Due to a riding accident, Guillaume Canet opted to pursue a career as an actor. The world of horsemanship's loss was certainly a gain for the entertainment industry. Since his breakthrough in 1997's "Barracuda", this attractive brunet with a beaming smile has graced several fine films and was poised for international stardom, thanks in part to landing the pivotal role of Etienne in Danny Boyle's film adaptation of Alex Garland's novel "The Beach" (1999).

The son of a horse breeder, Canet trained from childhood as a show rider but an injury at age 18 left him to contemplate other options. He