Luc Besson, whose full name is Luc Paul Maurice Besson, was born on March 18, 1959, in Paris, France. He is a French film director, screenwriter, and producer known for Subway (1985), The Big Blue (1988), Nikita (1990), Léon: The Professional (1994), The Fifth Element (1997), and Lucy (2014). His films frequently combine action, science fiction, distinctive visual compositions, and fast-paced editing. He founded EuropaCorp in 1999 and developed film franchises including Taxi, The Transporter, and Taken. He won the César Award for Best Director for The Fifth Element.

Early Life and Education

Luc Besson was born on March 18, 1959, in Paris. His parents worked as scuba-diving instructors, and he spent parts of his childhood traveling with them through the Mediterranean region, including Greece and the former Yugoslavia.

He developed an interest in marine life at an early age. As a child, he swam with dolphins and learned about diving from his parents. For several years, he considered becoming a marine biologist, particularly because of his interest in dolphins and other marine mammals.

At seventeen, Besson suffered a diving accident that prevented him from continuing the underwater activities he had planned to pursue professionally. He subsequently returned to Paris to complete his education.

During his adolescence, he began writing stories that would later influence his films. Ideas developed in this period contributed to The Big Blue and The Fifth Element.

He became increasingly interested in cinema, watched films extensively, and experimented with Super 8 filmmaking.

First Steps in Cinema

At approximately nineteen, Luc Besson traveled to Hollywood, where he observed American filmmaking and worked in the film industry. He subsequently returned to France and gained experience as an assistant director.

Following military service, he continued working on film productions and advertisements. He also made short experimental films and became interested in the relationship between music, editing, and visual storytelling.

His early production activities included establishing Les Films du Loup, later renamed Les Films du Dauphin.

In 1981, he directed the short film L'Avant-dernier, which anticipated elements of his first feature film.

The Last Battle

In 1983, Luc Besson directed his first feature film, Le Dernier Combat (The Last Battle), a post-apocalyptic science fiction drama.

The film was shot in black and white and contained almost no spoken dialogue. Its story follows survivors attempting to live in a devastated world.

The cast included Pierre Jolivet, Jean Bouise, and Jean Reno. The film received awards at international fantasy and science fiction film festivals, including the Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival.

Its visual storytelling and limited dialogue established several stylistic elements that appeared in Besson's later work.

Subway and The Big Blue

In 1985, Luc Besson directed Subway, a crime comedy-drama set largely in the Paris Métro. The film starred Christopher Lambert, Isabelle Adjani, Jean Reno, and Jean-Hugues Anglade.

The story follows a man who hides in the underground railway system after stealing documents from a wealthy businessman. Its characters, music, and stylized cinematography differed from conventional French crime dramas of the period.

In 1988, Besson directed The Big Blue (Le Grand Bleu), a film inspired by the lives and rivalry of free divers Jacques Mayol and Enzo Maiorca.

Jean-Marc Barr portrayed Jacques Mayol, while Jean Reno played Enzo Molinari, a character inspired by Maiorca. Rosanna Arquette played Johana Baker.

The film explores a diver's attachment to the sea and his difficulty balancing that passion with his relationship with a woman.

For Besson, who had grown up around diving and marine life, The Big Blue drew on personal experiences and interests developed during childhood. The film achieved substantial commercial success in France and other European countries.

Nikita and Its Adaptations

In 1990, Luc Besson wrote and directed Nikita (La Femme Nikita), starring Anne Parillaud as a young woman recruited and trained by a secret government organization to become an assassin.

The film also featured Jean-Hugues Anglade, Tchéky Karyo, and Jean Reno. It combined action sequences with a story about identity, coercion, and the character's attempt to establish a personal life.

Nikita was remade in the United States as Point of No Return (1993), directed by John Badham and starring Bridget Fonda. Besson's original film supplied the story, but he did not direct the American remake.

The concept also inspired television adaptations, including La Femme Nikita (1997–2001), starring Peta Wilson, and Nikita (2010–2013), starring Maggie Q, Lyndsy Fonseca, Shane West, and Melinda Clarke. The 2010 series was developed by Craig Silverstein, not directed by Besson.

Léon: The Professional

In 1994, Luc Besson wrote and directed Léon: The Professional, starring Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, and Natalie Portman.

