Gaspard Ulliel (born November 25, 1984) is a French film actor. He began appearing in made-for-television films during the late 1990s and early 2000s, and has since become known as a film actor in France, as well as starred in the title role in the horror/thriller Hannibal Rising.
Ulliel was born in the Parisian suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt to a runway show producer mother and a stylist father. He has a scar on his cheek as a result of a dog's scratch from when he was six years old. Ulliel attended the University of Saint-Denis, where he studied cinema. He began acting while he was still at school, appearing in 'Une Femme En Blanc', a film for French television. He also performed at the Cours Florent, where he was discovered by Les égarés director André Téchiné.
Since then, he has starred in a number of television productions, including La Bascule, Juliette, Julien L'apprenti and Le Refuge. Ulliel's first film was Alias, in 1999. Since then, he has become increasingly popular including his small role in "Brotherhood of the Wolf", and was nominated for a César Award (Best Young Male) in 2003 for Embrassez qui vous voudrez, later winning the award in 2004 for his role in Les égarés (Strayed) as the rebelious lover to a refugee during the World War. His biggest role to date may be Un long dimanche de fiançailles (A Very Long Engagement), in which he played Manech, Audrey Tautou's character's love interest.
Ulliel's most recent role is playing the young Hannibal Lecter, the title character of the prequel Hannibal Rising, which was released on February 9, 2007. Ulliel initially hesitated to audition for the role because of the character's popularity. The part is his second English-language film, and the first film where he speaks English in a leading role. It has not yet been decided whether there will be another film featuring Ulliel as Lecter. Ulliel's next role will be in a Niki Caro directed drama scheduled to film in New Zealand and France.
He is currently in talks to play a God in Osiris Release
