This is the sprawling saga of Honoré de Balzac, a man who created a great literary oeuvre from the dramas and adventures of his own life - a life that he shaped into one spectacular and unforgettable blaze of passion. At the heart of the story are the women in Balzac's life. Although gruff, unsophisticated, and far from handsome, Balzac exerts an irresistible fascination on women.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
 Gérard DepardieuHonoré de Balzac | Honoré de Balzac |
 Jeanne MoreauCharlotte-Laure | Charlotte-Laure |
 Fanny ArdantEve Hanska | Eve Hanska |
 Virna LisiMadame de Berny | Madame de Berny |
 Katja RiemannLaure d'Abrantès | Laure d'Abrantès |
 Claude RichMaitre Plissoud | Maitre Plissoud |
| GGert VossVictor Hugo | Victor Hugo |
 Sergio RubiniEugene Sue | Eugene Sue |
 François MarthouretDoctor Nacquart | Doctor Nacquart |
 Marianne DenicourtAdèle Hugo | Adèle Hugo |
 Gottfried JohnCount Hanska | Count Hanska |
 Pascal VannsonParadis | Paradis |
| EEnguerran DemeulenaereBalzac as a Child | Balzac as a Child |
| SSaturnin BarréLeon | Leon |
 Franck de la PersonneBuisson - Taylor | Buisson - Taylor |
 Roland BlancheGosselin - Editor | Gosselin - Editor |
 Daniel DadzuOrfevre | Orfevre |
 Dominique BesnehardWerdet - Editor | Werdet - Editor |
| LLucie VolmanovaAnna Hanska as a Child | Anna Hanska as a Child |
 Sunnyi MellesBaroness von Galvenberg | Baroness von Galvenberg |
 Katja StudtAnna Hanska | Anna Hanska |
| FFranck ManzoniSgt. de Ville | Sgt. de Ville |
 Hervé BriauxCharles Sedillot | Charles Sedillot |