Jean Vilar was a prominent French actor and theater director, born on March 25, 1912, in Sète, France. He is best known for founding the Théâtre National Populaire (TNP) in 1951, which aimed to make theater accessible to a wider audience. Vilar's innovative approach emphasized the importance of staging classic works while also promoting contemporary plays. Throughout his career, Vilar worked with notable playwrights such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Samuel Beckett. He was instrumental in the development of modern French theater and played a significant role in the Festival d'Avignon, which celebrates performing arts. Vilar passed away on May 28, 1971.