Michael Vartan (born November 27, 1968) is a French-American http://alias.hypnoweb.net/texte1-s-11-p-141.html film and television actor.

Michael Vartan was born on 27th November 1968 in France, the only child of a Bulgarian father and a Polish mother who got divorced when he was only five. He spent his childhood shuttling between France (where his father, a musician lived) and the U.S (where his mother lived). At the age of eighteen, after deciding against joining the French military service (mandatory for all males above 18 in France) Michael shifted to the States. He hadn't really thought about becoming an actor. He enrolled in an acting school after being told by many people that he had the potential for it. He made his acting debut in the French film Un homme et deux femmes (1991) and followed that with another French film called Promenades d'été (1992). It was with the Italian film Fiorile (1993), in which he played (rather ironically), a French soldier that he made his international debut. He considers Pallbearer, The (1996), in which he starred with David Schwimmer (I) and Gwyneth Paltrow to be his first big American movie. He gave an impressive performance in Myth of Fingerprints, The (1997) as Jake, who, during a Thanksgiving family reunion tries to gain some perspective into the nature of love and family relationships. Michael's true mettle as an actor was seen when he played a character that he has described as being most unlike him. The role was that of the English Lit teacher-cum-Prince Charming Sam Coulson in the 1999 hit Never Been Kissed (1999) and it catapulted Michael to never experienced popularity and adulation. He followed his much talked about NBK performance with similar good ones in Next Best Thing, The (2000) and _It Had to Be You (2000/I)_ . Meanwhile, he joined stellar company by being one among the biggest names in Hollywood to feature on shows like "Ally McBeal" (1997) and "Friends" (1994). He also played the role of the legendary Lancelot in the serialized version of Marion Zimmer Bradley's novel _"Mists of Avalon, The" (2001) (mini)_ . In 2001, he became a regular feature on TV playing CIA agent Michael Vaughn in the series "Alias" (2001). Still playing the character, he has described it as being more close to home than his previous roles. Hockey is a passion with Michael. He also enjoys other sports, as much for the joy of playing them as for the therapeutic value he derives from them! He continues rendering impressive performances in films, his latest being One Hour Photo (2002).

Michael Vartan came to international acclaim with his starring role as 'Agent Michael Vaughn' for five seasons on the worldwide hit ABC series, "Alias." This fall, Vartan stars in the new ABC/Warner Bros. Television series, "Big Shots." He plays 'James Walker,' the moral center of the drama, which revolves around four high-powered CEO's who socialize at the same exclusive golf club. For the big screen, Vartan has wrapped production on a starring role in his first action/thriller, "Rogue," for the Weinstein Company. He plays a cynical American travel writer who embarks on a river cruise in the Australian outback, where the group finds themselves stranded in a treacherous lagoon. The role offered a departure from his recent romantic male leads in such romantic comedies as the Summer '05 blockbuster "Monster-in-Law" and FOX 2000's "Never Been Kissed." "Rogue" is written and directed by Aussie Greg McLean (whose debut film "Wolf Creek" has received rave reviews). With a reported $25 million budget, it is one of the most expensive, locally produced movies made in Australia. Also in the can is a lead role in the independent feature "Jolene: My Life," for director Dan Ireland ("The Whole Wide World"). Based on a story from critically acclaimed author, E.L. Doctorow ("Ragtime," "Billy Bathgate"), the film revolves around a woman who at the age of 15, escapes an oppressive foster care system only to jump into three disastrous marriages, each of which forces her to rely on her survival instincts and determination to make something of her life. Vartan plays 'Brad Benton,' the only son and heir to an oil drilling fortune who uses his charms to pursue an uninterested 'Jolene.' Most recently, Vartan starred opposite Jane Fonda and Jennifer Lopez in New Line Cinema's summer blockbuster, "Monster-In-Law." He portrayed 'Kevin,' a man whose overprotective mother (Fonda) tries to derail his engagement to his fiancée (Jennifer Lopez). He also previously starred opposite Robin Williams in the psychological thriller, "One Hour Photo." He played 'Will Yorkin,' a husband and father whose family becomes the obsession of William's character, an employee at the local One Hour Photo. Vartan appeared in the two-part TNT mini-series "The Mists of Avalon," a retelling of the legendary story of Camelot which was shot on location in Prague. He portrayed 'Sir Lancelot,' opposite Angelica Huston, Julianna Margulies and Joan Allen. Born in Paris to a French father and an American mother, Vartan grew up in the tiny Normandy village of Fleury until the age of 16 when he moved to Los Angeles to live with his mother, who encouraged him to take acting classes. After starring in two small French films, Vartan grabbed the attention of the film world with his breakthrough performance in the 1993 Italian epic, "Fiorile," directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani. Vartan, who was nominated for a French Caesar Award for Best Up-and-Coming Actor, played two characters in this fable of a curse that haunts a family through centuries. Of his performance, New York Post movie critic Mike Medved heralded the actor, saying, "[Vartan] is so hugely effective that it's hard to understand how he could have (so far) avoided discovery by Hollywood." Soon after, Vartan signed with an agent and landed a role in "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar," playing the bigoted small-town thug who harasses three drag queens (Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze and John Leguizamo). He went on to star opposite David Schwimmer as one of his best friends in "The Pallbearer," a comedy of escapades surrounding three old high school pals coping with bachelorhood, marriage and a case of mistaken identity. He also starred in Sony Pictures Classics' "The Myth of Fingerprints" with Julianne Moore. In his limited free time, Vartan feeds his obsession with sports, particularly ice hockey. "If it weren't for acting, I'd give anything to play a professional sport," he says, still holding onto his life-long dream.