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Jacques Villeret

Jacques Villeret

Actor · Died January 28, 2005, aged 53 · Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France

Jacques Villeret (6 February 1951 – 28 January 2005) was a French actor, best known internationally for his role as François Pignon in the comedy Le Dîner de Cons. During his career, he earned many awards including the prestigious medal and title of Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur. Villeret was born Jacky Boufroura in Loches, Indre-et-Loire, France, to an Algerian father and a French mother. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSAD) in the same class as Louis Seigner, the grandfather of Emmanuelle Seigner and Mathilde Seigner. While he was most famous for his role as François Pignon in Le Dîner de Cons; both on the stage and in the film, his other celebrated roles included the extra terrestrial in La soupe aux choux, the autistic Mo in L'été en pente douce, and marshal Ludwig von Apfelstrudel in Papy fait de la résistance. At the time of making the film Un aller simple directed by Laurent Heynemann – a film about integration and racism and the clash of generations – he said that watching the young actors in the film, Barbara Schulz and Lorant Deutsch, reminded him of the insouciance he had had as a young man with his friends at the Conservatoire. When his career was at its height, with the success of Le Dîner de Cons, everything collapsed in a tragedy mirroring the plot of the film. Villeret separated from his wife and suffered an enormous financial downfall due to tax issues, plunging him into depression. Villeret turned to alcohol for comfort, and became an alcoholic. He isolated himself and hid away for long periods. He later said: Alcohol is a friend, but a friend who means you harm. Villeret's love of his profession helped to bring his career back from the brink. In an interview in 2001 he spoke of his admiration for performers like Johnny Hallyday and Jacques Brel for their level of commitment, and quoted the author Louis-Ferdinand Céline: When I write, I put my balls on the table. In 1979 Villeret married Irina Tarassov, an actress and writer. They separated in 1998. Tassarov wrote about their life together in her book Un jour, tout ira bien. (One day, everything will go well). In 2002 Villeret met Seny, a Senegalese-French widow descended through her grandfather, Mor Diarra N'Dao, from a long line of Sérès nobles of the ancient Kingdom of Saloum, and they fell instantly and deeply in love. They were partners for three years, and she was about to move to Paris to be with him when he died in Évreux in January 2005 of a liver haemorrhage. Seny wrote a memoir of their life together, Jacques Villeret, mon bébé blanc, which was published in Paris by Le Cherche Midi in 2005. Source: Article "Jacques Villeret" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 6, 1951
Died
January 28, 2005 (aged 53)
From
Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France
Works as
Actor
Titles
24 on MovieCove · 74 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 38 days to Oct 27Down 42% in 30 days

What are Jacques Villeret's films like?

Across their 20 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 9th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama 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
Bonds
34%
Self
17%
Power
16%
Survival
15%
Society
10%
Morality
9%
Family bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 20 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 10 · Serious 7 · Dark 3

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

Grounded 8 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 4 · Charged 12 · Intense 4

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

A split, not a type: Steady 9 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 4

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

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 8

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 12 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 2

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

A split, not a type: Easy watch 8 · Affecting 10 · Heavy 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 16 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

11 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 4 of 11 analyzed roles.

Hero
4 of 11
Trickster
3 of 11
Ally
3 of 11
Mentor
1 of 11
Show the 11 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
9
Tense
7
Absurd
7
Melancholic
8
Joyful
6
Other
11

How their films linger

Feel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous1

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 Jacques Villeret's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 24 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jacques Villeret'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

74 credits, 24 with a MovieCove page; 17 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Belmondo: The Incorrigible (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Actor

  • The Do-Gooders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as lucien

  • Grey Souls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Le juge Mierck

  • The Antidote (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as André Morin

  • Iznogoud (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Haroun El Poussah

  • Viper in the Fist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Jacques Rézeau

  • Malabar Princess(2004)

    as Gaspard

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Le Furet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as le Furet

  • Strange Gardens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Jacques Pouzay

  • One Way Ticket (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Jean-Pierre

  • A Crime in Paradise(2001)

    as Jojo Braconnier

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Les acteurs(2000)

    as Jacques Villeret

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Children of the Marshland(1999)

    as Henri Pignol, aka Riton

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Mookie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Frère Benoît

