David Belle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Belle
Belle at the New Yorker Festival 2007
Born	David Nicolas Williams Belle (1973-04-29) April 29, 1973 (age 52) Fécamp, France
Occupation	Celebrity, Choreographer, Stunt coordinator
Known for	Parkour, film District 13
Parent(s)	Raymond Belle (father) Monique Kitten (mother)

David Nicolas Williams Belle was born on April 29, 1973. He is a French actor, film choreographer, and stunt coordinator. David Belle is known as the founder of parkour. He created this amazing physical activity based on his own training and what he learned from his father, Raymond Belle.

David Belle became famous through his parkour videos and movies. Some of his well-known films include District 13, District 13: Ultimatum, and the American movie Brick Mansions. These films were written and produced by Luc Besson. David Belle also helped with the stunts and movements in movies like Babylon A.D., Prince of Persia, Colombiana, and The Family. Today, he leads the Parkour Committee for the International Federation of Gymnastics.

David Belle: The Founder of Parkour

David Belle grew up in Fécamp, France. His father, Raymond Belle, and his grandfather, Gilbert Kitten, were skilled rescuers. They worked in the Military Paris Fire Brigade. His father was from Vietnam, and his mother was of French and English background.

David started developing parkour when he lived with his grandfather in Normandy. In 1984, when he was 11, David moved to Lisses, France. There, he met other teenagers who loved physical challenges. They started training with him. David taught them the techniques he learned. They practiced these moves in city areas. Some of these friends later became known as the Yamakasi.

Later, David joined the military and the fire brigade. He wanted to follow in his father's and grandfather's footsteps. But he soon left because he felt the strict military life didn't fit his personality. While in the Marines, he broke the record for rope climbing. His father, Raymond, had held that record before him. David also earned an award for his gymnastics skills.

After his military service, he worked different jobs. He was a warehouse worker, a security guard, and a furniture salesman. He also spent three months in India learning kung fu. When he returned, he kept training in parkour. He filmed his amazing skills, which became the famous Speed Air Man video. In 1997, a TV show called Stade 2 saw his video. They decided to film the first news report about David and the Yamakasi.

During this news report, the name Yamakasi was first used for the group. David didn't like the name. He felt it didn't give enough credit to his father. So, he left the group after the TV show. Later, David trained other students. They called themselves 'tracer.' This spelling was later changed to 'traceur.' A 'traceur' is now the name for someone who practices parkour.

David Belle started his acting career after meeting Hubert Koundé. They talked about how parkour could be used in movies. David then began to improve his acting skills. He acted in a play called Pygmalion. Since then, he has gotten many roles, mostly in French films and commercials. David has appeared in music videos for Tina Turner and Iam. He starred in "Les gens du voyages" and "Un monde meilleur." He also appeared in "L'Engrenages" and "Femme Fatale." He was in "Les rivières pourpres 2" with Jean Reno.

After filming more commercials for the BBC, Nissan, Canon, and Nike, David was contacted by Luc Besson. Luc Besson is a famous director. He asked David to co-star with Cyril Raffaelli in the action movie District 13. David also starred in its sequel, District 13: Ultimatum. In 2014, David co-starred with Paul Walker in Brick Mansions. This movie was a remake of District 13.

Movies and TV Shows

David Belle has acted in many films and television series. Here are some of them:

Stunt Work

David Belle has also worked as a stunt coordinator and performer for various projects.

Video Games

David Belle has also contributed to video games, helping with motion capture and stunts.

Other Work and Appearances

David Belle usually prefers to stay out of the public eye. His last big public appearance was in 2007. He was a guest at the New Yorker Festival. He was interviewed for an article about parkour called "No Obstacles."

Belle used to support a clothing company called Take Flight. But he decided to stop working with them. He did not agree with their business choices and reasons.

See also

In Spanish: David Belle para niños

• Sébastien Foucan