The Moon Knight star, Gaspard Ulliel passed away on Wednesday after meeting with an accident while he was skiing. The French actor recently featured in Marvel’s Disney plus series Moon Knight as the midnight man. The series released its first trailer this week itself.
The actor was reportedly skiing in the French Alps when he collided with another skier at a slope junction and died as a result of his injuries. He was flown to a hospital in Grenoble by helicopter. According to the AFP, local officials have launched an inquiry into the mishap.
Ulliel and his career expedition
Ulliel was a well-known French actor who collaborated with highly acclaimed directors both in France and abroad. In Bertrand Bonello’s Saint Laurent, which competed at Cannes, he had a remarkable performance as the legendary French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.
Ulliel also appeared in Xavier Dolan’s It’s Only the End of the World, alongside Marion Cotillard, Léa Seydoux, and Vincent Cassel; Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s A Very Long Engagement, and Bertrand Tavernier’s La Princesse de Montpensier, among others. All three films participated in the Cannes Film Festival. Ulliel was cast as Midnight Man in Marvel’s highly anticipated Moon Knight, further enhancing his worldwide image.
The young actor, who was regarded for being stylish and discreet while being pleasant, received a slew of prizes during his career, including two Cesar awards for A Very Long Engagement in 2005 and It’s Only The End Of The World in 2017. Ulliel was also in high demand as a model. He was the face of Chanel’s Bleu de Chanel fragrance and participated in a commercial for the company produced by Martin Scorsese.
People expressed grief over Ulliel’s demise
French Minister of Finance Bruno Le Maire tweeted, “French cinema is losing a great talent”.
British actor and film writer Caspar Salmon also paid tribute to Ulliel, tweeting: “What a shock. R.I.P. to an actor of considerable magnetism, talent and beauty, who had already carved out an impressive and varied career. What a loss.”
It’s Only The End About The World director Xavier Dolan paid homage to Gaspard on Instagram, stating (translated from French), “It is implausible, insane, and so painful to even think of writing these words. Your discreet laughter, your watchful eye. Your scar. Your talent. Your listening. Your whispers, your kindness. All the features of your person were in fact born of a sparkling sweetness. It is your whole being that has transformed my life, a being that I loved deeply, and that I will always love. I can’t say anything else, I’m exhausted, stunned by your departure.”