Guillaume Canet

Born: April 10 1973
Where: Boulogne Billancourt, France

The actor and director is probably best known outside his native France for the role of Etienne in Danny Boyle's The Beach.

Born into a family of horsebreeders, he was working in a circus troupe aged 10 and briefly studied at the Cours Florent.

He made his feature debut in 1994 in Fils Unigue and two years later he played the lead alongside Jean Rochefort in Baracuda.

In 1998, he was nominated for the most promising actor Cesar for Pierre Jolivet's En Plein Coeur.

Three years later, as well as starring in The Beach, he appeared alongside Gerard Depardieu in Vidocq and with Sophie Marceau in La Fidelite.

In 2001, he made his big screen directorial debut with Mon Idole, starring his wife, top German model and Troy star Diane Kruger.

Recent work includes the dark romantic fantasy Love Me If You Dare with Marion Cotillard.