Honestly, it’s hard to believe Blood and Chocolate came out nearly two decades ago. Back in 2007, the "supernatural romance" craze hadn't quite hit the fever pitch of Twilight, but Katja von Garnier’s gritty, Bucharest-set werewolf flick was trying to do something different. It didn’t have sparkling vampires. Instead, it had "loup-garoux" who shifted via a shimmering light effect and a cast that felt surprisingly prestige for what was basically a YA popcorn movie. People still hunt down info on the Blood and Chocolate actors because the film has this weird, enduring aesthetic that stays with you. It was moody. It was dark. And the cast? They’ve gone on to do some genuinely massive things, from winning Emmy Awards to joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
If you’re revisiting the film on a streaming service or just feeling nostalgic for that mid-2000s leather-jacket-and-silver-jewelry vibe, you're probably wondering why the lead looks so familiar or where that one guy from Hannibal got his start.
Agnes Bruckner as Vivian Gandillon
Agnes Bruckner was the heart of the movie. She played Vivian, the chocolate shop worker caught between her pack’s ancient rules and her love for a human "outsider." Before this, Bruckner was the "indie darling" everyone expected to explode into A-list stardom after her gritty performance in Blue Car.
She stayed busy. Very busy. After Vivian, Bruckner didn't just disappear into the Hollywood ether. You might’ve caught her playing the legendary Anna Nicole Smith in the Lifetime biopic The Anna Nicole Story—a role that required a massive physical transformation and a lot of emotional heavy lifting. She also did a stint on Once Upon a Time as Lily, Maleficent’s daughter. It’s funny how she jumped from one supernatural lore to another, right? Lately, she’s been more selective, showing up in projects like The 11th Hour and The Murderer Upstairs. She’s got this grounded, soulful quality that made Vivian feel less like a trope and more like a real girl in a terrifying situation.
Hugh Dancy: From Graphic Novels to Gourmet Cannibals
Then there’s Hugh Dancy. He played Aiden, the artist and researcher who stumbles into a world of wolves. Back then, Dancy was the go-to "charming English guy," often compared to a younger Hugh Grant but with a bit more edge.
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If you ask most people about him now, they aren't thinking about Blood and Chocolate. They're thinking about Will Graham. His performance in NBC’s Hannibal is basically legendary at this point. The chemistry between him and Mads Mikkelsen redefined what a psychological thriller could look like on network TV. Dancy’s career has been an absolute masterclass in range. He went from the fluffy rom-com Confessions of a Shopaholic to the intense Broadway stage in Venus in Fur. Most recently, he’s been a staple of the Law & Order revival as Senior Assistant District Attorney Nolan Price.
It’s kinda wild to look back at him in 2007, running through the streets of Bucharest, and see the seeds of that intense, "haunted" energy he perfected later in his career. He’s always been good at playing characters who are slightly out of their depth but refuse to back down.
Olivier Martinez and the Pack Alpha Energy
You can’t talk about the Blood and Chocolate actors without mentioning Olivier Martinez. As Gabriel, the pack leader who thinks Vivian is his "destined" bride, Martinez was peak brooding. The French actor was already a massive deal in Europe before this, often called the "French Brad Pitt."
His career after the film stayed international. He took on roles in Revenge (the TV show, not the movie) and played the historical figure Mezrah in The Physician. For a while, his personal life—specifically his marriage to and subsequent divorce from Halle Berry—overshadowed his acting work in the tabloid circuit. But Martinez has a specific kind of screen presence that is hard to replicate. He brings a heavy, masculine gravity to his roles. Whether he’s playing a werewolf king or a villain in an action flick like S.W.A.T., he understands how to use silence to be intimidating.
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The Supporting Wolves: Bryan Dick and Katja Riemann
The supporting cast was actually stacked with European talent that many American viewers might not have recognized at the time.
