Jamel Debbouze facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jamel Debbouze
Debbouze in 2016
Born	(1975-06-18) 18 June 1975 (age 50) Paris, France
Nationality	Moroccan, French
Occupation	Actor, comedian, screenwriter, film producer and director
Years active	1992–present
Spouse(s)	Mélissa Theuriau ​ (m. 2008)​
Children	2

Jamel Debbouze (born 18 June 1975) is a famous French-Moroccan actor, comedian, writer, and film producer. He is well-known for his funny stand-up comedy shows. Jamel has also worked with famous directors like Alain Chabat. He has starred in many popular movies. Some of these include Amélie, Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra, and HOUBA! On the Trail of the Marsupilami. He also created the TV show Jamel Comedy Club on Canal+.

Jamel Debbouze's Early Life

Jamel Debbouze was born in Paris, France. His family came from Taza, Morocco. They moved back to Morocco when he was very young. In 1979, they returned to France. They settled in Trappes, near Paris, in 1983. Jamel spent his childhood there. He is the oldest of six children.

On 17 January 1990, Jamel had a serious accident. He was at the train station in Trappes. A fast-moving train hit him. This accident caused him to lose the use of his right arm.

How Jamel Became Famous

In 1995, important people from Radio Nova noticed Jamel. They were Jacques Massadian and Jean-François Bizot. They helped him become famous. Jacques Massadian later became his manager.

Jamel started on Radio Nova with a film review show. It was called Le Cinéma de Jamel. Around 1996–1997, he appeared on TV. This was on the cable channel Paris Première. In 1998, he brought Le Cinéma de Jamel to Canal+. He also worked on another show called H on the same channel. He worked with comedians Éric Judor and Ramzy Bedia.

Jamel's Acting Career

Jamel has acted in many successful movies. In 1998, he was in Zonzon. He then starred in the international hit Amélie in 2001. In 2002, he was in the popular French movie Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra. He also worked with director Luc Besson in the 2005 film Angel-A.

In 2006, Jamel acted in the historical movie Days of Glory. He also helped produce this film. It honored the soldiers from North Africa. These soldiers fought for France during World War II. For this movie, he won an award. He received the prize for best male actor at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. He shared this award with his co-stars.

In 2024, Jamel Debbouze took part in a special event. He appeared in the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

First Steps in Entertainment

In 1990, Jamel met Alain Degois. Alain was an educator who led theater workshops. Jamel joined his acting group. With this group, he took part in the French Championship of Improvisation in 1991. They also toured in Quebec and Morocco.

In 1992, he got his first small part in a film. It was called Les Pierres Bleues du Désert. After this movie, Jamel wanted to be a full-time actor. He also wanted to create his own comedy show. This dream came true in 1995 with his show C'est Tout Neuf. People really enjoyed this show.

He then had a role on the radio program Radio Nova. He also appeared on the TV show Nova Premiere. This is where Canal+ noticed him.

Jamel's Comedy Shows

In 1998, Jamel played Jamel Dridi in the TV show H. This was a hospital comedy series on Canal+. He starred alongside other comedians, Eric and Ramzy. By the time the show ended in 2002, Jamel was very famous in France.

In March 1999, Jamel started his new show called Jamel en Scène. In this show, he talked about his early life. He also shared stories about his childhood and the entertainment world. The show was performed at famous theaters in Paris. He then went on tour across France in 2000. Later that year, he returned to Paris for more shows.

In 2002, Jamel came back with a new show, 100% Debbouze. This show played for three years in top Parisian theaters. It was also performed in France, Morocco, Tunisia, Switzerland, and Belgium. The DVD of the show sold over 1 million copies.

In 2006, Jamel started a new TV program. It was called Jamel Comedy Club. This show featured new French comedians each week. With this group, Jamel performed at the Casino de Paris in 2007. Their show was called Le Jamel Comedy Club Envahit le Casino de Paris. It was very popular and even played in Canada.

Movies and Films

Debbouze at the 2001 César Awards

Jamel Debbouze's first film role was in 1992. He was seventeen years old and appeared in Les Pierres Bleues du Désert. This film was about a boy who believed in blue stones in the desert. It was the start of many movie roles for Jamel.

In 1996, he had a small part in Les Deux papas et la maman. Three years later, he got his first big role. It was in the comedy film Le Ciel les oiseaux et ta ... mère! (Boys on the Beach). This movie was a big hit. Over one million tickets were sold.

After some stage shows, he returned to film in 2001. He starred in the very successful Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain. He was nominated for an award for his role in this film. In 2002, Jamel was in another major French film. It was Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra, directed by Alain Chabat. This movie was seen by 14 million people. In 2005, he played the main character in Luc Besson's film Angel-A.

In 2006, Jamel played a very important role in the film Indigènes (Days of Glory). The movie told the story of four North African soldiers. They helped free France during World War II. Jamel and his co-stars won an award together. They received the prize for best male performance at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.

Television Appearances

In 1996, Jamel first appeared on a TV show. It was called Nova première on Paris Première. Producers from Canal+ saw him on this show. They hired him to host his own show, Le cinéma de Jamel.

For New Year's Eve in 2000, Jamel created a special TV show. It was called the Jamel show. Many famous French comedians appeared in it. In April 2003, he was in six commercials for Orangina.

Jamel's Personal Life

On 29 March 2008, Jamel Debbouze got engaged to Mélissa Theuriau. She is a French journalist and news anchor. They got married on 7 May 2008. They have two children together. Their son, Léon, was born on 3 December 2008. Their daughter, Lila, was born in 2011.

Filmography

Shows

See also

In Spanish: Jamel Debbouze para niños