# Rémy Girard

Rémy Girard OC (born August 10, 1950) is a Canadian actor and former television host from Quebec.

## Early life

Born in Jonquière, he is the son of politician Fernand Girard.
He attended Université Laval, initially to study law but switching to acting after joining the university's theatre troupe. He transferred to the Conservatoire de théàtre du Québec, where he graduated in 1974.

## Acting career

Girard has acted in film, television and stage productions throughout his career. He first became famous for playing the role of Rémy in Denys Arcand's 1986 film The Decline of the American Empire (Le Déclin de l'empire américain), later reprising the character in The Barbarian Invasions (Les Invasions barbares). Girard also appeared in Arcand's films Jesus of Montreal (Jésus de Montréal) and Testament.
He was Paul Bougon in the TV series Les Bougon, which ran for three seasons on TV in Canada from 2003 to 2005. He hosted a game show called La Chasse aux Trésors that aired on Quebec television network TVA during the late 1990s, and starred in the 2011 Canadian action comedy InSecurity on CBC Television.
In 2006 he was a member of the jury at the 28th Moscow International Film Festival.
Girard played notorious criminal Lucien Rivard in The American Trap (Le piege americain). Girard starred as Hervé Mercure in the thriller 7 Days (Les 7 Jours du Talion), directed by Daniel Grou.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1982 | Red Eyes (Les Yeux rouges) | Henri-Paul | |
| 1984 | The Crime of Ovide Plouffe (Le Crime d'Ovide Plouffe) | Radio announcer | |
| 1986 | The Decline of the American Empire (Le Déclin de l'empire américain) | Rémy, Louise's husband | |
| 1988 | The Revolving Doors (Les Portes tournantes) | Monsieur Litwin | |
| 1988 | Kalamazoo | Félix Cotnoir | |
| 1988 | The Mills of Power (Les Tisserands du pouvoir) | |
| 1989 | Jesus of Montreal (Jésus de Montréal) | Martin | |
| 1991 | Montreal Stories (Montréal vu par...) | Consul | |
| 1993 | La Florida | Léo Lespérance | |
| 1994 | Million Dollar Babies | Martin Poulin | |
| 1994 | Jerome's Secret (Le Secret de Jérôme) | Cyrille Marquis | |
| 1996 | Lilies (Les Feluettes) | the inmate playing the baroness | |
| 1996 | The Ideal Man (L'Homme idéal) | Bob | |
| 1997 | Les Boys | Stan | |
| 1997 | The Seat of the Soul (Le siège de l'âme) | The Detective | |
| 1998 | The Red Violin (Le Violon rouge) | the customs officer | |
| 1998 | Free Money | Louis | |
| 2001 | Varian's War | Colonel Joubert | |
| 2002 | Séraphin: Heart of Stone | Father Laloge | |
| 2003 | The Barbarian Invasions (Les Invasions barbares) | Rémy | |
| 2004 | Machine Gun Molly (Monica la mitraille) | Maurice Morissette | |
| 2005 | Aurore | Oreus Mailhot | |
| 2005 | The Rocket (Maurice Richard) | Tony Bergeron | |
| 2005 | Human Trafficking | Viktor Taganov | |
| 2006 | Le Lièvre de Vatanen | Richard Growe | |
| 2007 | Blades of Glory | Father St. Pierre | |
| 2007 | Bluff | Georges | |
| 2008 | The American Trap (Le piège américain) | Lucien Rivard | |
| 2008 | Honey, I'm in Love (Le Grand départ) | Henri Leduc | |
| 2009 | A Happy Man (Le Bonheur de Pierre) | Michel Dolbec | |
| 2009 | Father and Guns (De père en flic) | Charles Bérubé | |
| 2009 | Je me souviens | Monseigneur Madore | |
| 2010 | Incendies | Jean Lebel, the barrister | |
| 2010 | The Comeback (Cabotins) | Marcel Lajoie | |
| 2016 | Boundaries (Pays) | Paul Rivest | |
| 2016 | Votez Bougon | Paul Bougon | |
| 2016 | Murdoch Mysteries | Joseph-Elzéar Bernier | episode 10 of season 9: The Big Chill |
| 2019 | And the Birds Rained Down (Il pleuvait des oiseaux) | | |
| 2020 | The Vinland Club (Le Club Vinland) | |
| 2020 | You Will Remember Me (Tu te souviendras de moi) | Édouard | |
| 2021 | Portrait-Robot or The Sketch Artist | Bernard Dupin | |
| 2022 | Bones of Crows | Father Jacobs | |
| 2023 | Testament | Jean-Michel | |
| 2024 | Ababooned (Ababouiné) | Cardinal Madore | |

## Awards

In June 2019 Girard was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.
In 2023 he was the recipient of the Prix Iris Tribute Award, the lifetime achievement award of Québec Cinéma, at the 25th Quebec Cinema Awards. He had previously received two Best Actor and five Best Supporting Actor nominations, but had never won a competitive award, making him the actor with the most nominations without a win.
In 2024 he was named the winner of the Prix Denise-Pelletier for his body of work.
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Film | Result |
| Genie Awards | 1987 | Best Actor | The Decline of the American Empire (Le Déclin de l'empire américain) | Nominated |
| Genie Awards | 1991 | Best Actor | Love Crazy (Amoureux fou) | Won |
| Genie Awards | 1993 | Best Actor | La Florida | Nominated |
| Genie Awards | 1998 | Best Actor | Les Boys | Nominated |
| Genie Awards | 2003 | Best Actor | The Barbarian Invasions (Les Invasions barbares) | Won |
| Genie Awards | 1989 | Best Supporting Actor | The Revolving Doors (Les Portes tournantes) | Won |
| Genie Awards | 1990 | Best Supporting Actor | Jesus of Montreal (Jésus de Montréal) | Won |
| Genie Awards | 2005 | Best Supporting Actor | Aurore | Nominated |
| Genie Awards | 2009 | Best Supporting Actor | Father and Guns (De père en flic) | Nominated |
| Canadian Screen Awards | 2020 | Best Supporting Actor | And the Birds Rained Down (Il pleuvait des oiseaux) | Won |
| Prix Jutra/Iris | 2002 | Best Actor | Les Boys III | Nominated |
| Prix Jutra/Iris | 2004 | Best Actor | The Barbarian Invasions (Les invasions barbares) | Nominated |
| Prix Jutra/Iris | 1999 | Best Supporting Actor | Les Boys II | Nominated |
| Prix Jutra/Iris | 2003 | Best Supporting Actor | Séraphin: Heart of Stone (Séraphin: Un homme et son péché) | Nominated |
| Prix Jutra/Iris | 2010 | Best Supporting Actor | Father and Guns (De père en flic) | Nominated |
| Prix Jutra/Iris | 2020 | Best Supporting Actor | And the Birds Rained Down (Il pleuvait des oiseaux) | Nominated |
| Prix Jutra/Iris | 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | The Vinland Club (Le club Vinland) | Nominated |
| Prix Jutra/Iris | 2023 | Tribute Award | | Won |