Skip to content
MovieCove
Jean-Pierre Léaud

Jean-Pierre Léaud

Actor · Born May 28, 1944 (82) · Paris, France

Jean-Pierre Léaud (born May 28, 1944) is a French actor, best known for playing Antoine Doinel in François Truffaut's series of films about that character, beginning with The 400 Blows (1959). He also worked with Aki Kaurismäki, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Jacques Rivette, and Tsai Ming-liang. He is a significant figure of the French New Wave, having appeared in eight films by Jean-Luc Godard and seven by François Truffaut.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 28, 1944 (82)
From
Paris, France
Works as
Actor
Titles
43 on MovieCove · 103 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 25% in 30 days

What are Jean-Pierre Léaud's films like?

Across their 32 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy14 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 77th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Documentary3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 88th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
27%
Bonds
27%
Ideas
15%
Society
11%
Survival
9%
Power
7%
Morality
4%
Romantic love11 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age7 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeTruth4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose5 titles, browse their movies with this themeMortality4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 32 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 13 · Serious 10 · Dark 9

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 13 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 8

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 14 · Charged 16 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 15 · Shifting 15 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 12 · Some laughs 19 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 27 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 12 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 6

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 10 · Affecting 15 · Heavy 6

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 13 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 13

Roles they play

23 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 12 of 23 analyzed roles.

Hero
12 of 23
Shadow
3 of 23
Shapeshifter
3 of 23
Ally
2 of 23
Herald
1 of 23
Trickster
1 of 23
Mentor
1 of 23
Show the 23 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
20
Melancholic
15
Warm
9
Absurd
9
Bittersweet
10
Other
19

How their films linger

Thought-provoking16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet13
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous9
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Jean-Pierre Léaud's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 25 of their 43 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (18).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jean-Pierre Léaud's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

103 credits, 43 with a MovieCove page; 27 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Le cinéma de Jean-Pierre Léaud(2024)

    Thanks · as Self - Actor (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Somebody Down There Likes Me(2023)

    as Antoine Doinel

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Morceaux de Cannes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Actor

  • Alien Crystal Palace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Horus

  • The Lion Sleeps Tonight(2017)

    as Jean

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • M (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Le père de Lila

  • The Death of Louis XIV(2016)

    as Louis XIV

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • El Brujo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Actor

  • Camille Rewinds(2012)

    as Monsieur Dupont - l'horloger

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Le Havre(2011)

    as The Whistleblower

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Chalk Circle Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Le Nermord

  • Face(2009)

    as Antoine / King Herode

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • I Saw Ben Barka Get Killed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Georges Franju

  • A Wonderful Spell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Fernand

  • The Dreamers(2003)

    as Jean-Pierre Léaud

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • In the Darkness of Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as (archive footage) (uncredited)

  • The War in Paris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Haut Placé

  • The Pornographer(2001)

    as Jacques Laurent

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • What Time Is It There? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Man at Cemetery

  • The Marcorelle Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as François Marcorelle

  • A Matter of Taste (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Investigating judge

  • Innocent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Le poète

  • Elizabeth(1998)

    as (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Just for Laughs!(1996)

    as Nicolas Gardinier

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Irma Vep(1996)

    as René Vidal

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Diary of a Seducer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Hugo

  • My Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Client

  • One Hundred and One Nights(1995)

    as The Second Jean-Pierre (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Nobody Loves Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Lucien

  • The Birth of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Marcus

  • The Bohemian Life(1992)

    as Blancheron

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Paris Awakens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Clément

  • C'est la vie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Actor

  • Out 1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Colin

  • I Hired a Contract Killer(1990)

    as Henri

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Paperback Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Marc

  • Bunker Palace Hotel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Solal

  • The Color of the Wind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Decourt

  • Virgin(1988)

    as Boris Golovine

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Jane B. for Agnes V.(1988)

    as The Angry Lover

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Lady Cops (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Commissaire Bouvreuil

  • Boran -Time to Aim (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Assistant

  • Ossegg oder Die Wahrheit über Hänsel und Gretel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Georg Ossegg

  • Rise and Fall of a Small Film Company (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Gaspard Bazin

  • With All Hands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Marcel

  • Treasure Island(1986)

    as Midas

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Just a Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Péter - a rendezõ

  • L'Herbe rouge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Lazuli

  • Detective(1985)

    as Inspector Neveu

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Rebelote (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Rémi Chauveau

  • Paris Seen By... 20 Years After (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as René (segment 3)

