Product Code Database
Jamel Debbouze (; ; born 18 June 1975) is a Moroccan-French actor, comedian, screenwriter, film producer and director. Best known for his stand-up comedy sketches, he also worked with director Alain Chabat in several films and other notable French comedians such as Florence Foresti, Fred Testot and Gad Elmaleh. He has starred in a number of box-office successes, including Amélie, , Hollywoo and HOUBA! On the Trail of the Marsupilami. He is the founder of the Canal+ television show Jamel Comedy Club.
On 17 January 1990, at the train station in Trappes, he was struck by a passing train travelling at 150 km/h. He lost the use of his right arm in the accident, which killed another young man, Jean-Paul Admette, the son of the singer Michel Admette from Reunion. Debbouze was sued by the victim's family for manslaughter but the case was dismissed for lack of proof. In December 2004, he was going to perform on stage on the French island of Réunion, but Debbouze cancelled, claiming illness, as Michel Admette's parents had organized a demonstration against his arrival.Marie Jocher et Alain Kéramoal, Jamel Debbouze, la vérité, Seuil, janvier 2008. He has since never set foot on Reunion.
In 1995, he was spotted by the bosses of Radio Nova, Jacques Massadian and Jean-François Bizot, who made him famous (Massadian would become his manager). He debuted on Radio Nova, with a film review show, Le Cinéma de Jamel and on television around 1996–1997 on cable channel Paris Première, in a TV show co-produced by Radio Nova and the channel. He took Le Cinéma de Jamel to television on Canal+ in 1998. On the same channel, he contributed to another show, H, along with Éric Judor and Ramzy Bedia.
He acted in the movies Zonzon (1998), international box-office hit Amélie (2001), domestic hit (2002), and Angel-A (2005, directed by Luc Besson).
In 2006, he acted in the historical movie Days of Glory (which he co-produced), paying tribute to the North African soldiers who fought for France during the Second World War. For this movie, he got the prize for best male actor at the 59th edition of the Cannes Film Festival with Samy Naceri, Roschdy Zem, Sami Bouajila and Bernard Blancan.
In April 2008, Debbouze opened a comedy club, called Le Comedy Club, in Paris aimed at launching newcomers on the stand-up scene.Le Comedy Club, au 42 boulevard Bonne Nouvelle à Paris, dispose d'une salle implantée dans un ancien cinéma parisien qui peut accueillir jusqu’à 120 spectateurs: « La nouvelle scène selon Jamel »
On 29 March 2008, Debbouze became engaged to French journalist and news anchor Mélissa Theuriau; the two married on 7 May 2008 and subsequently had two children.
In 2009, Debbouze collaborated with the rap band 113 and Awa Imani for the project Maghreb United of Rim'K'. Jamel Debbouze chante pour Maghreb United
On 1 December 2010, Debbouze's new DVD named Made in Jamel featuring the likes of Gad Elmaleh, Florence Foresti, Élie Semoun, Stromae, Didier Bourdon, Youness Ait Benouissaden, Hanane Nader, Noureddine Oussayah and Sophie Mounicot was released.
His show, Jamel improvise, debuted in January 2011, before playing every evening's Tout sur Jamel from 1 to 20 January at the Casino de Paris.
He was the chairman of the 2013 César Awards.
In March 1999, Debbouze started his new show Jamel en Scène. In this show, Debbouze talked about his beginnings, his childhood and show business. The show played at La 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 Paris Olympia for three weeks.
In 2002, Debbouze returned with a new show, 100% Debbouze. For three years this show played in the top Parisian theaters: the Casino de Paris, the Bataclan, Le Zénith, and the Olympia. He then toured France, Morocco, Tunisia, Switzerland, and Belgium. The DVD of the show went on sale in 2004, and sold more than 1 million copies.
In 2006, Debbouze became the presenter of a new program, Jamel Comedy Club, which featured a half-hour of the new generation of French humorists each week. With this troupe, Debbouze went 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.
In 2006, Debbouze played one of the most important parts of his career in the film Indigènes ( Days of Glory in the United States). The film told the story of four North African soldiers who participate in the liberation of France during World War II. Debbouze, Samy Naceri, Sami Bouajila and Roschdy Zem shared the prize for the best male performance at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.
In 2024, Debouzze appeared in the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris playing as a torchbearer who doesn't realise that the ceremony isn't going to be held in a stadium until he enters the Stade de France and seeing that it's completely empty.
Growing up in Trappes, Debbouze became friends with fellow actor Omar Sy and professional footballer Nicolas Anelka.
| Kader |
| Jamel Dridi / Djamel Dridi |
| The prison guard |
| Youssef |
| Saïd |
| Zinedine Haouita |
| various characters |
| François |
| Zini (French voice only) |
| Lucien |
| Numérobis / Edifis |
| The Malian guard (uncredited) |
| An actor who refuses to shoot with Lawrence / Voice of the modelling-clay dog |
| Doak (also executive producer) |
| André Moussah |
| Saïd Otmari (also a co-producer) |
| Numérobis |
| Karim |
| Jamel (also producer) |
| Saïd |
| Algerian people |
| Houshang / Beggar |
| Farres |
| Pablito Camaron |
| Cousin |
| Hassan |
| Art (French voice only) |
| Edward (voice; also director and screenwriter) |
| Hassan |
| Shah Zaman / Yanis |
| Ducky (French voice only) |
| Timon (French voice only) |
| Sami |
| 1996 | C'est tout neuf |
| 1999 | Jamel en scène |
| 2000 | Jamel Show |
| 2004 | Jamel 100% Debbouze |
| 2007 | Le Jamel Comedy Club Envahit Le Casino De Paris |
| 2009 | Le Jamel Comedy Club Show |
| 2010 | Made in Jamel |
| 2011 | Tout sur Jamel |
| 2011 | Le Marrakech du rire |
|
|
