---
name: "Melvil Poupaud"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/melvil-poupaud"
fi1m_id: "melvil-poupaud"
imdb_id: "nm0693799"
tmdb_id: 26100
wikidata_id: "Q1339485"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "26 January 1973"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 80
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-09-26T03:03:18.364931+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."
---

# Melvil Poupaud

## Identity

Melvil Poupaud

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/melvil-poupaud
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** melvil-poupaud
- **IMDb ID:** nm0693799
- **TMDB ID:** 26100
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1339485
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melvil_Poupaud, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1339485, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0693799/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/26100

Actor. Born 26 January 1973 in Paris, France.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 26 January 1973, Paris, France
- **Active:** 1996–present
- **Also known as:** מלוויל פופו, 梅維爾·珀波
- **Average Fi1m score:** 80, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 78 (2), 2020s 82 (1)
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 2, Comedy 1, Crime 1, Fantasy 1, Mystery 1, Romance 1
- **Screen time:** 7 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $1m across 1 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melvil_Poupaud, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1339485, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0693799/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/26100

## Coming up

- *One Minute to Midnight* (2026-12-02), as Léo
- *Violette* (2026-12-09)

## Fi1m on Melvil Poupaud

> Melvil Poupaud makes warmth and a little cowardice look quite compatible. We value his restraint, especially when it lets a difficult character remain sympathetic, though he needs writing that gives him more to do than hesitate.

In *One Fine Morning* (2022), Clément is an appealing lover and an unreliable prospect, and Poupaud makes both easy to believe. Opposite Léa Seydoux's Sandra, he gives Mia Hansen-Løve the warmth the affair needs. The intimate scenes are frank and unshowy; the pleasure of being together is clear enough without anyone having to insist on it. We like his willingness to let a little cowardice remain visible in a sympathetic performance.

That comfort with people who are difficult to pin down runs through a career shaped by recurring directors. Raúl Ruiz's *City of Pirates* (1983) began their collaboration; *Three Lives and Only One Death* (1996), in which Poupaud plays Martin, belongs to the same long association. We like the latter's playful handling of shifting identities, though its complications go on too long. Marcello Mastroianni has four roles there, so it is hardly the place to begin if Poupaud is the attraction. Éric Rohmer's *A Summer’s Tale* (1996), with Poupaud as Gaspard, gives his reserved manner a conversational setting that fits him well.

François Ozon's *Time to Leave* (2005) began another sustained collaboration. *The Refuge* (2010) and *By the Grace of God* (2019) followed, the latter drawing on his ability to let distress emerge gradually. Xavier Dolan's *Laurence Anyways* (2012) gives him the lead as Laurence Alia, a character he plays without falling back on a stereotype.

Hansen-Løve's film is a useful reminder that this restraint still needs something to develop. We grew impatient with the affair in *One Fine Morning*, because the scenes between Sandra and Clément kept repeating the same hesitation. Poupaud remains warm and convincing, but there is little fresh for him to play as the scenes accumulate. That is a limitation of the part, not a reason to dismiss the performance.

We would start with *One Fine Morning*, accepting that Poupaud is only one reason to see it. It is a good performance in a film whose stronger scenes belong elsewhere. Then try *A Summer’s Tale* for a leading part that makes room for his conversational ease.

## Biography

Melvil Poupaud is a French actor. He was born on 26 January 1973 in Paris and made his screen debut at the age of ten in Raúl Ruiz's *City of Pirates* (1983), after being introduced to the director by his mother, the filmmaker Chantal Poupaud. He went on to appear in nine further films by Ruiz.

Poupaud received César Award nominations for Most Promising Actor for his roles in *The 15 Year Old Girl* (1989) and *Normal People Are Nothing Exceptional* (1993). His credits include *The Lover* (1992), *Laurence Anyways* (2012), *Speed Racer* (2008), *An Officer and a Spy* (2019), *Summer of 85* (2020) and *Jeanne du Barry* (2023). He played Clément in Mia Hansen-Løve's *One Fine Morning* (2022). He has also worked as a director and writer.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *One Fine Morning* (2022), Fi1m 82, as Clément — [page](https://film.one/film/one-fine-morning.md)
- *Time Regained* (1999), Fi1m 80, as Prince of Foix — [page](https://film.one/film/time-regained.md)
- *Three Lives and Only One Death* (1996), Fi1m 77, as Martin — [page](https://film.one/film/three-lives-and-only-one-death.md)