  • La cassure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Police Commissioner Rauffast

  • Série noire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Gaspard Bazin

  • Mersonne ne m'aime (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Daniel Flipo-Risq

  • Pour Bonnie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Charles Blaine

  • Véra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Actor

  • Help Me Dream (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Mario

  • Parano (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Ignazio

  • Le petit Pommier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Le vendeur de La Belle Aubaine

  • Love on the Run(1979)

    as Antoine Doinel

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Lola's Lolos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Bernard Dubois

  • Hugs and Other Things (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Tom

  • De quoi s'agit-il? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • Out 1: Spectre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Colin

  • Day for Night(1973)

    as Alphonse

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Mother and the Whore(1973)

    as Alexandre

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • L'Éducation sentimentale (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 5 episodes · as Frédéric Moreau

  • Last Tango in Paris(1972)

    as Tom

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Two English Girls(1971)

    as Claude Roc

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Out 1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 8 episodes · as Colin

  • The Lion Has Seven Heads (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Preacher

  • A Girl Is a Gun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Billy le Kid

  • The Heirs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Danton

  • Bed & Board(1970)

    as Antoine Doinel

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Wild Child(1970)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Paul (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Paul

  • Pigsty(1969)

    as Julian Klotz

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Le Gai Savoir(1969)

    as Émile Rousseau (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Bad Company (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Daniel (archive footage)

  • Dialogue 20-40-60 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Adamík (segment "The Twenty-Year-Olds")

  • The Twenty-Year-Olds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Adamik

  • Concentration (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Actor

  • Stolen Kisses(1968)

    as Antoine Doinel

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Weekend(1967)

    as Saint-Just / Le Jeune Minet du 16ème (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Chinese(1967)

    as Guillaume

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Anticipation, or Love in the Year 2000 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as The Bellboy

  • The Oldest Profession(1967)

    as The Bellhop (segment "Anticipation") (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Departure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Marc

  • Made in U.S.A(1966)

    Assistant Director · as Donald Siegel

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Santa Claus Has Blue Eyes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    as Daniel

  • Masculine Feminine(1966)

    as Paul

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Pierrot le fou(1965)

    Assistant Director · as Young Man in Cinema (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Alphaville(1965)

    Assistant Director · as Breakfast Waiter (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Love at Sea(1965)

    as The Boy at the Exit of the Cinema

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • A Married Woman(1964)

    Assistant Director

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • The Soft Skin(1964)

    Assistant Director Trainee

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Mata Hari, Agent H21 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Assistant Director · as Absalon

  • Antoine and Colette (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Antoine Doinel

  • Love at Twenty(1962)

    as Antoine Doinel (segment "Antoine et Colette")

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Boulevard(1960)

    as Georges Castagnier, dit "Jojo"

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Testament of Orpheus(1960)

    as Dargelos, l'écolier

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • The 400 Blows(1959)

    as Antoine Doinel

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • King on Horseback (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Pierrot

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 102 titles from 1958 to 2024; peak year 1989.

Biggest box office

Last Tango in Paris (1972)

$36M worldwide

Highest rated

The 400 Blows (1959)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

The Dreamers (2003)

Film career

19582024

Peak 1989 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 13 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting97 of 102: 93 only acting, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score82ndDirecting1 of 102: 1 only directing, 0 with another roleOther crew8 of 102: 4 only other crew, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score84th

102 titles, 4 with more than one role — acting and other crew overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1950s2 · acting1960s26 · 24 acting · 6 crew1970s16 · 14 acting · 2 crew1980s24 · acting1990s14 · acting2000s11 · acting2010s7 · acting2020s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 33% of 43 roles
5969799409

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Jean-Pierre Léaud's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 83rd percentile, the median of all 43; across their 32 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 79th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

79thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Approval · how many liked their films

80thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Reach · how many have seen their films

78thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Midcredits score across 43 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up26
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

23 of their 43 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser23
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

Face (2009)

76th percentile spread · 27% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The 400 Blows (1959)

Midcredits 98th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 75/100 in their films, across 25 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Jean-Pierre Léaud's work okay for kids?

Across up to 11 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity, profanity and alcohol & drugs run heavier than most films and violence & gore and frightening / intense lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles4–52 · median 32 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity11 titles33–76 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles41–77 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs6 titles43–58 · median 48 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles12–56 · median 23 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Jean-Pierre Léaud work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jean-Pierre Léaud's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; François Truffaut shares the most, 8.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles