François Cottrelle

François Cottrelle isn’t exactly a household name unless you’re the kind of person who’s into French action flicks and gritty TV dramas—but, man, he’s popped up in some wild stuff. Let’s start with Taxi 2, which dropped back in 2000. That one’s just pure chaos: car chases that look like they were filmed by caffeine addicts, ridiculous stunts, and a humor style that’s so French you can almost smell the baguettes. Cottrelle doesn’t hog the spotlight, but he’s right there in the thick of it, playing off that madcap energy. The movie’s got that old-school, late-‘90s action vibe—lots of leather jackets and jokes that probably wouldn’t fly today, but hey, it’s a good time. Then you jump over to No Limit from 2012, which is more TV than blockbuster but still packs some serious punch. It’s all double agents, family drama, and those “wait, did that just happen?” plot twists. Cottrelle’s role isn’t center stage, but he brings this slightly unhinged, unpredictable energy—like he might flip the script at any moment. The show itself is kind of addicting, the sort of thing you tell yourself you’ll watch one episode of and then suddenly it’s 3AM. Fast forward to L’atelier in 2017. Now, this one’s more introspective. Less guns blazing, more psychological tension. It’s set in the south of France, and instead of high-speed pursuits, you get this slow-burn look at creativity, identity, and some seriously dark undercurrents. Cottrelle’s performance? Low-key but sharp, like he’s always two steps ahead. The guy’s got range, no question.