Luc Picard

A talented actor-writer-director, Luc Picard achieved a reputation as a national treasure both on- and off-screen. Born Sept. 24, 1961 in Lachine, Québec, Canada, Luc Picard studied at the Conservatoire d'art dramatique de Montréal, where he launched a celebrated theatrical career. Recognized as a major rising talent, Picard quickly leaped from stage to screen with strong performances in such acclaimed films as "Cap Tourmente" (1993) and "Octobre" (1994). His star-making role came on the police drama "Omerta" (Radio-Canada, 1996-99), where his powerful performance as a double agent drawn into the ongoing battle between the Mafia and the police, earned him a richly deserved Best Actor Gémeaux. He played the cruel husband of the fragile alcoholic Paulette (Élise Guilbault) in the internationally acclaimed "La femme qui boit" ("The Woman Who Drinks") (2001), won a Best Actor Jutra for the historical drama "15 février 1839" (2001) and earned a Best Actor Genie for his terrifying turn as a charismatic but deranged commune leader in "Savage Messiah" (2002). Besides his acting success, Picard also branched out into writing and directing, and he did triple duty - earning Genie nominations for each aspect - on the moving "L'audition" (2005), playing a hotheaded blue-collar worker whose attempt to land an acting role resonates with his real life in unexpectedly dramatic ways. Noted for his social and political advocacy, Picard also directed and appeared in the hit "Babine" (2008) and landed the starring role in the miniseries, "Malenfant" (Series+, 2011).