The film tells the story of Léon, a professional assassin living in New York City, who becomes the protector of Mathilda, a twelve-year-old girl whose family has been murdered by corrupt police officers.

Jean Reno portrayed Léon, Gary Oldman played Norman Stansfield, and Natalie Portman made her feature-film debut as Mathilda.

The relationship between the two principal characters, together with the film's violence and portrayal of a child in dangerous circumstances, generated discussion among audiences and critics.

The film received seven César Award nominations, including Best Film and Best Director.

The Fifth Element

In 1997, Luc Besson directed The Fifth Element, a science fiction adventure starring Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman, Ian Holm, and Chris Tucker.

The story is set in a futuristic world where a former military officer and a mysterious woman become involved in a mission to prevent the destruction of Earth.

Besson had developed early ideas for the project during his teenage years. The production involved elaborate futuristic settings, visual effects, and costumes designed by Jean Paul Gaultier.

The film was made with a substantial budget for a European production and was released internationally in 1997.

Besson won the César Award for Best Director in 1998 for The Fifth Element. The film also received César nominations for Best Film and other categories.

The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc

In 1999, Luc Besson directed The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, a historical drama based on the life of Joan of Arc.

Milla Jovovich portrayed Joan, while John Malkovich, Faye Dunaway, Dustin Hoffman, and Vincent Cassel appeared in supporting roles.

The film depicts Joan's participation in the Hundred Years' War and her subsequent trial. It combines historical events with interpretations of Joan's religious experiences.

The production received mixed reviews, particularly regarding its historical interpretation and portrayal of the central character.

EuropaCorp and Film Production

In 1999, Luc Besson established EuropaCorp with film producer Pierre-Ange Le Pogam. The company developed, produced, and distributed French and international films.

Besson used the company to finance projects intended for both European and international audiences. His activities included writing, producing, and supervising films directed by other filmmakers.

EuropaCorp became associated with action franchises including Taxi, The Transporter, and Taken.

Besson wrote or co-wrote the original Taxi (1998), directed by Gérard Pirès, and later films in the franchise.

He co-wrote The Transporter (2002), starring Jason Statham, and participated in the development of its sequels.

In 2008, he co-wrote and produced Taken, starring Liam Neeson. The film follows a former intelligence officer attempting to rescue his kidnapped daughter. Besson also worked on Taken 2 (2012) and Taken 3 (2014).

Other production credits include Kiss of the Dragon (2001), starring Jet Li and Bridget Fonda, Unleashed (2005), and Colombiana (2011), starring Zoe Saldana.

He also produced films outside the action genre, including Gary Oldman's Nil by Mouth (1997) and The Homesman (2014), directed by Tommy Lee Jones.

Arthur and the Minimoys

In 2006, Luc Besson directed Arthur and the Invisibles (Arthur et les Minimoys), a fantasy film combining live-action footage with computer-generated animation.

The film follows a young boy who enters a miniature world inhabited by creatures called Minimoys. The English-language voice cast included Freddie Highmore, Mia Farrow, and Madonna.

The story originated in Besson's children's fantasy books, which he adapted for the screen.

He directed two sequels: Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard (2009) and Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds (2010).

Later Directing Career

In 2005, Luc Besson directed the black-and-white romantic fantasy Angel-A, starring Jamel Debbouze and Rie Rasmussen.

In 2010, he directed The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec, an adventure film based on comics by Jacques Tardi. Louise Bourgoin portrayed the title character.

In 2011, he directed The Lady, a biographical drama about Myanmar political leader Aung San Suu Kyi, portrayed by Michelle Yeoh.

He returned to crime comedy with The Family (Malavita, 2013), starring Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Tommy Lee Jones.

Lucy and Valerian

In 2014, Luc Besson wrote and directed Lucy, a science fiction action film starring Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Choi Min-sik, and Amr Waked.

Johansson portrayed a woman who develops extraordinary abilities after an experimental synthetic drug enters her body.

The film uses the fictional premise that humans normally use only a small percentage of their brains, a concept not supported by neuroscience.

Lucy grossed more than $460 million worldwide against a production budget of approximately $40 million.

In 2017, Besson directed Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, based on the French science fiction comic series Valérian and Laureline by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières.

The film starred Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Rihanna, and Ethan Hawke. With a reported production budget of approximately $180 million, it was among the most expensive European film productions of its period.

