The surname Depardieu is well known to Russians. Older people remember the great roles of the actor in the cinema in the 70-90s of the last century, and young people have heard more about his extravagant adventures in the vastness of our country, of which he became a citizen in 2013.
However, the personal life of Depardieu is known to many residents of Russia only by hearsay. In particular, few people know that Gerard himself once claimed that he had a total of 2 dozen children from 10 different women. Of these, only two elders - Julie and Guillaume Depardieu - were born in a legal marriage. The latter, according to the actor, was “the real hero of Dostoevsky,” and his tragic fate could well become a script for a film that raises the problems of fathers and children.
Guillaume's childhood
The eldest son of Gerard Depardieu was born on April 7, 1971 in Paris. His mother, Elizabeth Guinot, was also a fairly successful and sought-after actress at that time, so her parents had little time for her son and daughter Julie (born in 1973).
Studying at school was not easy for the boy, as he constantly disrupted classes, did not fulfill the requirements of his teachers, participated in fights and tried in every possible way to draw the attention of his mother and father, even if they provoked their anger by acts of hooliganism.
He was repeatedly expelled from various educational institutions, and as a teenager, Guillaume began to use alcohol and drugs, starting with smoking hashish. He even participated in the thefts, which led to the appearance of articles in the yellow press discrediting Depardieu Sr. Guillaume was detained several times by the police and sentenced to suspended sentences and fines. Once, when a young man was 17 years old, his father ignored his request to pay a bail to be released from custody. This incident upset their relationship for a long time, a couple of years they almost did not communicate. It even got to the point that Depardieu Sr. once advised his non-good-natured offspring to change his name if he believes that it spoils his life.
Serious movie debut
Guillaume would probably become a criminal if not for the role in the film “All Mondays of the World,” in which he was invited to star in 1991. In it, he worked with his famous father. I must say that he acted in films even before that, since Depardieu Sr., despite the fact that his son did not consider him a caring parent, loved to take his children to the set. In particular, little Guillaume played his first role at the age of 3 in the film Not So Bad, and when he turned 15, he appeared on the screen in the melodrama Jean de Florett.
The work of Guillaume Depardieu in the film “All Mondays of the World” was praised by critics, which made the young man believe in himself and suffer less from the complex of the son of the famous father.
Success
Although in most of the paintings in which Guillaume Depardieu (photo see below) was shot at an early stage of his career, he was a partner of his famous father, contact between them was not established. Nevertheless, Guillaume was very touched by the congratulations of Gerard Depardieu on receiving the first César award in 1995 for the film The Apprentice.
Crash
However, the joy of success in his career was short-lived, since in the same 1995 a tragic event occurred, which largely predetermined the fate of the young promising actor. The fact is that once, when Guillaume Depardieu was driving through the Saint-Cloud tunnel, a suitcase fell under the wheels of his motorcycle, which fell off the top trunk of a nearby car. As a result of the fall, the actor severely damaged his right knee, and then the wound was infected with staphylococci. In addition, the investigation showed that he was drunk and speeding, therefore, despite serious health problems, he was detained.
In the 1990s
After a short stay in prison, Guillaume Depardieu returned to the set. At the same time, only a few guessed what inhuman pain he experienced and how many painkillers he took daily to portray strong heroes in the films “Soldier's Love”, “Union Looks for a Finger”, “... And Doesn't Blush.”
Another film in which Guillaume Depardieu (photo see above) starred with his father, was a large-scale adaptation of the novel by Alexander Dumas. In this television project, the actor played the young Edmond Dantes. The series, in which Depardieu Sr. acted as Count of Monte Cristo, was a huge success and was repeatedly shown on various Russian channels.
In addition, in 1999, Guillaume Depardieu was lucky to play with the legend of French cinema Catherine Deneuve in the film "Paul X" and earn her praise.
In the 2000s
The beginning of the new millennium was a difficult time for Guillaume Depardieu. The pains became stronger, he repeatedly admitted that he thought of suicide as the only way to get rid of physical suffering. Fortunately, relatives and doctors managed to convince him to decide on leg amputation, which was successful, and a high-tech prosthesis allowed the 32-year-old actor to return to the set.
After the operation, Depardieu’s son - Guillaume - starred in the film “Milady” in the role of Athos, and then played in the famous adaptation of Maurice Druon's epic “Cursed Kings”. The last Franco-Italian project united the whole family on one set, as the actor’s father and sister were also invited to the main roles in it.
One of the last, most significant works in the cinema of Guillaume Depardieu was the role in the film adaptation of the novel “The Duchess de Lange” - “Do not touch the ax”. In it, the actor created the image of General Armand de Monrivo, who is on an expedition to the Spanish island and finds out that a fallen woman is hiding in a local monastery, with whom he has long and hopelessly in love.
Guillaume Depardieu: Cause of Death
The artist was hospitalized on October 11, 2008 in the capital of Romania, Bucharest, where he starred in his latest film "Icarus Childhood." According to members of the film crew, he was constantly in serious pain due to chronic peritonitis and diabetes. Romanian doctors stated that Guillaume Depardieu was infected with a virus that caused transient pneumonia against a background of reduced immunity. The French Embassy did everything to bring the actor to his homeland that evening. October 12, he ended up in the hospital of the French city of Gars, but it was already too late, the next day Guillaume died.
Farewell to Depardieu Jr. took place on October 17 in the Paris Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, where thousands of Parisians came, who are fans of his talent. According to Alain Delon, after the death of his son Gerard suffered terribly and almost went crazy.
So tragically ended this old, as the world, story about fathers and children, in which the main characters were two talented actors who easily won the hearts of the audience.
Personal life
Guillaume Depardieu, whose filmography includes more than 30 paintings of varying degrees of fame, was unhappy in love. His youthful affair with Clotilde Kuro ended in the breakup and marriage of the girl with the Italian prince Emmanuel Philibert, and the marriage with Elise Vantre - with a divorce. Even the birth of Louise's daughter in the year 2000 did not help maintain relations.
Now you know who Guillaume Depardieu is, whose films are also available in Russian translation. It remains only to regret that he passed away so early and did not play all the roles he dreamed about.