  • The Dinner Game(1998)

    as François Pignon

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Le Dernier Été (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Georges Mandel

  • Georges Dandin de Molière (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Georges Dandin

  • Golden Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Antoine Bonvoisin

  • Wacko (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Le pompiste

  • The Drummer of Ravel's Boléro (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Le batteur

  • The Son of the Mekong (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Durieux

  • Le bal des casse-pieds(1992)

    as Jérôme, le présentateur de la météo

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • 588 rue Paradis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Alexandre Pagès

  • The Favour, the Watch and the Very Big Fish(1991)

    as Lingerie Man

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Les secrets professionnels du Docteur Apfelgluck(1991)

    as Martineau

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Three Years (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Alexandre Guillermen

  • Un fil à la patte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Bouzin

  • La Petite Amie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Guillaume Bertin

  • Nailcruncher (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Salomon

  • Keep Your Right Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Individual

  • L'été en pente douce(1987)

    as Maurice Leheurt aka Mo

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Dernier été à Tanger(1987)

    as Marcus

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Sale Temps (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Actor

  • C'est encore mieux l'après-midi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Georges Pigier

  • The Joint Brothers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Momo

  • Black Mic Mac(1986)

    as Michel Le Gorgues

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Les Folles Années du Twist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as M'sieur John Wayne

  • La Galette du roi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Utte de Danemark

  • Hold-Up(1985)

    as Jeremie Blanchet, chauffeur de taxi

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Drôle de samedi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Maurice, the butcher

  • Dialogue de sourds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as The blind

  • The Vultures(1984)

    as Brigadier Béral

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • First Name: Carmen(1983)

    as The Man Who Eats Yogurt

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Waiter! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Gilbert, Alex's friend

  • Gramps Is in the Resistance(1983)

    as Maréchal Ludwig von Apfelstrudel

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Move Along, There Is Nothing to See! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Pelissier

  • Effraction(1983)

    as Valentin Tralande, truand violent

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Danton(1983)

    as François-Joseph Westermann

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Edith and Marcel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Jacques Barbier

  • The Big Brother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Inspecteur Coleau

  • Merci Bernard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • The Cabbage Soup(1981)

    as L'Oxien (La Denrée)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Bolero(1981)

    as Jacques

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

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

    as Momo

  • Out of Whack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Henri Fisserman / Paul Flantier / Bouli / Dr. Delomien, ...

  • Dumb But Disciplined (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Jacques Cardot

  • Us Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Tonton Musique

  • Heart to Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Sitting student

  • Mountain Pass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Georges

  • Mon Premier Amour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Jacques Labrousse

  • Robert et Robert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Robert Villiers

  • Un Balcon en forêt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Gourcuff

  • Le Rabat-joie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Léon

  • Another Man, Another Chance(1977)

    as Customer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Nono Nénesse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Nono

  • The Castaways of Turtle Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Bernard Dupoirier, dit « Petit Nono »

  • Second Chance(1976)

    as L'agent immobilier

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Good and the Bad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Jacques

  • The Common Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Gérald

  • Serious as Pleasure(1975)

    as Le gendarme

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • The Mouth Agape(1974)

    as (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Un amour de pluie(1974)

    as Guillaume

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Nothing to Report (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Soldat Girot

  • Detective Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Le photographe

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 75 titles from 1972 to 2022; peak year 2005.

Biggest box office

Malabar Princess (2004)

$9.1M worldwide

Highest rated

The Dinner Game (1998)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

L'été en pente douce (1987)

Film career

19722022

Peak 2005 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 2 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.

  • 1973Screen debut· Nothing to Report
  • 1987First top-billed film· L'été en pente douce
  • 1998Career best· The Dinner Game

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting75 of 75: 75 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rd

By decade

1970s21 · acting1980s28 · acting1990s14 · acting2000s11 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 18% of 33 roles
73788803

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 Jacques Villeret's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 53rd percentile, the median of all 24; across their 20 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 62nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Approval · how many liked their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Reach · how many have seen their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Midcredits score across 24 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 24 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

Les secrets professionnels du Docteur Apfelgluck (1991)

51st percentile spread · 29% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Dinner Game (1998)

Midcredits 97th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 53. 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 Jacques Villeret's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 23 · mildMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Jacques Villeret work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jacques Villeret's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Christian Fechner shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers