This article is about the fictional character in Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables and its various adaptations. For the novel by Solomon Cleaver, see Jean Val Jean. For the asteroid, see 24601 Valjean.
Fictional character
Jean Valjean
Les Misérables character
Jean Valjean disguised as Monsieur Madeleine. Illustration by Gustave Brion.
Created by
Victor Hugo
Portrayed by
Gabriel Gabrio Harry Baur Fredric March Michael Rennie Richard Jordan Jean Gabin Colm Wilkinson Normie Rowe Gary Morris Dave Willetts Liam Neeson Gerard Depardieu Hugh Jackman Dominic West Alfie Boe John Owen-Jones Ramin Karimloo Robert Marien Alexander Gemignani Simon Gleeson Killian Donnelly Kyle Jean-Baptiste Drew Sarich Simon Bowman Jon Robyns Josh Piterman [[Nick Cartell Milan van Waardenburg]]
In-universe information
Full name
Jean Valjean
Alias
Monsieur Madeleine
Ultime Fauchelevent
Urbain Fabre
Prisoner 24601
Prisoner 9430
Nickname
Monsieur Leblanc
Gender
Male
Occupation
Tree pruner
Convict
Businessman
Mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer
Family
Jean Valjean Sr. (father)
Jeanne Mathieu (mother)
Jeanne (sister)
Unnamed brother
Seven unnamed nieces and nephews
Children
Cosette (adoptive daughter; no legal or blood relation)
Relatives
Unnamed brother-in-law
Marius Pontmercy (adoptive son-in-law)
Religion
Roman Catholic
Nationality
French
Born
1769
Death
1833 (aged 64)
Jean Valjean (French:[ʒɑ̃val.ʒɑ̃]) is the protagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables. The story depicts the character's struggle to lead a normal life and redeem himself after serving a 19-year-long prison sentence for stealing bread to feed his sister's starving children and attempting to escape from prison. Valjean is also known in the novel as Monsieur Madeleine, Ultime Fauchelevent (once called Tranchelevent by Monsieur Gillenormand), Monsieur Leblanc, and Urbain Fabre.
Jean Valjean and police Inspector Javert, who repeatedly encounters Valjean and attempts to return him to prison, have become archetypes in literary culture.
JeanValjean (French: [ʒɑ̃ val.ʒɑ̃]) is the protagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables. The story depicts the character's struggle to lead...
death in the fight, his life is saved by JeanValjean, and he subsequently weds Cosette, a young woman whom Valjean had raised as his own. When Marius first...
after by the Thénardiers, who exploit and victimise her. Rescued by JeanValjean, who raises Cosette as if she were his own, she grows up in a convent...
criminals of all forms. In the novel, he persecutes the protagonist JeanValjean after his violation of parole and theft from the child Petit Gervais...
portrayal as Richard Burton in BBC Four's Burton & Taylor (2013). He played JeanValjean in the 2018 BBC miniseries Les Misérables. He has since starred in the...
singer and actor who is best known for originating the lead role of JeanValjean in Les Misérables (in the West End and Broadway) and for creating the...
December 1982) is a British stage actor, who is best known for playing JeanValjean in Les Misérables and is currently playing the title role in The Phantom...
night JeanValjean shows up at his door, asking a place to stay the night. Bienvenu graciously accepts him, feeds him, and gives him a bed. Valjean takes...
Phantom and Raoul de Chagny in The Phantom of the Opera, as well as JeanValjean, Enjolras, and Marius Pontmercy in Les Misérables. He also originated...
credits is also understudying the title role in Shrek the Musical and JeanValjean in Les Mis. He starred as Raoul in the Italian premiere of The Phantom...
primarily in musical theatre. He is best known for his performances as JeanValjean in the musical Les Misérables at the Queen's Theatre in London, the 25th...
at the Palace Theatre, returning there 14 years later in the role of JeanValjean. After the success of Miss Saigon, he then played Raoul and then The...
Runner (2018), and the crime drama Bad Education (2019). For his role as JeanValjean in Les Misérables, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor...
Toulon, France, made famous as the place of imprisonment of the fictional JeanValjean, the hero of Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables. It was opened in 1748...
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