Marion Cotillard and Guillaume Canet End Long-Term Relationship After Nearly Two Decades Together

Oscar-winning actress Marion Cotillard and acclaimed French actor-director Guillaume Canet have officially ended their 18-year relationship, bringing to a close one of France’s most iconic cinematic love stories.

The split, confirmed Friday by a representative speaking to Agence France-Presse, was described as “by mutual agreement.” While the pair never married, they share two children—son Marcel, born in 2011, and daughter Louise, born in 2017.

Cotillard, 49, and Canet, 52, first became romantically involved in 2007, though their professional connection dates back even further. The duo starred together in the 2003 romantic drama Love Me If You Dare, a film that not only became a cult favorite but also laid the groundwork for their creative and personal partnership.

Though long considered one of French cinema’s premier power couples, Cotillard and Canet maintained a relatively low profile when it came to their personal life, rarely granting interviews or making red carpet appearances together outside of their collaborative projects. Their decision to separate quietly aligns with the discreet approach they’ve long taken.

The news arrives amid a broader wave of high-profile celebrity breakups, including the recent separations of Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom, as well as Jessica Alba and Cash Warren—making Cotillard and Canet’s split another reminder of how even the most enduring Hollywood and European pairings can come to an end.

Despite the breakup, both actors remain central figures in the film world. Cotillard rose to international stardom with her Oscar-winning performance as Édith Piaf in La Vie en Rose (2007), which also earned her France’s prestigious César Award. Her role in the film remains one of the most lauded performances of the 21st century and propelled her to major roles in Christopher Nolan’s Inception and The Dark Knight Rises, as well as the ensemble musical Nine and Steven Soderbergh’s pandemic thriller Contagion.

She went on to receive a second Academy Award nomination for her haunting turn in the 2014 Belgian drama Two Days, One Night, solidifying her position as one of the few European actresses to find lasting success in both foreign and English-language cinema.

Canet, equally prolific in French film circles, won the César Award for Best Director for Tell No One in 2006. His career has spanned both acting and directing, and he is known to American audiences for his role in Danny Boyle’s The Beach (2000) alongside Leonardo DiCaprio. In addition to his critical success behind the camera, Canet has continued to act in a range of genres, from psychological thrillers to romantic comedies.

Over the years, Cotillard and Canet collaborated on several projects beyond Love Me If You Dare, including The Last Flight (2009) and the meta-comedy Rock ‘N’ Roll (2017), in which they played heightened versions of themselves. Their on-screen chemistry and creative synergy only added to their status as France’s golden couple of film.

While the couple’s separation marks the end of a significant chapter in both their lives, it is unlikely to slow their individual momentum. Cotillard has remained active in international and French cinema, often blending arthouse projects with major studio films. Canet, meanwhile, continues to work both in front of and behind the camera, and recently took on the challenge of portraying Asterix in the 2023 live-action film Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom.

As they embark on new personal paths, both stars remain deeply respected for their contributions to film and storytelling. Their relationship—marked by nearly two decades of collaboration, co-parenting, and shared creative vision—leaves a lasting legacy in the world of European cinema.

Though the curtain may be closing on their off-screen partnership, Marion Cotillard and Guillaume Canet will no doubt continue to captivate audiences around the world, separately but with the same artistry that first brought them together.