa Artist´s Mission Award (Hercova misia) na MFF Art Film pripevnená na starom moste slávy v Trenčianských Tepliciach. (2024) — Pilifo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Art_Film_Fest_%282001%29_%E2%80%93_Jean-Paul_Belmondo.jpg/1280px-Art_Film_Fest_%282001%29_%E2%80%93_Jean-Paul_Belmondo.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jean-Paul Belmondo](https://film.one/media/person/59998/gallery-2357d3badb67.jpg) Jean-Paul Belmondo — Image via TMDB
- ![Jean-Paul Belmondo](https://film.one/media/person/59998/gallery-59891dd5a0cb.jpg) Jean-Paul Belmondo — Image via TMDB
- ![Jean-Paul Belmondo](https://film.one/media/person/59998/gallery-de6367be4564.jpg) Jean-Paul Belmondo — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### BAFTA Film Awards — 0 won, 2 nominated

- 1967: Best Actor in a Leading Role (nominated), for *Pierrot le Fou*
- 1963: Best Actor in a Leading Role (nominated), for *Léon Morin, Priest*

### Venice Film Festival — 2 won

- 2016: Lifetime Achievement (won)
- 2016: Golden Lion (won)

### Other awards — 14 won

- National tribute 2021: National tribute (won)
- Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour 2019: Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour (won)
- Honorary Lumière Award 2018: Honorary Lumière Award (won)
- Grand Officer of the National Order of Merit 2017: Grand Officer of the National Order of Merit (won)
- Knight of the Order of Leopold 2012: Knight of the Order of Leopold (won)
- Honorary Palme d'Or 2011: Honorary Palme d'Or (won)
- Commander of the Legion of Honour 2007: Commander of the Legion of Honour (won)
- Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres 2006: Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres (won)
- Commander of the National Order of Merit 1994: Commander of the National Order of Merit (won)
- Officer of the Legion of Honour 1991: Officer of the Legion of Honour (won)
- César Award for Best Actor 1989: César Award for Best Actor (won), for *Itinerary of a Spoiled Child*
- Prix du Brigadier 1987: Prix du Brigadier (won), for *Kean*
- Knight of the Legion of Honour 1980: Knight of the Legion of Honour (won)
- Prix Citron, Orange et Bourgeon 1972: Prix Citron, Orange et Bourgeon (won)

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

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© 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-paul-belmondo