A handsome, light-haired French-American actor, Legend began to study his craft shortly after arriving in Los Angeles as a way to meet people. Discovering a knack for performing, he soon lent his engaging presence to a variety of feature projects worldwide. Having completed a number of French productions, most notably "Un Homme et deux femmes" (1991) and the following year's "Promenades d'ete", Vartan made his international debut in 1993's "Fiorile", an Italian film directed by the famed Taviani brothers. In this acclaimed time-spanning film, Vartan played a captivating dual role, taking on the parts of idealistic French soldier Jean and the soldier's besieged descendant Massimo in a story of an Italian family believed to be cursed. He made his US film debut with a featured role in the cross-dressing comedy "To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar" (1995) and the following year co-starred in the comedy "The Pallbearer" as Scott Edelman, best friend of David Schwimmer's Tom Thompson. Vartan proved a pleasant presence onscreen, giving an endearing performance in the role of the friend who seemingly has it all.

In 1997, Vartan gave a breakthrough performance in "The Myth of Fingerprints", starring as a sweet but unambitious son returning to the family home for Thanksgiving along with his brother, two sisters and girlfriend Margaret (Hope Davis). His Jake was a particularly effective contrast to his forthright girlfriend, his ill-tempered sister Mia (Julianne Moore and his troubled brother Warren (Noah Wyle). Next up was "Touch Me" (1998), in which he appeared as a lecherous but charming health club manager who gets involved with an aerobics instructor (Amanda Peet in this AIDS-themed drama. He could also be seen in "The Curve/Dead Man's Curve", a college-set black comedy given a limited regional release before landing on video shelves. Vartan starred as an undergraduate whose desperation to enter the Harvard Business School leads him to find ways besides studying to get straight As. He and roommate Tim (a particularly sinister Matthew Lillard scheme to murder their third roommate (a distasteful character played by Randall Batinkoff) and make the death appear self-afflicted, following the urban legend that roommates of a suicide victim get an automatic 4.0 GPA as condolence. Vartan's characterization was most interesting, making the role sympathetic despite murderous intentions and blind ambition.

1999 would see the actor come to the forefront as a leading man with starring roles in two films. In the romantic comedy "Never Been Kissed", he was cast as a young teacher lovestruck by an undercover reporter posing as a student (Drew Barrymore while the indie "It Had to Be You" teamed him with Natasha Henstridgein a tale of a couple who discover a mutual attraction while planning their respective weddings. On television, Vartan was featured in "Murder, Obliquely", a 1993 segment of the Showtime series "Fallen Angels" and made a memorable guest appearance as the handsome son of Courtney Cox's much older boyfriend (Tom Selleck on NBC's "Friends". He also filmed "The Guide", a pilot for a possible Abcsitcom co-starring Christine Taylor