Émilien Néron

An extremely gifted young actor, Émilien Néron wowed critics around the world with his precocious talent. Born Dec. 28, 1998 in Longueuil, Québec, Canada, Émilien Néron broke into acting with roles in commercials and a string of theatrical productions. After small roles in "Les Parent" (Radio-Canada, 2008) and "Un tueur si proche" (Canal D, 2004-2011), Néron proved just how talented he was with an amazingly rich turn as Simon, a member of an elementary school class reeling from the emotional damage inflicted when their beloved teacher kills herself, leaving replacement educator "Monsieur Lazhar" (2011) to step in and attempt to help them heal. Showered with critical praise and nominated for a Best Foreign Film Oscar, "Monsieur Lazhar" showcased the efforts of the titular teacher (Mohamed Fellag), an Algerian immigrant to Montréal brave enough to overcome his own demons so that he can help his students comprehend and survive this tragedy. Expertly blending the pain and anger of a child traumatized by mysterious forces bigger than himself with the frustration of an older-than-his-years soul, Néron won a well-deserved Best Supporting Actor Jutra Award for his work.