Biography
Who is Lambert Wilson?
Early life and education
Lambert Wilson was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. He is the son of Georges Wilson, who worked as a director and theatrical manager at the Théâtre National Populaire. As a teenager, Lambert had little interest in French theatre and wanted to work in Hollywood as an American actor.
To improve his English, he studied acting at the Drama Centre London. He made his first cinematic appearance in the 1977 film Julia, which was directed by Fred Zinnemann. Five years later, he starred in Five Days One Summer alongside Sean Connery. Although he worked on films like Sahara with Brooke Shields, his major success eventually came within France.
Career highlights and film roles
During the 1980s, Lambert Wilson became a popular figure in French cinema through films such as La Boum 2, Rendez-vous, and The Public Woman. He often played romantic or tormented characters. While his career faced challenges due to several box office failures like El Dorado and The Possessed, he regained popularity with comedies such as Jet Set and Same Old Song.
He achieved international fame playing The Merovingian in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. He later returned to this role in the 2021 film The Matrix Resurrections. His diverse work also includes the 1989 film Hiver 54, l'abbé Pierre, which earned him the Jean Gabin prize. In 2016, he played Jacques Cousteau in the biographical film The Odyssey.
Music and theatre work
Lambert Wilson is also a singer and musical theatre performer. In 1995, he appeared in the National Theatre London production of A Little Night Music. He also performed in a 2007 production of Candide at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. In 1989, he released the Musicals album on the EMI label, which featured tracks from West Side Story and Les Misérables.
Beyond acting, he has directed stage versions of works by Jean Racine and Alfred de Musset. In 2016, he released a tribute album titled Wilson chante Montand to honor the singer Yves Montand. This project included 17 tracks with musical arrangements by Bruno Fontaine.
Honors and humanitarian work
Lambert Wilson has received several high honors in France. He is an Officer of Arts and Letters and a Commander of the National Order of Merit. President Emmanuel Macron raised him to the rank of Commandeur de l’Ordre du Mérite in 2017.
He is actively involved in charitable causes and environmental protection. He supports Greenpeace and Agir pour l'Environnement. Lambert Wilson also works with the Mouvement Emmaüs and the Fondation Abbé-Pierre to fight poverty and hunger. He has served as an ambassador for Les Toiles Enchantées and assisted the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in their efforts to end world hunger.
Birthday and age
Lambert Wilson was born on August 3, 1958, which makes Lambert 68 years old today. That birthday falls under the Leo sign. Lambert shares the date with 36 other famous people.
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