The Heartbreaking Death Of Hannibal Rising Actor Gaspard Ulliel

French actor Gaspard Ulliel, who was known for his performance as a young Hannibal Lecter in 2007's "Hannibal Rising," died on Wednesday following a ski accident (via Barron's). The actor was 37.

According to reports, the accident occurred in the Rosiere ski area in the Savoie region of the French Alps, where Ulliel collided with another skier (via The Sun). The Savoie Prosecutor's Office shared that the other skier wasn't seriously affected but Ulliel suffered a traumatic head injury, per London News Time. The actor was taken to the hospital in a helicopter immediately but did not survive, Ulliel's family confirmed to AFP in a statement.

The actor had one son, Orso, with his partner French model and singer Gaëlle Piétri (via E! Online). According to Piétri's Instagram post, they were celebrating Orso's sixth birthday on the mountains last week.

The acclaimed actor had first gained international attention as a newcomer in French cinema when he was given the Lumiere Award for Most Promising Young Actor in 2003 (via IMDb). Since then, the actor had found his place in the world of cinema, garnering awards from across the globe.

Ulliel left behind a legacy of roles he was greatly recognized for; his intensely chilling performance as a young Hannibal Lecter was one that brought him much attention. His portrayal of Yves Saint Laurent in the biopic "Saint Laurent" earned him numerous 'Best Actor' awards: the Lumiere Award, Globes de Cristal Awards as well as a Cesar Award (via IMDb).

Filmmaker Peter Webber, who directed Ulliel as Hannibal, said, "Shocked and saddened to hear about the death of Gaspard Ulliel at such a young age in a skiing accident. I have such fond memories of working with him all those years ago on Hannibal Rising. Rest in peace, dear friend" (via Twitter). French Prime Minister Jean Castex also paid tribute to the late actor and wrote that Ulliel "grew up with cinema and cinema grew with him. They loved each other madly" (via Twitter).

Ulliel will be playing Midnight Man in Marvel's upcoming "Moon Knight," alongside Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke.