French actor Gaspard Ulliel, who stars in the new Marvel Disney Plus series “Moon Knight” — the trailer for which was released on Monday — has died at the age of 37.
Ulliel, also known for his appearances in Chanel perfume ads and other film roles, passed away after a skiing accident in the Alps, according to his agent’s office.
“The Cesar-winning actor was skiing in the Savoie region when he collided with another skier at an intersection between two slopes and suffered a serious brain trauma on Tuesday. He was transported by helicopter at a hospital in Grenoble. Local authorities have opened an investigation into the accident,” Variety reported on Wednesday.
French actor Gaspard Ulliel (“It’s Only the End of the World”), who stars in Marvel’s upcoming “Moon Knight” series, has died following a ski accident in the Alps on Wednesday, according to news agency AFP. He was 37. https://t.co/drulHRZzl0 pic.twitter.com/E0XoYQEdPN
— Variety (@Variety) January 19, 2022
“Local broadcaster France Bleu said he was hospitalized with a skull injury, and that he apparently collided with another skier at a crossing point on the slopes. The other skier was not hospitalized, according to France Bleu. Police and prosecutors would not discuss details of the accident,” according to Fox News.
Ulliel played the role of Midnight Man in the new “Moon Knight” series from Marvel that co-stars Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke. The trailer was released on Monday with the series coming to Disney Plus on March 30.
Welcome to chaos 🌙 Watch the new trailer for Marvel Studios’ @MoonKnight and start streaming the Original series March 30 on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/T5E2ZTgaxP
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) January 18, 2022
The series joins several Marvel series recently released on the platform, such as “WandaVision,” “Loki,” and “Hawkeye.”
Born on November 25, 1984, in Boulogne-Billancourt, Ulliel is perhaps best known for his role as the young Hannibal Lecter in “Hannibal Rising.” Ulliel also portrayed fashion mogul Yves Saint Laurent in the film “Saint Laurent.”
“He was nominated for a Cesar Award for Most Promising Actor in 2002 and 2003. In 2004, Ulliel won that award for his role in A Very Long Engagement, which co-starred Audrey Tautou. In 2017, he won the Cesar Award for Best Actor for his role in Xavier Dolan’s It’s Only the End of the World. He also won two Lumiere Awards, for Saint Laurent and 2003’s Summer Things,” according to Deadline.
Condolences and tributes poured out online as the news of the actor’s death became known.
“Gaspard Ulliel grew up with cinema and cinema grew up with him. They loved each other madly,” French Prime Minister Jean Castex tweeted Wednesday, according to CNN.
“It’s with a heavy heart that we will rewatch his most beautiful performances and catch his unique gaze. We have lost a French actor,” he added.
Thierry Fremaux, the director of the Cannes Film Festival, offered a touching statement shared by NBC News.
“Gaspard belonged to this new generation of actors who were making tomorrow’s French cinema. He knew how to select his roles and shaped his career which filled every promise,” Fremaux said.
“Each appearance on the red carpet, from ‘La Princesse de Montpensier’ to ‘It’s Only The End of the World’ illustrated his presence, both discreet and full of kindness. He was equally brilliant and talented. He gave a lot and we’ll always remember him,” Fremaux added.
Ulliel leaves behind one son with French model and singer Gaëlle Piétri.