Who is the great French actor?

Suzanne Pleshette of course!

Michael Lonsdale has the most diversity:

The Day of the Jackal, Moonraker, Chariots of Fire, The Name of the Rose, The Remains of the Day, Jefferson in Paris, and Of Gods and Men.

Lean Gabin.

^ Jean Gabin. Sorry.

Jean-Louis Trintignant

Another vote for the great Trintignant.

"The great" French actor? Just the one? France has only enjoyed one great actor?

Well we know who the prettiest one is.

Lilyan Chauvn

Jerry Lewis

Truffaut is a head-scratcher.

R8 Nino Castelnuovo

R11 Truffaut isn't a head-scratcher. He's there because OP is a moron who can't even manage basic comparative-superlative English syntax. But don't let that stop him diving into French Cinema, naturellement.

I chose Louis Jourdan, not because I think he’s any great shakes as an actor, but because the first time I ever saw him onscreen, in Three Coins In The Fountain, I was mesmerized by his beauty. Since I’m so shallow, if I were a lake and you fell face down in me you wouldn’t drown, you can’t really go by me.

Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard are the greatest actors of all time.

Tangent: Louis's father was eventually director of the Grand Hôtel on the Croisette in Cannes.

Truffaut did act, too, you know.

Yes, but not always successfully. I think his performances in THE GREEN ROOM and, to a lesser degree, THE WILD CHILD hurt the films as he is a rather lightweight screen presence.

Jean-Pierre Leaud gets my vote - truly outstanding in The Four Hundred Blows. His other work is also first-rate.

Nino Castelnuovo was gorgeous and unforgettable in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, but he was Italian.

Born in Italy. Died in Italy. Did most of his work in Italy.

What am I, foie haché?

Ulliel. Beauty trumps talent.

I just started 'Breathless' for the first time so I'll vote for Belmondo. He's very funny.

Googling these actors and notice how long-lived they all are.

Jean Gabin, Eddie Constantine?

Marcel Dalio

Moi aussi! Moi aussi!

Michael Lonsdale was one of the best Bond baddies. He was also really good for the twelve seconds that he was in Smiley's People.

Fuck all y’all!

Phillippe Noiret.

Hi R22! Come sit next to me!

Félix Maritaud

maintenant je comprends les critères

Jean Marais. Hammy actor with great gams.

Nino Castelnuovo had Wessonality

Jean-Hugues Anglade

Timmy Shamalay

What about Jean Gabin?

Moliere, of course.

Euh.

Michel Bouquet

Alain Delon

One of my boyhoood crushes Philippe Leroy.

I'm with R21. Gérard Philipe's contrasting light and dark performances in "Lovers of Paris" and "The Proud and the Beautiful" are among the best I've seen.

Joaquin Phoenix

Qu'est-ce que je suis, du foie haché aussi ?

if the question is about great actor vs great movie star, then R2 is right: Michael Lonsdale. Few better in any language.

Mathew Cassovitz

Another vote for Gaspard Ulliel. I would give him 400 Blows, avec plaisir.

Francois Sagat

Vincent Cassel

Sacha Guitry

No appreciation for FrenchDaddyXXL?

R51, he looks like Hunter Biden...

More fun game- name a French actor who hasn't been with either Catherine Deneuve or Brigitte Bardot.

R53.... umm, any actor younger than 50?

"been with"?

Surprised no mention of Michel Piccoli. Fantastic character actor, worked with every major French actress and auteur.

Jean-Paul Belmondo kind of dented the perception of his talent by spending the second half of his career coasting in Eurotrash action films but he was magnificent in serious/arthouse roles. I'd have liked to see him on stage at one point. His main rival Alain Delon was a non-actor pretty boy.

Jean Gabin and Jean-Louis Trintignant are great as well. Michael Lonsdale is a good pick too.

You'll need a shovel first, r47.

I do find it interesting people tend to remember more French actresses more than they do actors. Especially the actresses of the mid-late 20th century.

I think mainly because there are better french actresses than french actor, r58, as the list of the OP and the answers to this thread shows.

I know, r57. But wasn't Gaspard beautiful? (And hung?)