Anna, DogMan and Later Films

In 2019, Luc Besson directed Anna, an action thriller starring Sasha Luss, Helen Mirren, Luke Evans, and Cillian Murphy.

In 2023, he directed DogMan, starring Caleb Landry Jones as a man whose relationship with dogs becomes central to his life. The film premiered in competition at the Venice International Film Festival.

In 2025, Besson released June and John, a romantic drama starring Luke Stanton Eddy and Matilda Price.

That year, he also directed Dracula: A Love Tale, a reinterpretation of Bram Stoker's novel Dracula. The film starred Caleb Landry Jones, Christoph Waltz, and Zoë Bleu Sidel. It was released in France in 2025 and in Turkey in 2026.

Public Allegations and Legal Proceedings

In May 2018, Belgian-Dutch actress Sand Van Roy accused Luc Besson of rape. Besson denied the allegation and maintained that their relationship had been consensual.

The French investigation was closed without charges, and the decision not to prosecute was upheld in June 2023. In June 2026, a Paris appeals court refused to reopen the investigation following a request based on new forensic material.

Van Roy challenged the refusal and requested further legal review. Besson has continued to deny the accusations.

Marriage and Personal Life

Luc Besson married French actress Anne Parillaud in 1986. Their daughter, Juliette Besson, was born in 1987. The marriage ended in divorce in 1991.

His second wife was actress and director Maïwenn Le Besco, professionally known as Maïwenn. They married in 1992 and had a daughter, Shanna Besson, born on January 3, 1993. They divorced in 1997.

On December 14, 1997, Besson married actress Milla Jovovich, who starred in The Fifth Element and The Messenger. Their marriage ended in 1999, with the divorce finalized in 2000.

On August 28, 2004, he married film producer Virginie Besson-Silla. They have three children: Thalia Besson, Sateen Besson, and Mao Besson.

Awards and Recognition

1983 - Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival - Special Jury Prize, Le Dernier Combat (Winner)
1986 - César Awards - Best Director, Subway (Nomination)
1989 - César Awards - Best Director, The Big Blue (Nomination)
1991 - César Awards - Best Director, Nikita (Nomination)
1995 - César Awards - Best Director, Léon: The Professional (Nomination)
1998 - César Awards - Best Director, The Fifth Element (Winner)
2000 - Cannes Film Festival - Jury President
2017 - The Hollywood Reporter - International Producer of the Year

Films and Television Series

Director

2025 - Dracula: A Love Tale (Feature Film)
2025 - June and John (Feature Film)
2023 - DogMan (Feature Film)
2019 - Anna (Feature Film)
2017 - Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (Feature Film)
2014 - Lucy (Feature Film)
2013 - The Family / Malavita (Feature Film)
2011 - The Lady (Feature Film)
2010 - Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds (Feature Film)
2010 - The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec (Feature Film)
2009 - Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard (Feature Film)
2006 - Arthur and the Invisibles (Feature Film)
2005 - Angel-A (Feature Film)
1999 - The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (Feature Film)
1997 - The Fifth Element (Feature Film)
1994 - Léon: The Professional (Feature Film)
1991 - Atlantis (Documentary Film)
1990 - Nikita (Feature Film)
1988 - The Big Blue (Feature Film)
1985 - Subway (Feature Film)
1983 - Le Dernier Combat / The Last Battle (Feature Film)
1981 - L'Avant-dernier (Short Film)

