French actor Gaspard Ulliel, who stars in the upcoming Marvel series Moon Knight, has died at the age of 37 in a skiing accident.
The star, who gained international attention for his portrayal of a young man named Hannibal Lecter in "Hannibal Rising," was hospitalized after Tuesday's accident in the Alps. Dailymail.
The father-of-one, who is also the face of Chanel's men's fragrance Bleu de Chanel, was not wearing a helmet when he collided with another skier at the junction of two slopes at the Rosiere resort in Savoie. France.
Ulliel suffered significant head trauma and was immediately airlifted to a hospital in Grenoble where he died today (Wednesday) as a result of his injuries.
The second skier in the crash was not seriously injured and mountain investigators said weather conditions at the time were good.
"The conditions were good and not dangerous. There were other adults who were not wearing helmets on the track," a witness to the tragedy told investigators.
Albertville prosecutor Anne Gaches said Ulliel died at 16pm on Wednesday after efforts to save him at the University Hospital in Grenoble failed.
Ms Gaches said in a statement: "Yesterday, January 18, 2022, at 16:00 p.m., in Montvalezan, in the ski area of the La Rosière resort located in the Haute Tarentaise Massif, Mr Gaspard Ulliel collided with another skier named Tetras."
"He had just branched off to the left, apparently to join his friends who were in the Gellinotte race."
"A judicial investigation was immediately entrusted to investigators from the CRS (Republican Security Company), Albertville detachment, from the Albertville prosecutor's office."
"It appears from the first evidence and the observations made on the spot that both skiers fell to the ground", continued Mr. Gaches.
"When help arrived, Mr. Gaspard Ulliel was motionless, unconscious in the snow. The other skier was unharmed."
"Transported by helicopter to the University Hospital of Grenoble, the death of Mr. Gaspard Ulliel was declared today shortly after 16:00 p.m. by the resuscitation doctor of this hospital," the statement said.
His family confirmed the death in a statement to the news agency AFP by his agent and an investigation into the case has been launched.
Ulliel won a 'Cesar' award - the French equivalent of an 'Oscar' - for best actor in 2017 for his role in "It's Only the World of the World" in which he starred alongside Marion Cotillard and Lea Seydoux.
He had already taken home a Cesar Award in 2004 for Most Promising Actor after appearing in the World War I drama A Very Long Engagement alongside Audrey Tautou.
Ulliel, who has a five-year-old son with model and singer Gaëlle Piétri, played Yves Saint Laurent in a 2014 biopic.
The mountain police service serving the crash site said it has organized five or six rescues a day in recent days as the snow has solidified.
In the neighboring Haute-Savoie region, a five-year-old girl died on Saturday when a skier ran into her.
Preliminary murder charges were filed against the man, according to the Haute-Savoie prosecutor, who cited excessive speed as a possible reason for the accident.
Tributes to the deceased poured in on social media from shocked fans, politicians and celebrities around the world.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex wrote a status on Twitter saying: “Gaspard Ulliel grew up with cinema and cinema grew up with him. They loved each other madly."
Cannes film festival director Thierry Fremaux said: "Gaspard belonged to this new generation of actors who were making the French cinema of tomorrow."
"He was so brilliant and so talented. He gave a lot and we will always remember him."
A Disney spokesperson also told Variety: "We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of our friend and colleague Gaspard Ulliel".
French culture minister Roselyne Bachelot added: "Such a brilliant actor who was reaped from the sickle of death at the height of his career."
"For almost 20 years, he was present in our lives with magnificent performances," the minister added.
Pierre Niney, who also played Yves Saint Laurent in a rival film that won a 'Cesar' award, said he was 'heartbroken' by the news.
Ulliel was born just outside Paris on November 25, 1984, to a producer father and designer mother.
He was just 11 years old when he began working on screen after a friend of his mother suggested he join her acting agency.
His first major role came in 2002 when he starred alongside Charlotte Rampling in 'Summer Things', a role for which he won the 'Most Promising Actor' award at the Lumiere Awards and was nominated for a 'Cesar'.
The accident brought back memories of when Formula One great Michael Schumacher hit his head in a skiing accident in 1 in the French ski resort of Meribel, about 2013 miles from where Ulliel was skiing.
Both were treated at Grenoble University Hospital.
Otherwise, the first 'trailer' for the upcoming series "Moon Knight" was released on Tuesday, starring Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke in the series.
The series will debut on the streaming platform 'Disney Plus' on March 30.
Ulliel stars as Anton Mogart, also known as the Midnight Man, in the highly anticipated Marvel show based on the comic character created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin in 1975. /Telegraph/
