Jean Marais

Jean Marais (1913–1998, France) was a French actor, writer, and director renowned for his collaborations with Jean Cocteau. He gained international fame for his roles in Cocteau’s films, including the Beast in Beauty and the Beast (1946) and the lead in Orpheus (1950), which showcased his versatility in fantasy and dramatic genres. Marais starred in over 70 films and numerous stage productions throughout his five-decade career, becoming a symbol of French cinema’s post-war elegance and earning the Légion d’honneur in 1985.