From the Projects to the Red Carpet

Now that The Intouchables has made $339.5 million overseas, Omar Sy is finally letting himself think big. ''Growing up where I did, I never allowed myself to dream of being successful,'' says the actor, 34, who was raised in a housing project outside Paris like the one his character (a caretaker for a paralyzed aristocrat) inhabits in the film. In February, Sy — who names Chris Rock and Denzel Washington as inspirations — became the first black performer to win France's César award for Best Actor. A Hollywood career might be next, but first Sy wants to polish up his schoolboy English. ''If I had known I'd be coming to L.A. someday,'' he says with a laugh, ''I would've paid more attention in class.''