Olivier Martinez studied acting at France’s Conservatoire National Superieur d’Art Dramatique. He made his motion picture debut in Jean Jacques Beineix’ IP5 (1992) co-starring Yves Montand. In 1994, he received the Cesar Award for Most Promising Young Actor for his work in Bertrand Blier’s drama 1, 2, 3 Sun starring Marcello Mastroianni.

Martinez first gained international attention for his performance as a dashing 19th century Italian cavalry officer who falls in love with a married woman (Juliette Binoche) in Jean-Paul Rappeneau’s Horseman on the Roof.

Martinez most recently starred as Diane Lane’s lover in Adrian Lyne’s Unfaithful with Richard Gere. He also starred in Robert Allan Ackerman’s retelling of “The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone" for Showtime. In a role originally created by Warren Beatty, Martinez stars opposite Anne Bancroft and Helen Mirren as the Italian gigolo ‘Paolo.’