Screenwriter

2026 - Father Joe (Film Project)
2025 - Dracula: A Love Tale (Feature Film)
2025 - June and John (Feature Film)
2024 - Weekend in Taipei (Feature Film)
2023 - DogMan (Feature Film)
2022 - Arthur, malédiction (Feature Film)
2019 - Anna (Feature Film)
2018 - Renegades (Feature Film)
2017 - Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (Feature Film)
2016 - The Warriors Gate (Feature Film)
2015 - The Transporter Refueled (Feature Film)
2014 - Taken 3 (Feature Film)
2014 - Brick Mansions (Feature Film)
2014 - 3 Days to Kill (Feature Film)
2014 - Lucy (Feature Film)
2013 - The Family (Feature Film)
2012 - Lockout (Feature Film)
2012 - A Blind Man / À l'aveugle (Original Story)
2012 - Taken 2 (Feature Film)
2011 - Colombiana (Feature Film)
2010 - From Paris with Love (Feature Film)
2010 - Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds (Feature Film)
2010 - The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec (Feature Film)
2009 - District 13: Ultimatum (Feature Film)
2009 - Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard (Feature Film)
2008 - Transporter 3 (Feature Film)
2008 - Taken (Feature Film)
2007 - Taxi 4 (Feature Film)
2006 - Bandidas (Feature Film)
2006 - Arthur and the Invisibles (Feature Film)
2005 - Transporter 2 (Feature Film)
2005 - Revolver (Adaptation)
2005 - Unleashed / Danny the Dog (Feature Film)
2005 - Angel-A (Feature Film)
2004 - Taxi (US Remake, Based on Original Film)
2004 - Crimson Rivers II: Angels of the Apocalypse (Feature Film)
2004 - District B13 (Feature Film)
2003 - Love and Other Disasters (Development Credit)
2003 - Taxi 3 (Feature Film)
2002 - The Transporter (Feature Film)
2001 - Yamakasi (Story)
2001 - Wasabi (Feature Film)
2001 - Kiss of the Dragon (Feature Film)
2000 - Taxi 2 (Feature Film)
1999 - The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (Feature Film)
1998 - Taxi (Feature Film)
1997 - The Fifth Element (Feature Film)
1994 - Léon: The Professional (Feature Film)
1993 - Point of No Return (Original Story)
1990 - Nikita (Feature Film)
1988 - The Big Blue (Feature Film)
1985 - Subway (Feature Film)
1983 - Le Dernier Combat (Feature Film)

Producer

2025 - Dracula: A Love Tale (Feature Film)
2025 - June and John (Feature Film)
2025 - Hell in Paradise (Feature Film)
2024 - Weekend in Taipei (Feature Film)
2019 - Anna (Feature Film)
2018 - Kursk (Executive Producer)
2018 - Taxi 5 (Feature Film)
2017 - Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (Feature Film)
2017 - Renegades (Feature Film)
2016 - The Warriors Gate (Feature Film)
2015 - The Transporter Refueled (Feature Film)
2014 - Taken 3 (Feature Film)
2014 - Brick Mansions (Feature Film)
2014 - The Homesman (Feature Film)
2014 - 3 Days to Kill (Feature Film)
2014 - Lucy (Feature Film)
2013 - The Family (Feature Film)
2013 - Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart (Feature Film)
2013 - Intersection (Feature Film)
2012 - A Blind Man (Feature Film)
2012 - Taken 2 (Feature Film)
2011 - The Source (Feature Film)
2011 - Colombiana (Feature Film)
2011 - The Lady (Feature Film)
2010 - From Paris with Love (Feature Film)
2010 - The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec (Feature Film)
2010 - Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds (Feature Film)
2009 - District 13: Ultimatum (Feature Film)
2009 - Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard (Feature Film)
2008 - Taken (Feature Film)
2008 - Transporter 3 (Feature Film)
2007 - Taxi 4 (Feature Film)
2006 - Bandidas (Feature Film)
2006 - Arthur and the Invisibles (Feature Film)
2006 - Avril (Feature Film)
2005 - Transporter 2 (Feature Film)
2005 - Unleashed (Feature Film)
2005 - Angel-A (Feature Film)
2004 - District B13 (Feature Film)
2004 - Crimson Rivers II: Angels of the Apocalypse (Feature Film)
2003 - Laughter and Punishment (Feature Film)
2002 - Chaos and Desire (Feature Film)
2001 - Yamakasi (Feature Film)
2001 - Wasabi (Feature Film)
2001 - Kiss of the Dragon (Feature Film)
2000 - Taxi 2 (Feature Film)
1999 - The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (Feature Film)
1998 - Taxi (Feature Film)
1997 - Nil by Mouth (Feature Film)
1994 - Léon: The Professional (Feature Film)
1991 - Lune froide (Feature Film)
1988 - The Big Blue (Feature Film)

Acting and Television Appearances

2005 - L'Hebdo Cinéma (Himself) (TV Programme)
2004 - Le Grand Journal (Himself) (TV Programme)
2000 - Taxi 2 (Boat Owner, Uncredited) (Feature Film)
1988 - The Big Blue (Blond Diver, Uncredited) (Feature Film)
1985 - Subway (Metro Driver, Uncredited) (Feature Film)

Source: Biyografiler.com