The Biography

Jean‑Yves Dubois (1958–2003) was a French film and theatre actor, born on 27 February 1958 in Chartres. After spending his childhood in West Africa, he began studying medicine before turning to theatre. He then entered the Conservatoire National d’Art Dramatique in Paris, where he studied under Pierre Debauche, Jean‑Paul Roussillon and Antoine Vitez, who cast him in several of his productions in the early 1980s. In 1984, he joined the Comédie‑Française, becoming its 482nd sociétaire in 1990, a status he retained until his death. On stage, he performed both classical works (Molière, Shakespeare, Corneille, Chekhov, Claudel…) and contemporary plays, and was admired for his sensitivity and strong stage presence. In cinema, he appeared notably in Ballade à blanc (1983), Vive la sociale ! (1983), La Servante aimante (1996), and Port Djema (1997). Jean‑Yves Dubois died prematurely on 16 January 2003 in Paris, at the age of 44. He is buried in the cemetery of Villerville.