Gaspard Ulliel to Play Yves Saint Laurent

Photo by Rex

He donned the samurai mask as young Dr. Lecter in Hannibal Rising and graced the ad campaign for Chanel's men's fragrance, Bleu de Chanel. Now the French actor Gaspard Ulliel is stepping into the shoes of fashion pioneer Yves Saint Laurent in an upcoming biopic, reports ScreenDaily.com.

Announced at this year's Cannes International Film Festival, the film remains sans title and release date, but will go into production next spring. "A huge audition was organized after Cannes and Gaspard Ulliel won the part," said Nicolas Brigaud-Robert of Paris-based Films Distribution, which is handling international sales.

The French-language film will be directed by Bertrand Bonello and follow Saint Laurent's career from the origins of his eponymous fashion house in the early 1960's to the unveiling of his influential Russian collection in 1976.

Meanwhile, another YSL biopic is in the works directed by Jalil Lespert and revolving around Saint Laurent's 50-year relationship with Pierre Berge. Lespert's film is also in its early stages; no word on who will play the designer and his partner, but we wouldn't say no to Ulliel playing double-duty and doing both. You know, for consistency's sake.

But if you want a taste of what it was like between the couple (or at least their taste in collecting art and antiques), check out the 2010 documentaryL'amour Fou. Then you'll have a better sense of why everyone wants a piece of this remarkable love story.