Gaspard Ulliel, star of the film "Moon Knight," died in a skiing accident in the Alps

Gaspard Ulliel, a French actor who appeared in Chanel perfume advertising as well as film and television appearances, died in a skiing accident in the Alps on Wednesday, according to local officials. He was 37 years old at the time.

Ulliel starred as a teenage Hannibal Lecter in the 2007 film "Hannibal Rising" and as Yves Saint Laurent in the 2014 biography "Saint Laurent." He also stars in the upcoming Marvel series "Moon Knight" and was the face of the Chanel men's fragrance Bleu de Chanel's advertising campaign.

Ulliel collided with another skier on an intermediate slope Tuesday afternoon at La Rosiere resort after turning left, likely to join his companions on an adjoining slope, according to Anne Gaches, the Savoie prosecutor in Albertville, in a statement released Wednesday.

According to preliminary inquiry findings, "both skiers fell to the ground after the collision," according to the prosecutor. When rescuers came, Ulliel was "motionless and unconscious," but the other skier was unscathed, according to Gaches.

Ulliel was not wearing a helmet when rescuers arrived, according to Jean Regaldo, the director of the La Rosiere resort. Helmets are not mandatory but strongly recommended on French ski slopes.

Regaldo stated that the weather conditions were "excellent" at the time of the accident and that there were no pebbles near the collision scene, which he described as "easy to reach."

Ulliel was flown to Grenoble University Hospital by helicopter, where medics attempted to resuscitate him, she said. According to Gaches, the actor died just after 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

Ulliel died on Wednesday, according to the actor's agent's office.

Ulliel began acting at the age of 11 with legendary actress Sandrine Bonnaire, and went on to win two of France's most prestigious film prizes, the Cesar. A dog bite on his face when he was six years old left him with a distinctive scar.

He was a French revolutionary, a dying playwright, a missing World War I soldier, a developing serial killer, and a renowned fashion designer, among other roles. He was dubbed "one of the incarnations of French cinema today" by French President Emmanuel Macron, as tributes flooded in from startled colleagues and fans all across the world.

"On each of his film sets, he left behind the memory of a dedicated worker, always ready to listen, respected by all the teams because he was respectful of everyone," Macron said in a statement.

Prime Minister Jean Castex tweeted an homage that said, "Gaspard Ulliel grew up with cinema and cinema grew up with him. They loved each other madly."

The House of Chanel said in a statement it has lost its "ambassador of 12 years and a friend."

"We have been fortunate to have had by our side all these years a person endowed with great culture, an immense talent, and of unparalleled kindness. He will be sorely missed," Chanel said.

The catastrophe brought back memories of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher being gravely hurt in a skiing accident in Meribel, France, 50 kilometres (30 miles) away from where Ulliel was skiing in 2013. Both were treated at the University Hospital of Grenoble.

When Schumacher, who was wearing a helmet, fell and smacked the right side of his head on a rock off the side of a marked hill, he received major brain injuries. On a family holiday in the Alps, the German motor racing great was skiing with his teenage son.

Schumacher, 53, hasn't been seen in public in eight years, and his family has kept his condition a well guarded secret since the tragedy. Last year, his wife, Corinna, claimed in a Netflix documentary that her husband is "different, but he is here" and that the family, which includes the couple's son, Mick, who is now a Formula One racer, cares for him.

Following Ulliel's mishap, the Rosiere ski area's mountain police agency claimed its staff had been doing five or six rescues every day as the snow has solidified in recent days.

A 5-year-old girl was murdered Saturday in the adjacent Haute-Savoie region after a skier collided with her. According to the prosecutor in Haute-Savoie, the man was charged with preliminary manslaughter, citing high speed as the likely cause of the tragedy.

The date of the funeral was not revealed right away. Ulliel is said to be survived by a small kid from his relationship with French model-actor Gaelle Pietri, according to French media reports.