Michael Lonsdale

Initially drawn into painting, Michael Lonsdale became enamored in acting instead, making his start in theater in 1955 at age 24. Due to his ancestry and upbringing, he was fluent in both English and French. It made him very versatile for productions in theater and film, mostly in Britain and France. He became known to global audiences for his role in the 1973 movie The Day of the Jackal and as Hugo Drax in the 1979 James Bond film Moonraker. In France, he became an acting icon. He appeared in countless plays, TV shows, documentaries, and movies throughout his entire career.

For his more than 60 years in acting, he garnered several prestigious awards, including a César Award in 2011 for the movie Of Gods and Men, where he was cast as a monk. He was also a recipient of the Medal of the City of Paris.