Wissenswertes

Was good friends with Simone Signoret, Yves Montand, Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. They all supported the communist movement, but Piccoli disapproved of the totalitarian regimes in former Eastern Europe.

Was the favorite co-star of his best friend, actress Romy Schneider.

Very good friends with late Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni and French actress Catherine Deneuve.

Supported young directors by producing their movies.

Despite an extraordinary career with more than 200 projects in 60 years of activity, Piccoli never won a César award (the French equivalent for the Oscars) and only received four nominations as Best Actor.

His great-grandfather, Victor Constantin Piccoli, was of Swiss-Italian descent, from Quinto, Leventina, Canton Ticino, Switzerland. His other ancestry was French, with some German.

In 2012, won the Italian movie prize the 'David di Donatello' for his role in the movie 'Habemus Papam'.

The son of Marcelle Zoë (Expert-Bezançon), a pianist, and Henri Piccoli (born Constantin Charles-Henri Piccoli), a violinist. His mother was the youngest of twelve children of French industrialist and senator Charles Frédéric Expert-Bezançon, and the only artist among the twelve siblings.

Supported Lionel Jospin's 2002 presidential campaign.

Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007.

Has one daughter, Cordelia Piccoli, with Eléonore Hirt.

Shares his birthday with another esteemed French actor, Gerard Depardieu.