Vincent Perez

Vincent Perez born 10 June 1964 is a Swiss actor, director and photographer. He is best known internationally for playing the title character, Ashe Corven, in The Crow: City of Angels, and for starring in Queen of the Damned, playing Marius de Romanus. Some of his notable films in French cinema include Cyrano de BergeracLe BossuLa Reine Margot and Indochine.

Early life

Perez was born on 10 June 1964 in Lausanne, Switzerland, to a Spanish father and a German mother. His mother was a housewife and his father worked in the import-export business. He commenced acting studies in Geneva, followed by the CNSAD and completed his training at the school of the Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers. He started acting in theatre before starring in films.

Career

Cinema

His breakthrough role was starring as Christian opposite Gérard Depardieu in Cyrano de Bergerac. He was nominated for a César Award. He has since appeared in various films and his onscreen leading ladies have included Catherine Deneuve, Kim Basinger, Isabelle Adjani and Aaliyah.

On television, he starred in Paris enquêtes criminelles, the French remake of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Perez starred as Lieutenant Vincent Revel.

He has also gone into directing. Two of his shorts, L’échange and Rien à dire, have been nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Photography

He has exhibited his photographic work during festivals and in art galleries. For example, his exhibition entitled Face to Face, which featured photographs of Carla Bruni, Johnny Hallyday and Gérard Depardieu, was unveiled at Rencontres d’Arles, an annual photography festival in Arles, France. In December 2012, he exhibited his photographs of dancers of the Bolshoi Ballet at the RuArts in Moscow, Russia. Two years later, in December 2014, he exhibited them again at the Accademia Fine Art Gallery in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Personal life

He is married to French actress Karine Silla, ex-partner of Gérard Depardieu and sister of French producer Virginie Besson-Silla. Perez and Silla have three children together, including model Iman Perez.

Work

Filmography

Year Title Role Language Notes
1986 Gardien de la nuit (Guardian of the Night) Armand French
1987 Hôtel de France Serge French
1988 La Maison de jade (The House of Jade) Bernard Gretz French
1990 Cyrano de Bergerac Christian de Neuvillette French César Award Nominee for Most Promising Actor (Meilleur espoir masculin)
Il viaggio di Capitan Fracassa (Captain Fracassa’s Journey) Baron of Sigognac Italian
1991 La Neige et le feu Jacques Sénéchal French
1992 Cendre d’or French Short film
Indochine (Indochina) Jean-Baptiste French
L’Échange French Cannes Film Festival Golden Palm Award Nominee for Best Short Film
Short written and directed by Vincent Perez
1993 Fanfan Alexandre French
1994 La Reine Margot (Queen Margot) La Môle French
1995 Al di là delle nuvole (Beyond the Clouds) Niccolo
1996 Ligne de vie  (Линия жизни, Lifeline) Philippe Russian
The Crow: City of Angels Ashe Corven/The Crow English
1997 Swept from the Sea Yanko Gooral English
Le bossu (On Guard) Duc de Nevers French César Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Meilleur second rôle masculin)
Cabourg Romantic Film Festival Award for Best Actor
1998 Ceux qui m’aiment prendront le train (Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train) Viviane French César Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Meilleur second rôle masculin)
The Treat Pierre English
Talk of Angels Francisco Areavaga English
Shot Through the Heart Slavko Stanic English TV film
1999 Le Temps retrouvé (Time Regained) Morel French
Rien à dire French Cannes Film Festival Golden Palm Award Nominee for Best Short Film
Short directed by Vincent Perez
2000 Épouse-moi (Marry Me) Hadrien Roche French
Le Libertin (The Libertine) Denis Diderot French
I Dreamed of Africa Paolo Gallmann English
2001 Les Morsures de l’aube  (Love Bites) Young actor French
Bride of the Wind Oskar Kokoschka English
2002 Queen of the Damned Marius de Romanus English
Peau d’Ange (Once Upon An Angel) French Nominated at the Montreal World Film Festival for the Grand Prix des Amériques
Written and directed by Vincent Perez
2003 Le pharmacien de garde (The Pharmacist) Yan Lazarrec French
La felicità non-costa niente (Happiness Costs Nothing) Francesco Italian
Fanfan la Tulipe Fanfan la Tulipe French
I’m Staying! Bertrand Delpire French
2004 Bienvenue en Suisse (Welcome to Switzerland) Aloïs Couchepin French
Nouvelle-France (Battle of the Brave) Intendant le Bigot English
2007 The Apocalypse Code Lui Russian MTV Movie Award (Russia) Nominee for Best Fight; shared with Anastasiya Zavorotnyuk
Credited as Vensan Peres
Arn – Tempelriddaren (Arn – The Knight Templar) Brother Guilbert Swedish
The Secret English Produced and directed by Vincent Perez
2009 Demain dès l’aube (Tomorrow at Dawn) Mathieu French
2010 Inhale Dr. Martinez English
Bruc  Maraval Catalan
2012 Lines of Wellington Lévêque Portuguese
2012 Ce que le jour doit à la nuit (What the Day Owes the Night) Juan Rucilio French
2013 Puppy Love Christian French
2014 The Kitchen in Paris (Cuisine in Paris) Nicolas DuPont Russian
2016 Alone in Berlin English Director, writer
2017 Dalida Eddie Barclay French
2017 Chacun sa vie et son intime conviction (Everyone’s Life) The Count French
2017 Hochelaga, Land of Souls Jacques Cartier
2018 L’intervention General Favrart French
2018 At Eternity’s Gate The Director English
2018 Ladies in Black Stefan English
2018 The Summer House The Swiss actor French
2019 The Aeronauts Pierre Rennes English

Television

Year Title Role Language Notes
1986 Série noire Yvon French 1 episode: Piège à flics
1990 Hamlet Laerte French
1998 Shot Through the Heart Slavko English
2000 Scénarios sur la drogue French Directed 1 episode, Scénarios sur la drogue
2004 Frankenstein Deucalion English
2005 Le juge Marc Steiner French
2006 Avec le temps… Philippe Julliart French
Jeanne Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour Louis XV French
2007 Paris enquêtes criminelles (Law & Order: Paris) Vincent Revel French 20 episodes
2008 Die Jahrhundertlawine  (Avalanche) Marc German
2010 Lo scandalo della Banca Romana Clemente Claudet Italian
Trahie! Paul/Antonio French

Awards and nominations

César Awards

Year Award Film Result
1991 Most Promising Actor (Meilleur jeune espoir masculin) Cyrano de Bergerac Nominated
1998 Best Supporting Actor (Meilleur second rôle masculin) Le bossu Nominated
1998 Best Supporting Actor (Meilleur second rôle masculin) Ceux qui m’aiment prendront le train Nominated

Palme d’Or

Year Award Film Result
1992 Best Short Film L’échange Nominated
1999 Best Short Film Rien à dire Nominated

Montréal World Film Festival

Year Award Film Result
2002 Grand Prix des Amériques Peau d’ange Nominated

MTV Movie Awards, Russia

Year Award Film Result
2008 Best Fight Kod apokalipsisa Nominated

Cabourg Romantic Film Festival

Year Award Film Result
1992 Prix Jean Gabin Won
2008 Best Actor Le bossu Won