Jean-Baptiste Maunier (born 22 December 1990), nicknamed JB or Jean-Bapt, is a French actor and singer famous for his role in the 2004 French film, Les Choristes.
Early life
Maunier was born to Thierry Maunier, a cameraman, and Muriel Maunier. He has a younger brother, Benjamin. His father sang in a well-known church choir (Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint Raphael) which may have partly inspired Maunier in his own singing career. Maunier attended a private Catholic school in Lyon, France. He studied at the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York between 2008–2009 to perfect his acting and English, returning to France to sing in the group Les Enfoires.
Acting career
Maunier gained fame for his starring role in the 2004 French film Les Choristes, in which he plays Pierre Morhange, a delinquent with an exceptional singing voice at the correctional school Fond de L'Étang. Christophe Barratier, the director of Les Choristes, chose Maunier because "he had the right look" and a marvellous voice. He was also exceptionally appealing for the role.
In the summer of 2006, Maunier acted in HellphoneAC/DC who finds he has a mobile phone with surprising powers. The film was released in March 2007.
His most recent film is L'Auberge rouge, directed by Gérard Krawczyk, an adaptation of the 1951 version. Maunier stars as Octave. It opened in theaters in France on 5 December 2007.
Singing Career
Upon entering collège (middle school), Maunier was asked to make a choice between various activities. He chose singing and became a member of Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc (full name is "La Chorale des Petits Enfants De Saint-Marc"). In the choir, he was tutored by the choirmaster, Nicolas Porte, and learned to develop his singing voice.
In Les Choristes, the film that made him widely famous for his singing skills, both Maunier's solo and the chorus of "Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc" are featured on the original soundtrack.While Maunier's vocal career is on hold for now, since 2005 he has participated in Les Enfoirés, an ensemble of notable singers and performers in France that periodically performs charity concerts.
Filmography
Les Choristes (2004)
Les Choristes en concert(2005)
Le Cri (2005)
Le Grand Meaulnes (2005)
Piccolo, Saxo et Cie (2006)
Éric Gutierrez Saxo (2006)
Hellphone (2006)
L'Auberge rouge (2007)
La Lettre François Hanss(2007)
Louis la Chance(2010)
Perfect Baby (2011)
Jean-Baptiste Maunier Poster
