At age 45, Lhermitte, who has appeared in more than 30 films since 1978, is indeed famous in his home country. Performances which have given him near-icon status include his turns in Les Bronzes, Le Pere Noel est une Ordure and Un Indien dans la Ville, which he also produced. But despite a smoothness and stature reminiscent of Cary Grant (he's tall – rare for a Frenchman) and a face that sets hearts a-flutter, with piercing, come-hither blue eyes, he has never fared very well in dramatic roles. Mostly known as a comedic actor, Lhermitte has admitted slight disappointment that his dramatic roles haven't been great successes. 

Fair enough, but take France's best- known export of the past 20 years, Gerard Depardieu, and think of Lhermitte as the antithesis. In a telephone interview, Lhermitte allows that "it's sad that there hasn't been more of a reverberation internationally" for his work, but, he says, "I want to be in good films, not prejudiced by the nationality. I make my decisions based on the film and the director." Still, it's incredible that no American producers have seen fit to latch on to Lhermitte, who could very easily slip into the role of the suave but sinister Frenchman with enough charm and mystery to act as foil to any hero while stealing his girl in the meantime.

Despite Lhermitte's reticence to pursue an international (read American) career, he has had roles in various English-language pics, including Until September and a recent cameo in An American Werewolf in Paris. He also had a small role in Disney's Jungle2Jungle, a remake of his hit Un Indien dans la Ville, and was an associate producer on the pic. Now, through his niftily titled production company Ice3 (that's ice cube, by the way), Lhermitte has been staying behind the camera with producing partner Louis Becker. He is in post-production on Charity Bizness and preparing two films for Ice3, which he will produce but not star in. 

Still, success under the kleig lights continues, and like a fine wine, Lhermitte is improving with age. His most recent starring turn – in Le Diner de Cons (The Dinner Game), as a man with a mean edge who runs a game in which the object is to invite the biggest idiot you can find over for dinner – is putting him in the public eye once again. 

The film, sure to be one of the biggest French hits of 1998, knocked Titanic from the top box office spot in its first week out. Steven Spielberg has expressed interest in doing the American version of the pic, and though Lhermitte says, "I have no chance of doing the role in the American version," it would be nice to prove him wrong. 
Are you listening, Mr Spielberg?
Nancy Tartaglione