Film stars are central to our enjoyment of cinema and to the way films are produced, marketed, interpreted and understood. In this module you will learn about different facets of film stardom and film acting by studying five performers from the 1930s to the present. How did Jean Gabin’s low-key performance and everyman persona make him the biggest star of classical French cinema? If Catherine Deneuve became famous for her great beauty, why is she still a huge star even at 70? How did Gérard Depardieu go from being an inarticulate thug to one of the most recognisable French faces in the world? How has Daniel Auteuil built a successful acting career on the basis of such seemingly ordinary and inexpressive characters? How far can Isabelle Huppert’s edgy and unconventional roles be seen to have shaped the view of French cinema around the world?