Bryan Dick played Rafe, the impulsive and violent pack member who really kicks the conflict into high gear. Dick is one of those "Oh, that guy!" actors in British television. If you watch enough BBC or ITV, you’ve seen him. He was in Bleak House, Eric and Ernie, and more recently, The Split. He has a knack for playing characters that are slightly unhinged or desperately trying to keep it together.
Katja Riemann, who played Vivian's aunt Astrid, is basically royalty in German cinema. She has won multiple German Film Awards and even a Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival. In Blood and Chocolate, she provided the necessary emotional weight, showing the toll that the "wolf life" takes on the women in the pack. She’s still a powerhouse in Germany, appearing in the Fack ju Göhte franchise and high-end dramas like Our Wonderful Years.
Why the Movie Still Gets Searched Today
It’s not just about the actors. It’s about the fact that Blood and Chocolate was based on the novel by Annette Curtis Klause. Fans of the book were... well, they were vocal. The movie changed a lot. In the book, the "metaphysics" of being a werewolf were more biological and less "shimmering light."
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Despite the changes, the movie developed a cult following. It arrived right before the CGI-heavy era of Underworld and Resident Evil sequels really took over the genre. There’s something tactile about the 2007 film. It was shot on location in Romania. Those are real cobblestone streets. That’s real fog. The actors weren't standing in front of a green screen all day; they were actually in these decaying, beautiful European spaces. That authenticity is why people still care about the Blood and Chocolate actors—they felt like they belonged in that world.
Where to find the cast in 2026
If you want to see what these folks are up to now, here is the quick breakdown of their most recent or upcoming work:
- Agnes Bruckner: Look for her in the indie circuit; she’s been leaning into character-driven dramas and recently completed filming on several smaller projects that focus on complex motherhood themes.
- Hugh Dancy: You can catch him regularly on Law & Order. He also recently wrapped up work on the Downton Abbey film sequels, where he plays a director visiting the estate.
- Olivier Martinez: He’s been more active in French cinema lately, though he occasionally pops up in high-budget streaming series.
- Bryan Dick: Keep an eye on British crime procedurals; he’s a frequent guest star on shows like Midsomer Murders and Silent Witness.
A Note on the "Lost" Performance
One interesting bit of trivia? The film was actually stuck in development hell for years. At one point, Christopher Barzak’s work was considered for the script, and different directors were attached. When von Garnier finally got it made, she leaned into the "urban fantasy" aspect heavily. The actors had to balance the cheesiness of the genre with the very real, gritty tone of the cinematography.
Most critics back in the day weren't kind. They called it "Twilight-lite" (even though it came out before the first Twilight movie). But looking back, the Blood and Chocolate actors gave performances that were much more grounded than the material perhaps deserved. They took the "wolf" thing seriously.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If this trip down memory lane has you wanting more, there are a few things you can do to dive deeper into this specific era of film:
- Watch the "Making Of" Featurettes: If you can find the DVD or a high-quality rip online, the behind-the-scenes footage of the Bucharest shoot is fascinating. It shows how much of the "wolf jumping" was actually practical stunt work.
- Read the Original Novel: If you’ve only seen the movie, go back to Annette Curtis Klause’s book. It is significantly darker and focuses more on the internal animalistic instincts of the characters. It’s a completely different experience.
- Follow the Cast on Social Media: Agnes Bruckner is relatively active and often shares throwbacks to her early career. It’s a great way to see what she’s filming in real-time.
- Check out the Soundtrack: The music for this movie was actually pretty great, featuring artists like Goldfrapp and Crystal Method. It perfectly encapsulates that mid-2000s industrial-pop vibe.
The legacy of these actors isn't defined by just one werewolf movie, but for a specific generation of fans, they will always be the faces of the Gandillon pack. Whether it's Hugh Dancy’s evolution into a dramatic powerhouse or Agnes Bruckner’s steady presence in the indie scene, they’ve all carved out impressive paths since leaving the chocolate shop behind.