Christopher Lambert

Christophe Guy Denis Lambert, who goes by Christopher Lambert professionally, was born on March 29, 1957, in Great Neck, New York. His father, a French diplomat at the United Nations, was Jewish, and his mother was Yolande Agnès Henriette. The family moved to Switzerland when Lambert was two, and he grew up in Geneva, attending the International School of Geneva and the Institut Florimont. In his teens, they relocated to Paris, France. He first acted in a school play at age twelve.

Lambert began his career with supporting roles in French films. He gained international fame by playing Tarzan in *Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes* (1984). Director Hugh Hudson and Warner Brothers wanted an unknown for the part, and Lambert beat out Viggo Mortensen partly because his myopia made him appear to be looking into the distance when he removed his glasses. That same year, he starred opposite Catherine Deneuve in *Love Songs*. For his lead role in Luc Besson's *Subway* (1985), he won the César Award for Best Actor.

His most iconic role came in 1986 as Connor MacLeod in *Highlander*, an immortal warrior who could only be killed by decapitation. Lambert was cast after Kurt Russell dropped out and director Russell Mulcahy saw his photo in a magazine. Despite barely speaking English, he worked with a dialect coach for weeks before filming. The film became a cult hit and international success, with Queen composing the soundtrack; Lambert also appeared in the music video for their song "Princes of the Universe." He later played Salvatore Giuliano in *The Sicilian* (1987) and a character based on Jerzy Popiełuszko in *To Kill a Priest* (1988).

In 1991, Lambert reunited with Mulcahy and Sean Connery for *Highlander II: The Quickening*, shot in Argentina to cut costs. Much of the script wasn't filmed, and the result was a patchwork; Lambert reportedly threatened to leave the project but stayed due to his contract. In 1992, he appeared in the first episode of *Highlander: The Series* (passing the lead to Adrian Paul) and the French crime thriller *Max et Jérémie*. The next year, he starred in and executive produced *Knight Moves*, playing a chess grandmaster suspected of murder, and also led the sci-fi film *Fortress*, set in a dystopian future with a one-child policy.

In 1994, Lambert co-starred with Mario Van Peebles in *Gunmen*, and Van Peebles played the villain in *Highlander III: The Sorcerer*. Lambert also starred in *Roadflower* and produced Patrick Braoudé's *Neuf mois*, which earned two César nominations. In 1995, he played the thunder god Raiden in Paul W. S. Anderson's *Mortal Kombat*, a role he later reprised in a skin pack for the 2020 game *Mortal Kombat 11*. That year, he also starred in *The Hunted*, produced *Don't Forget You're Going to Die* (which won several awards and was nominated for the Palme d'Or), and served as executive producer on Chris Columbus's *Nine Months*, an English remake of *Neuf mois*.

In 1996, Lambert executive produced and starred in the western *North Star* with James Caan, and produced the football drama *When Saturday Comes*. The following year, he starred in Gabriele Salvatores' cyberpunk film *Nirvana*.