Detailed Biography

Michael S. Vartan is a French-American film and television actor. He is best known for the role of Michael Vaughn on the American television action drama Alias.

Early life

Vartan was born in Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France, the son of Doris , a painter and artist, and Eddie Vartan, a musician. His paternal aunt is singer Sylvie Vartan and his stepfather is writer Ian La Frenais. Vartan's Bulgarian father was of Armenian and Hungarian ancestry, and Vartan's American mother is Jewish and originally from Poland. Vartan has said about his French background that “The funny thing is I’m actually a Polish Jew who happens to be born in France. My mom is Polish and my dad is Bulgarian. I don’t have an ounce of French blood. But I work it.” He has stated that he tends to be considered a Frenchman in the United States and an American in France.

His parents divorced when he was five and he moved to America with his mother. He moved back to France to be with his father until his high school years, and grew up a "farm kid" in a "simple environment" in Fleury, Manche, a small town in Normandy. At the age of eighteen, Vartan moved back in with his mother in Los Angeles, telling her that he wanted to be an artist, because he did not wish to fulfill the mandatory military service required in France. In Los Angeles, he attended an acting school after he was told he possessed acting talent. Vartan now considers himself to be American and stated on the talk show Rove that he would like Australia to be his second home. He is bilingual, speaking both English and French fluently.

Career

After starring roles in European films, including an acclaimed performance in the Taviani Brothers' Fiorile, and several smaller film roles, Vartan had noticeable supporting roles in major Hollywood movies, including Never Been Kissed , One Hour Photo and Monster-in-Law . In 2007, he appeared in the Australian horror film Rogue and starred in the film Jolene in 2008.

Vartan's most notable role to date has been as Michael Vaughn in the American television series Alias . Vartan has also had guest appearances on Friends and Ally McBeal . He also appeared on the show Kitchen Confidential, which starred his former Alias co-star Bradley Cooper, as a French chef who was Cooper's rival. In September 2007, Vartan played James Walker, a main role in the ABC drama Big Shots. However, the show was canceled after one season.

Vartan is co-starring opposite Jada Pinkett Smith in TNT's series Hawthorne. The Sony-produced show, that premiered in 2009, centers on Christina Hawthorne , a strong but caring director of nursing at a Richmond, Virginia hospital. Vartan will play Tom Wakefield, the director of medicine at the hospital. Tom and Christina care about each other, possibly as more than colleagues. Vartan replaces Jeffrey Nordling, who played the role in the pilot.

Personal life

Over the course of his relationship with Alias co-star Jennifer Garner, he never made any public appearances with her. Garner confirmed their relationship in August 2003. Vartan began dating Garner in mid-2003, and though rumors of their break-up began in March 2004, Garner only confirmed the end of their relationship in August 2004.