46-year-old Zeller is a novelist, screenwriter and theater director and made his debut as a film director in 2020 with the psychological drama "The Father", based on his play "Le père" from 2012.
The film, starring Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman, was awarded an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, and Hopkins also won the award for Best Actor for his portrayal of a man with dementia whose mind is slowly deteriorating.
The prestigious literary society l'Académie française was founded in 1635 by Louis XIII and has played a significant role in shaping French culture.
The society currently consists of 35 members, known as "the immortals" in reference to the institution's motto "À l'immortalité" ("To immortality"). The seats have been held over the years by famous writers, philosophers and scientists, such as Montesquieu, Voltaire, Victor Hugo and the Peruvian Nobel Prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa. In addition to the current 35 members, there are currently five vacant seats.
At 46 years old, Zeller is the second youngest member ever elected to the society. "Cyrano de Bergerac" author Edmond Rostand was 33 when he joined in 1901.
