Jacques Villeret
Known for Acting · 89 credits
- Born
- 1951-02-06
- Died
- 2005-01-28
- Place of birth
- Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France
- Also known as
- Jacky Boufroura
Biography
Jacques Villeret (6 February 1951 – 28 January 2005) was a French actor, best known internationally for his role as François Pignon in the comedy Le Dîner de Cons. During his career, he earned many awards including the prestigious medal and title of Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur.
Villeret was born Jacky Boufroura in Loches, Indre-et-Loire, France, to an Algerian father and a French mother. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSAD) in the same class as Louis Seigner, the grandfather of Emmanuelle Seigner and Mathilde Seigner. While he was most famous for his role as François Pignon in Le Dîner de Cons; both on the stage and in the film, his other celebrated roles included the extra terrestrial in La soupe aux choux, the autistic Mo in L'été en pente douce, and marshal Ludwig von Apfelstrudel in Papy fait de la résistance.
At the time of making the film Un aller simple directed by Laurent Heynemann – a film about integration and racism and the clash of generations – he said that watching the young actors in the film, Barbara Schulz and Lorant Deutsch, reminded him of the insouciance he had had as a young man with his friends at the Conservatoire.
When his career was at its height, with the success of Le Dîner de Cons, everything collapsed in a tragedy mirroring the plot of the film. Villeret separated from his wife and suffered an enormous financial downfall due to tax issues, plunging him into depression. Villeret turned to alcohol for comfort, and became an alcoholic. He isolated himself and hid away for long periods. He later said: Alcohol is a friend, but a friend who means you harm.
Villeret's love of his profession helped to bring his career back from the brink. In an interview in 2001 he spoke of his admiration for performers like Johnny Hallyday and Jacques Brel for their level of commitment, and quoted the author Louis-Ferdinand Céline: When I write, I put my balls on the table.
Known For
TV Shows (13)
Champs-Elysées
1982
as Self
Sacrée soirée
1987
as Self
Vivement dimanche
1998
as Self
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
1975
as Self
Midi Première
1975
as Self
Spécial cinéma
1974
as Self
Le Grand Échiquier
1972
as Self
Numéro un
1975
as Self / Self - Host
Discorama
1959
as Self
Nulle part ailleurs
1987
as Self
Il était une fois Champs-Élysées
2022
as Self (archive footage)
Matin Bonheur
1987
as Self
Merci Bernard
1982
Movies (76)
The Cabbage Soup
1981
as L'Oxien (La Denrée)
Bolero
1981
as Jacques
La TV des 70's : Quand Giscard était président
2022
as Self (archive footage)
The Dinner Game
1998
as François Pignon
The Professional Secrets of Dr. Apfelgluck
1991
as Martineau
First Name: Carmen
1983
as The Man Who Eats Yogurt
The Favour, the Watch and the Very Big Fish
1991
as Lingerie Man
Danton
1983
as François-Joseph Westermann
Actors
2000
as Jacques Villeret
Gramps Is in the Resistance
1983
as Maréchal Ludwig von Apfelstrudel
Hold-up
1985
as Jeremie Blanchet, chauffeur de taxi
L'Âge d'or de la pub
2023
as Self (archive footage)
Waiter!
1983
as Gilbert, Alex's friend
Another Man, Another Chance
1977
as Customer
L'été en pente douce
1987
as Maurice Leheurt aka Mo
The Common Man
1975
as Gérald
A Crime in Paradise
2001
as Jojo Braconnier
La Galette du roi
1986
as Utte de Danemark
Serious as Pleasure
1975
as Le gendarme
The Vultures
1984
as Brigadier Béral
Iznogoud
2005
as Haroun El Poussah
The Antidote
2005
as André Morin
Malevil
1981
as Momo
The Children of the Marshland
1999
as Henri Pignol, aka Riton
The Castaways of Turtle Island
1976
as Petit Nono
Edith and Marcel
1983
as Jacques Barbier
Keep Your Right Up
1987
as Individual
Move Along, There Is Nothing to See!
