Jamel Debbouze

Jamel Debbouze
Born	Jamel Debbouze
Years active	1992-Present
Website	http://www.jameldebbouze.fr/

Jamel Debbouze (Arabic: جمال دبّوز) (born June 18, 1975 in Paris) is a French actor, comedian and producer of Moroccan descent.

Biography

Jamel is the oldest of 5 brothers. He was born in 1975 in Paris but his parents moved to Morocco in 1976. They returned in 1979 and settled in Trappes where Jamel spent the rest of his childhood. On 17 January 1990, while crossing the tracks at the SNCF station in Trappes, Debbouze was struck by a train travelling from Paris to Nantes at 150 kmh. As a result of this accident, he lost the use of his right arm. In the same incident, his friend Jean-Paul Admette was killed. After this accident Jamel met Alain Degois, his educator, and began his career as a comedian/actor.

Debbouze campaigned to the French government for citizenship. He felt that 1st/2nd/3rd generation immigrants are children of the French Republic. He was against the idea of French citizens wanting them to return/remain in their ancestral countries of origin.

On 29 March 2008, he became engaged to French news reporter Mélissa Theuriau; the two married on 7 May 2008. Jamel became a father on December 3rd, 2008.

Career

First Works

In 1990 Jamel met Alain Degois, an educator who organized theater improvisation workshops, and joined his troupe. With this troupe, he took part in the French Championship of Improvisation in 1991 and toured Quebec and Morocco. In 1992 he got his first part in a film called "Les Pierres Bleues du Désert". After this film, Jamel wanted to work as an actor and create his own show. This happened in 1995 with the show "C'est Tout Neuf" which had been enjoyed a lot. Then he had an approximative role on the radio "Radio Nova" and took part in the television program "Nova Premiere" where he was noticed by Canal+ . It was the beginning of a successful career.

Jamel's Various Shows

In 1998 a new humorous series appeared on Canal+, called "H". It was a sitcom in an hospital featuring a medical team. Jamel played Jamel Didri, an operator in the hospital. Eric and Ramzy, two well known French comedians, were also in this series. The series ended in 2002 and Jamel had achieved national recognition.

In March 1999, Jamel started his new show "Jamel en Scène". In this show, Jamel talked about his beginnings, his childhood and show business. The show played at the "Cigale" and then at the "Bataclan" in Paris. He went on tour throughout France in 2000. At the end of the year, he returned to Paris with his show at the "Olympia" for three weeks.

In 2002 Jamel returned with a new show, "100% Debbouze". For three years this show played in the top Parisian theaters: Casino de Paris, Bataclan, Zenith, and the Olympia. He then toured France and also Morocco, Tunisia, Switzerland and Belgium. When the DVD of this show went on sale in 2004, more than 1 million copies were sold.

In 2006 Jamel became the presenter of a new program, "Jamel Comedy Club". The principle is very simple: every week for half an hour Jamel presented the new generation of French humorists. The program looked like an American stand up show. With this troup, Jamel came to the "Casino de Paris" in 2007 for a new show, "le Jamel Comedy Club Envahit le Casino de Paris". This show was very successful, its run was extended and it also played in Canada.

Cinematic works

In 1992 Jamel at 17 years old had a part in his first film, "Les Pierres Bleues du Désert". This told the story of a young boy who is persecuted because he believes in the existence of blue stones in the desert. It was the first of numerous film roles for Jamel. In 1996 he played a small part in "les deux papas et la maman" a film of Jean-Marc Doval with Smain and Arielle Dombasle. But in 1999 he played his first big role in a feature film called "Le ciel les oiseaux et ta...mère!"'Boys on the Beach). This comedy was successful, with more than one million tickets sold. During two years Jamel continued his stage shows, but returned to film with "Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain". He was nominated for his part in this film for the César Award of the Best Supporting Actor in 2002. In 2002 Jamel took part in another big French film called "Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra" directed by Alain Chabat. This successful film was seen by 14,000,000 theater goers. In 2002 Jamel played "Lucien" in the popular French love story, "Amelie". In 2005 Jamel had the leading role in the new film of Luc Besson called "Angel-A".

In 2006 Jamel played one of the most important parts of his career in the film "Indigènes"(Days of Glory in the US). The film told the story of four African soldiers who get involved in the liberation of France during World War 2. Jamel, Samy Naceri, Sami Bouajila and Roschdy Zem received the prize for the best masculine interpretation at the Cannes Film Festival.

Television work

In 1996 he took part for the first time in a TV show called "Nova première" on Paris Première. He was noticed on this show by some producers from Canal+ who hired him to present a show called "Le cinéma de Jamel". For the new years eve in 2000 jamel created a TV show for this occasion called the "Jamel show". Numerous French comedians such as Bruno Solo, Alain Chabat, Elie and Dieudonné appeared in this show. In April 2003 he took part in 6 commercials for Orangina.

Filmography

• Why I Did (Not) Eat My Father - (2009)
• Parlez-moi de la pluie - (2008)
• Asterix at the Olympic Games - (2008) - Numerobis
• Indigènes - (2006, also a coproducer)
• Angel-A - (2005)
• She Hate Me - Doak (2004)
• Les Clefs de bagnole - Voice of the modelling-clay dog (2003)
• Le Boulet - The Malian guard (2002)
• Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cléopatre - Numerobis (2002)
• Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain - Lucien (2001, English title: Amélie)
• Granturismo - François (2000)
• Elie annonce Semoun - Various characters (2000)
• Les Petits souliers - Zinedine Haouita (1999)
• Rêve de cauchemar - Saïd (1999)
• Le Ciel, les oiseaux et... ta mère! - Youssef (1999, English title: Boys On the Beach)
• Un pavé dans la mire - The prison guard (1998)
• H - Jamel Dridi (1998-2004, TV Series)
• Zonzon - Kader (1998)
• Y a du foutage de gueule dans l'air - (1996)
• Les Deux papas et la maman - (1996, English title: Two Dads and One Mom)
• Les Pierres bleues du desert - (1992)

External links

• Official site
• Article on islamonline.net
• Jamel Debbouze at IMDb
• La Beurgeoisie (in French)