Coward
Campagne plays Francis in Lukas Dhont's 2026 war drama.[7]
Valentin Campagne
Valentin Campagne is a French actor who plays Francis in Coward and shared the 2026 Cannes prize for Best Performance for an Actor with Emmanuel Macchia.
Biography
Campagne brought film, television and theatre experience to Francis, a soldier who organises performances behind the front in Coward.
He trained at Cours Florent and appeared in Colours of Time and Case 137 before his Cannes-winning lead role.
Known for
Colours of Time and Case 137
His pre-Coward film credits include Gaspard in Colours of Time and Rémi in Case 137.[2]
Career highlights
- Coward Role
- Audition
His audition mixed song and physical comedy
Campagne recalled singing a period song and performing a comic birth scene during the Coward audition process.[3]
- Training
He trained at Cours Florent
His professional résumé records several years of acting training at Cours Florent before his screen career.[2]
- Cannes Award
He shared the 2026 Cannes acting prize
The festival named Campagne and Emmanuel Macchia together for Best Performance for an Actor in Coward.[6]
- Coward Preparation
The two leads prepared together for three months
Campagne and Macchia described three months of preparation before a three-month shoot, time that helped them build the relationship at the film's centre.[3]