1983
as Pelissier
Last Summer in Tangiers
1987
as Marcus
Mookie
1998
as Frère Benoît
The Mouth Agape
1974
as (uncredited)
The Joint Brothers
1986
as Momo
Loving in the Rain
1974
as Guillaume
Nailcruncher
1988
as Salomon
Grey Souls
2005
as Le juge Mierck
Heart to Heart
1979
as Sitting student
Le Bal des casse-pieds
1992
as Jérôme, le présentateur de la météo
Viper in the Fist
2004
as Jacques Rézeau
Le Furet
2003
as le Furet
A Second Chance
1976
as L'agent immobilier
588 rue Paradis
1992
as Alexandre Pagès
The Good and the Bad
1976
as Jacques
Dumb But Disciplined
1979
as Jacques Cardot
Le Dernier Été
1997
as Georges Mandel
Three Years
1990
as Alexandre Guillermen
Nothing to Report
1973
as Soldat Girot
Black Mic Mac
1986
as Michel Le Gorgues
Golden Boy
1996
as Antoine Bonvoisin
La Petite Amie
1988
as Guillaume Bertin
Strange Gardens
2003
as Jacques Pouzay
Mountain Pass
1978
as Georges
Malabar Princess
2004
as Gaspard
The Do-Gooders
2005
as lucien
Belmondo: The Incorrigible
2022
Wacko
1994
as Le pompiste
The Drummer of Ravel's Boléro
1992
as Le batteur
Us Two
1979
as Tonton Musique
Robert et Robert
1978
as Robert Villiers
Jacques Villeret, drôlement tragique
2025
as Self (archive footage)
One Way Ticket
2001
as Jean-Pierre
Out of Whack
1979
as Henri Fisserman / Paul Flantier / Bouli / Dr. Delomien, ...
Mon Premier Amour
1978
as Jacques Labrousse
The Big Brother
1982
as Inspecteur Coleau
Drôle de samedi
1985
as Maurice, the butcher
The Son of the Mekong
1992
as Durieux
Effraction
1983
as Valentin Tralande, truand violent
Georges Dandin de Molière
1997
as Georges Dandin
Les Folles Années du Twist
1986
as M'sieur John Wayne
Un Balcon en forêt
1978
as Gourcuff
Un fil à la patte
1989
as Bouzin
C'est encore mieux l'après-midi
1987
as Georges Pigier
La Folle Histoire de François Pignon - De La chèvre au Dîner de cons
2015
as Self
Nono Nénesse
1976
as Nono
Detective Story
1972
as Le photographe
Dialogue de sourds
1985
as The blind
Le Rabat-joie
1978
as Léon
About Jacques Villeret
Jacques Villeret (6 February 1951 – 28 January 2005) was a French actor, best known internationally for his role as François Pignon in the comedy Le Dîner de Cons. During his career, he earned many awards including the prestigious medal and title of Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur. Villeret was born Jacky Boufroura in Loches, Indre-et-Loire, France, to an Algerian father and a French mother. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSAD) in the same class as Louis Seigner, the grandfather of Emmanuelle Seigner and Mathilde Seigner. While he… With 89 credits spanning from 1959 to 2025, Jacques Villeret has appeared in 76 films and 13 TV shows.
Fans searching for Jacques Villeret movies, Jacques Villeret filmography, or the latest projects starring Jacques Villeret can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Jacques Villeret Movies
- The Cabbage Soup (1981) — as L'Oxien (La Denrée)
- Bolero (1981) — as Jacques
- La TV des 70's : Quand Giscard était président (2022) — as Self (archive footage)
- The Dinner Game (1998) — as François Pignon
- The Professional Secrets of Dr. Apfelgluck (1991) — as Martineau
Where to Watch Jacques Villeret Films
Most Jacques Villeret movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Jacques Villeret, check our movies catalogue and browse page.