## Complete filmography (99)

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

- *Violette* (2026), Actor
- *One Minute to Midnight* (2026), as Léo
- *The Most Beautiful Girl in the World* (2026), as Gabriel
- *Privileges* (2026), series, as Édouard Galzain
- *Stronger Than the Devil* (2026), as Valentin
- *The Rules of Art* (2025), as Yonathan Cobb
- *Heads or Fails* (2025), as Lazare
- *In the Shadows* (2024), series, as Paul Francoeur
- *Bruce Springsteen: The America Whisperer* (2024), as Narrator (Voice over)
- *Marcello Mio* (2024), as Melvil
- *Coup de chance* (2023), as Jean Fournier
- *Just the Two of Us* (2023), as Grégoire Lamoureux
- *Jeanne du Barry* (2023), as Le Comte Du Barry
- *My Sole Desire* (2023), as L'acteur connu
- *One Fine Morning* (2022), as Clément — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/one-fine-morning.md)
- *15 Ways to Kill Your Neighbour* (2022), as Jean-Claude
- *Brother and Sister* (2022), as Louis Vuillard
- *The Young Lovers* (2022), as Pierre Escande
- *UFOs* (2021), series, as Didier Mathure
- *Summer of 85* (2020), as Mr. Lefèvre
- *An Officer and a Spy* (2019), as Maître Labori
- *Silent Streams* (2019), Actor
- *By the Grace of God* (2019), as Alexandre Guérin
- *Golden Youth* (2019), as Hubert Robert
- *Insoupçonnable* (2018), series, as Paul Brodsky
- *When Margaux Meets Margaux* (2018), as Marc
- *The Lady in the Portrait* (2017), as Jean Denis Attiret
- *In Bed with Victoria* (2016), as Vincent Kossarski
- *The Great Game* (2015), as Pierre Blum
- *By the Sea* (2015), as François
- *Face Down* (2015), as Samy
- *Mad Love* (2015), as The Priest
- *Fidelio, Alice's Odyssey* (2014), as Gaël
- *Duras and Cinema* (2014), as Bruno Nuytten
- *Lines of Wellington* (2012), as Marechal Massena
- *Laurence Anyways* (2012), as Laurence Alia
- *Ballet aquatique* (2012), Actor
- *The Orphan Plus Minus an Arm* (2012), as Robinson
- *Mysteries of Lisbon* (2011), series, as Coronel Ernest Lacroze
- *The Edge* (2011), as François
- *The Argument* (2011), as Man
- *Mysteries of Lisbon* (2010), as Coronel Ernest Lacroze
- *Black Heaven* (2010), as Vincent
- *The Counterfeiters* (2010), as Edouard
- *Hideaway (Le refuge)* (2009), as Louis
- *Lucky Luke* (2009), as Jesse James
- *44 Inch Chest* (2009), as Loverboy
- *The Broken* (2008), as Stefan Chambers
- *Crime Is Our Business* (2008), as Frédéric Charpentier
- *A Christmas Tale* (2008), as Ivan
- *Speed Racer* (2008), as Johnny 'Goodboy' Jones
- *Towards Zero* (2007), as Guillaume Neuville
- *A Lost Man* (2007), as Thomas Koré
- *Broken English* (2007), as Julien
- *Melvil* (2006), Editor, Sound, Director, Screenplay
- *Time to Leave* (2005), as Romain
- *Eros Therapy* (2004), as Bruno
- *Qui a tué Johnny Mac?* (2004), Director
- *Feelings* (2003), as François
- *Le Divorce* (2003), as Charles-Henri de Persand
- *Shimkent Hôtel* (2003), as Alex
- *Pronobis* (2003), as Philippe / his twin · Director, Scenario Writer
- *A Hell of a Day* (2001), as Ben
- *Rémi* (2001), Director
- *The Dark Room* (2000), as Bertrand
- *Love Torn in a Dream* (2000), as Paul / Fils de Mariani / Loup / Le père jeune
- *The Heart's Root* (2000), as Vicente Corvo
- *Time Regained* (1999), as Prince of Foix — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/time-regained.md)
- *Quelque chose* (1999), Director, Writer
- *Les Kidnappeurs* (1998), as Armand Carpentier
- *La Vie de Marianne* (1997), as Valville
- *Shooting Stars* (1997), as Lenny
- *Genealogies of a Crime* (1997), as René
- *Souvenir* (1996), as Charles
- *A Summer's Tale* (1996), as Gaspard
- *Three Lives and Only One Death* (1996), as Martin — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/three-lives-and-only-one-death.md)
- *Diary of a Seducer* (1996), as Gregoire
- *Those Were the Days* (1995), as Axel
- *Innocent Lies* (1995), as Louis Bernard
- *Fado, Major and Minor* (1995), as Antoine
- *Élisa* (1995), as Pharmacist's son
- *Hillbilly Chainsaw Massacre* (1995), Actor
- *Under the Stars* (1994), Actor
- *Bavardages en sida mineur* (1994), as Kevin
- *Normal People Are Nothing Exceptional* (1993), as German · Original Music Composer
- *Archipel* (1993), as Michel Rivière
- *The Lover* (1992), as The Younger Brother
- *The 15 Year Old Girl* (1989), as Thomas
- *3 Jours...* (1988), Writer, Director
- *Dans un miroir* (1986), Actor
- *Treasure Island* (1986), as Jim Hawkins
- *Richard III* (1986), as Le jeune prince de Galles
- *The Insomniac on the Bridge* (1985), Actor
- *Ces jours où les remords vous font vraiment mal au cœur* (1985), as Every character · Director, Writer
- *City of Pirates* (1984), as Malo, l'enfant
- *Qui es tu Johnny Mac?* (1984), as The Killer, The Detective · Director, Writer
- *Le cas Dajkovic*, as Bojan Dajkovic
- *Trivial Of My Life*, as Lucien Vauclair
- *The Hands of Orlac*, as Stephen Orlac

