Vincent Cassel

“Every movie, especially when you get deeply involved, takes something out of you. You learn something, but you also give something to the movie. And after the film, if the experience has been intense and true, you’re a little different afterward.” Vincent Cassel grew up in an artistic household—his mother was a journalist, and his father, Jean-Pierre Cassel, was a respected French actor mostly known for his participation in comedic films. Vincent, however, would come to be known for his own intense portrayals of men struggling to control the violence within them. Cassel’s early training was eclectic. He studied at a circus and ballet school before moving to New York, where he trained at the Actors Studio. He later joined Jean-Louis Barrault's theater company in Paris. His first film role came in Les Clés du Paradis, but it was his groundbreaking performance in La Haine that truly put him in the spotlight. This role earned him two César Award nominations; an award he finally won in 2008 for his portrayal of the notorious criminal Jacques Mesrine in Mesrine: Killer Instinct and Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1. One of the most sought-after actors in French cinema, Cassel has also found success in international films, including Ocean’s Twelve and Eastern Promises. In addition to his acting career, he runs his own film production company, 120 Films, which produces both film and music video projects.