Blue-eyed Vincent Cassel was born in Paris to a leading actor father, Jean-Pierre Cassel, and a journalist mother, Sabine Litique. Often labeled as a tough guy because of his roles, eclectic choices and talent have made of him a star of European cinema. First in La Haine (1995), the young actor, actually coming from upper classes, succeeded to express the despair of a social class living in the suburbs of towns. This veracity in his play comes from the fact that he was in fact since years in connection with many hip-hop artists from the rising generation, (his own brother was leader of a legendary french rap group). Then the success of The crimson rivers, where he plays a young French cop alongside Jean Reno, made of him "the man to count on." He never hid his taste for rap music, break dance, Capoeira, Brasil and his endless energy, but Vincent is also a family man, married to Monica Bellucci, his Italian co-star from The Apartment (1996) (aka The Apartment); and recently a father.

Trivia

French citizen. His father is actor Jean-Pierre Cassel and his mother is a journalist, Sabine Cassel (aka Sabine Litique). They divorced in 1980.
Did the voice of Diego in the French version of Ice Age (2002).
He usually does the voice-over for actor Hugh Grant in French versions.
His collaboration with writer/director/actor Mathieu Kassovitz in a handful of films turned him into a popular and versatile French "tough guy" star.
Once enrolled in circus school at the age of 17 before starting up in TV and films.
Older half-brother of Cécile Cassel. Vincent also had a sister named Olivia.
His brother, Rockin' Squat (aka Mathias Cassel), is a founding member of the rap group "Assassin". Vincent's name is mentioned (as "Vinz") in their song "Libre".
He decided to become an actor at fifteen years of age.
Daughter, Deva, born 12 September 2004 in Rome, Italy.
The films that he prefers from his own career are, "La Haine (1995)" and "Renegade (2004)".
When he saw the short film Fierrot le pou (1990) by Mathieu Kassovitz, he thought it perfectly represented the energy of their generation.
Is good at Brazilian martial art, "Capoeira". He demonstrates this in the Lazer Field scene in Ocean's Twelve (2004).
When he was a little boy, he had a dog called Ici (French for "Here").
Met Maria Callas at his father's home when he was a child.
For professional reasons, Vincent lives mostly in Paris while his Italian-born wife, Monica Bellucci, lives mostly in London. Despite this, they have appeared in the following films together: Sheitan (2006), Secret Agents (2004), Irreversible (2002), Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001), Méditerranées (1999), Pleasure (And Its Little Inconveniences) (1998), Compromis (1998), Dobermann (1997), As You Want Me (1997) and The Apartment (1996).

The day after I had my licence to drive I made Paris/Nice at 230 km/hour.
I think I'm actually more vulnerable than people imagine.
[on Irreversible (2002)] Yeah, I think that there is something saying, I say the line, that revenge is a human right. I don't think that it's a human right, but it's a normal reaction.
[on press interest in his marriage with Monica Bellucci] Oh, well you know, all European media is not the same. I'm sure that like in England, they can be much more bothering than in France, for example. In Paris, it's okay. We have very separate lives when we're working, working wise. I think that it's fine.
I'm a little angry in life.
[asked what he would do if the world was to end in five minutes] Until today I would have said, "Get into a plane and jump out with a parachute". Now that I've done it, I would say, "make love for the last time hoping that it is my wife who is at my side."
[on his wife, Monica Bellucci] Her best asset of actress - and woman too! - is not her beauty, but her intelligence. Her intelligence of people and of things. She is very perspicacious, very attentive with the others and has a great faculty to put them at ease. To work with her, I would say, to put besides any concept of couple, that it is as when I find Mathieu [Mathieu Kassovitz]: together, one goes more directly to essence. Plus, she is an incredible hard worker. She has a curiosity of cinema which is rare. She is moved by the directors, she is very listening . . . In general, I recognize it, I am interested more in the actors than in the actresses - is already well to recognize it! But her, she has something that few actresses have. A manner of exceeding reality, of making dream. I like to look at her playing...
My father is best known for his light comedies, and I'm best known for crazy bad guys with short tempers.
I love playing baddies.
[on playing villainous characters, notably Jacques Mesrine] People pretend to be nice, people pretend to be smooth, and polite and everything, but this is only an appearance because the way we're built as human beings is only in paradox and contradictions. So I guess, you know, when I read so-called baddies, I think they're more human than heroes most of the time.