## Gallery

- ![Melvil Poupaud](https://film.one/media/person/21310/gallery-fb6e0a716040.jpg) Melvil Poupaud — Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Melvil_Poupaud_2010.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![2026 Series Mania PRESS CONFERENCE for Privileges in March 2026](https://film.one/media/person/21310/gallery-83d82692af8e.jpg) 2026 Series Mania PRESS CONFERENCE for Privileges in March 2026 — Elyot Boudart, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/2026_Series_Mania_PRESS_CONFERENCE_for_Privileges_01.jpg/1280px-2026_Series_Mania_PRESS_CONFERENCE_for_Privileges_01.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![2026 Series Mania PRESS CONFERENCE for Privileges in March 2026](https://film.one/media/person/21310/gallery-d2f15bed73bc.jpg) 2026 Series Mania PRESS CONFERENCE for Privileges in March 2026 — Elyot Boudart, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/2026_Series_Mania_PRESS_CONFERENCE_for_Privileges_02.jpg/1280px-2026_Series_Mania_PRESS_CONFERENCE_for_Privileges_02.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![2026 Series Mania PRESS CONFERENCE for Privileges in March 2026](https://film.one/media/person/21310/gallery-1bdb2b434593.jpg) 2026 Series Mania PRESS CONFERENCE for Privileges in March 2026 — Elyot Boudart, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/2026_Series_Mania_PRESS_CONFERENCE_for_Privileges_03.jpg/1280px-2026_Series_Mania_PRESS_CONFERENCE_for_Privileges_03.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Melvil Poupaud](https://film.one/media/person/21310/gallery-4eed11cf12a5.jpg) Melvil Poupaud — Image via TMDB
- ![Melvil Poupaud](https://film.one/media/person/21310/gallery-9f436c78e207.jpg) Melvil Poupaud — Image via TMDB
- ![Melvil Poupaud](https://film.one/media/person/21310/gallery-b2f70a177df0.jpg) Melvil Poupaud — Image via TMDB
- ![2026 Series Mania PRESS CONFERENCE for Privileges in March 2026](https://film.one/media/person/21310/gallery-c4e615b6053a.jpg) 2026 Series Mania PRESS CONFERENCE for Privileges in March 2026 — Elyot Boudart, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/56/2026_Series_Mania_PRESS_CONFERENCE_for_Privileges_04.jpg/1280px-2026_Series_Mania_PRESS_CONFERENCE_for_Privileges_04.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![2026 Series Mania PRESS CONFERENCE for Privileges in March 2026](https://film.one/media/person/21310/gallery-f776efe0289f.jpg) 2026 Series Mania PRESS CONFERENCE for Privileges in March 2026 — Elyot Boudart, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/2026_Series_Mania_PRESS_CONFERENCE_for_Privileges_05.jpg/1280px-2026_Series_Mania_PRESS_CONFERENCE_for_Privileges_05.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Other awards — 0 won, 4 nominated

- César Award for Best Actor 2020: César Award for Best Actor (nominated), for *By the Grace of God*
- César Award for Best Supporting Actor 2017: César Award for Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *In Bed with Victoria*
- César Award for Best Male Revelation 1994: César Award for Best Male Revelation (nominated), for *Normal People Are Nothing Exceptional*
- César Award for Best Male Revelation 1990: César Award for Best Male Revelation (nominated), for *The 15 Year Old Girl*

*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/melvil-poupaud