Patrick Dewaere (26 January 1947 – 16 July 1982) was a French film actor. Born in Saint-Brieuc, Côtes-d'Armor, he was the son of French actress Mado Maurin. An actor from a young age, his career lasted more than 21 years until his suicide in Paris, in 1982.

Patrick Dewaere was the third child of an actor's family. His biological father, Michel Têtard, was a lyricist who had an affair with Dewaere's mother, Mado Maurin, who was married to Pierre-Marie Bourdeaux. Dewaere grew up believing Bourdeaux was his biological father. After Dewaere's parents divorced, his mother remarried Georges Collignon, who sexually abused Dewaere as a child. Under the direction of his mother, Dewaere, his four brothers and his sister performed in movies and television series. The family lived in Paris. Dewaere attended the Cours Hattemer, a private school.