Olivier Martinez

Olivier Martinez (born 12 January 1966) is a French actor. He became well known after roles in several French films such as Un, deux, trois, soleil (1993), which garnered him the César Award for "Most Promising Actor", The Horseman on the Roof (1995), and The Chambermaid on the Titanic (1997). He has also appeared in Hollywood-produced features, including the drama Before Night Falls (2000) and the erotic thriller Unfaithful (2002), and playing the role of a French drug lord in the action-crime-thriller S.W.A.T. (2003).

Early life Martinez was born in Paris, France, to a working-class family. His father was a Spanish professional boxer and his mother was a French secretary. Olivier trained as a boxer and dreamed to become a professional boxer, but after trauma decided to become an actor. He studied at the CNSAD and began his acting career in his native France in 1990. Martinez was raised Catholic.

Career In 1994, Martinez won a César Award as "Most Promising Actor" for his role in the film Un, deux, trois, soleil (1993). This was followed by a leading role in the Jean-Paul Rappeneau period film The Horseman on the Roof (Le Hussard sur le Toit) in 1995 in which he starred alongside Juliette Binoche as an Italian nobleman. The film was hailed as the most expensive French film at that time in history but failed to reach its $35 million budget. In 1996/7 he appeared in Bertrand Blier's romantic comedy My Man (Mon Homme) alongside Anouk Grinberg, Gérard Lanvin, and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. Later in 1997 he played a leading role in Bigas Luna's drama The Chambermaid on the Titanic (La Femme de chambre du Titanic) alongside Romane Bohringer, set during the time of the Titanics sinking voyage in 1912. Martinez portrays a French foundry worker who wins a strongman contest and the prize of a trip to view the departing maiden voyage of the ill-fated Titanic. The film was well-received; Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle praised what he felt was a rare honest portrayal of male sexuality by Martinez.

Martinez first came to mainstream attention in Hollywood films with his performance in Julian Schnabel's Before Night Falls (2000) opposite Javier Bardem and Johnny Depp. The screenplay is based on the autobiography of the same name of Reinaldo Arenas, which was published in English in 1993. The film was highly critically acclaimed, although Martinez's performance was overshadowed by that of Bardem in the eyes of critics. In early 2000s Martinez was in the peak of popularity, reached the status of sex symbol and was called "French Brad Pitt". Unbelievably handsome actor with aristocratic looks was predicted to have a great future and was offered more and more roles in Hollywood. He was later noted for his performance opposite Diane Lane in Unfaithful (2002). He has since appeared in a television adaptation of The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (2003), S.W.A.T. (2003) and Taking Lives (2004). He also starred as Gabriel in the 2007 movie adaptation of Blood and Chocolate, a popular book. Martinez plays Mauritius, prefect of Mamertine Prison in Paul, Apostle of Christ (2017).

Personal life Martinez began a relationship with Australian singer and actress Kylie Minogue after meeting her at the 2003 Grammy Awards ceremony. They ended their relationship in February 2007.

Martinez began dating American actress Halle Berry in 2010 after meeting on the set of the action thriller film Dark Tide (2012). They confirmed their engagement in March 2012. On 22 November 2012, Martinez was treated at a Los Angeles hospital after being injured in a physical altercation with Canadian model Gabriel Aubry, Berry's former partner and father of her daughter. Aubry and Berry had been involved in a custody battle centered on Berry's desire to move with their daughter and Martinez to his native France, a request denied by a judge less than two weeks prior to the altercation, on the grounds that it would interfere with Berry and Aubry's joint custody arrangement. The custody dispute was resolved at the end of November.

Berry and Martinez married in a private ceremony in France on 13 July 2013. Their son was born in October 2013 in Los Angeles. They announced their divorce in 2015, and it was finalized in December 2016. In August 2023, issues dealing with custody and child support were settled.

Apart from his native French, he is also fluent in Spanish and English.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Language Notes 1990 Plein Fer Pascal French 1992 IP5: L'île aux pachydermes Tony Les Paroles invisibles Short 1993 1, 2, 3, Sun Petit Paul 1995 The Horseman on the Roof Angelo Pardi 1996 My Man Jean-François 1997 The Chambermaid on the Titanic Horty 1999 La ciudad de los prodigios Onofre Bouvila Spanish 2000 Nosotras David La Taule Le Muet French Toreros Manuel Before Night Falls Lázaro Gómez Carriles English Bullfighter Jack 2002 Semana santa Quemada Unfaithful Paul Martel 2003 S.W.A.T. Alex "Le Loup Rouge" Montel 2004 Taking Lives Inspector Joseph Paquette 2007 Blood & Chocolate Gabriel 2010 Knight and Day Beach Scene Uncredited 2012 Dark Tide Jeff Mathieson 2013 The Physician Shah Ala ad-Daula 2018 Paul, Apostle of Christ Mauritius 2020 Mosquito State Edward Werner

Television Year Title Role Language Notes 1990 Navarro Rollo French TV series, episode: "Barbès de l'aube à l'aurore" 1992 Odyssée Bidon Phil TV film 2003 The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone Paolo di Lio English 2012 Cybergeddon Gustov Dobreff TV series (2 episodes) Cybergeddon Zips Gustov TV series (1 episode: "Gustov") 2014 Revenge Pascal LeMarchal TV series, recurring role (5 episodes) 2015 Texas Rising General Antonio López de Santa Anna Miniseries 2016 Mars Ed Grann Season 1 2022 Loot Jean-Pierre TV series, recurring role

Awards

Year Award Category Result Notes 1993 Prix Jean Gabin César Awards Most Promising Actor (Meilleur jeune espoir masculin) IP5: L'île aux pachydermes 1994 Un, deux, trois, soleil