Gad Elmaleh
Encyclopedia
Gad Elmaleh is a French
-Moroccan
stand-up comedian and actor. His latest show is called Papa est en haut (Dad is upstairs). He has starred in several feature films, including Coco
, Hors de prix, La Doublure and Midnight in Paris
.
, Morocco. He is Jewish and was brought up in a mixed cultural background, speaking Moroccan Arabic
and French. He earned his Baccalaureate in Morocco at Lycee Lyautey in Casablanca before he studied political science
in Montreal
for four years, then moved to Paris to study drama.
His first one-man show Décalages, performed at the "Palais des glaces" in 1995, was autobiographical.
His fame further increased with the success of his second one-man show, La Vie Normale, and the film La Vérité si je mens ! 2 (2000) in which he played the role of "Dov", the seducer. The character of "Chouchou" in La Vie Normale was reproduced in the comedy Chouchou
(2002), directed by Merzak Allouache and also starring Alain Chabat
; the film drew large audiences.. He then did his debut as a singer in "it's kiz my life", a popular song in a non-existing language. The music video was directed by J.G Biggs and shot in the famous Parisian Hôtel Costes
.
In contrast to his first two one-man shows, his L’autre c’est moi (2005) contains more improvisation and interaction with the public. In an interview, Gad Elmaleh said that this one-man show is more in the tradition of stand up.
He returned to film in 2004 when he starred in the 2004 film Olé! with Gérard Depardieu
. In 2005, he starred as François Pignon in La Doublure (English title "The Valet"), by Francis Veber
. In 2006, he appeared opposite Audrey Tautou
in Hors de prix (English title "Priceless"), by Pierre Salvadori.
He came back to the stage with L'autre, c'est moi in September 2006 in Canada (Montreal) and in the U.S. (in Broadway, at the Beacon Theater in front of 3000 spectators); it was performed also in Casablanca, Morocco. Between April and August 2007 he played his successful show in France, Belgium, and Switzerland.
On July 15, 2007, Elmaleh premiered his latest show, Papa est en haut, in Montreal
as part of the Just for Laughs
festival.
He also played the voice of Barry B. Benson in the French version of the 2007 film Bee Movie
, Drôle d’Abeille.
In 2009, he released the film, Coco
, which he directed, wrote and starred in. In 2010 he appeared in a dramatic role in Roselyne Bosch's The Round Up
, which is based on the events surrounding the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup.
Elmaleh was scheduled to perform in the 2009 Beiteddine Festival
in Lebanon on July 13–15.
In 2011, he had a small role in Woody Allen
's Paris-set feature, Midnight in Paris
. He also appeared in the motion capture film The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn alongside Jamie Bell
. The film which was directed by Steven Spielberg
and Peter Jackson
, was released on October 26, 2011 in Belgium and is set to release in the United States on December 23, 2011. The same year, he also starred in Jack & Jill
as Al Pacino
's French cook.
medal by French culture minister Renaud DonneDieu de Vabres, in March 2006.
In January 2007, he was elected as "la personnalité la plus drôle de France" (The Funniest Person in France), beating out 49 other humorists.
He and Audrey Tautou
received the 2007 NRJ Ciné Award for Best Kiss for one of their smooches in Hors de prix.
from 1998 to 2002. They have one son, Noé. The story of their relationship and breakup can be found in Brochet's book Trajet d'une amoureuse éconduite.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
-Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
stand-up comedian and actor. His latest show is called Papa est en haut (Dad is upstairs). He has starred in several feature films, including Coco
Coco (film)
Coco is a 2009 French comedy film written, directed, and starring Gad Elmaleh. The film is based on a character sketch he created for his one-man show "La Vie Normale". The film earned $8.5 million in its opening weekend at the French box office, and went on to gross $11.7 million in the European...
, Hors de prix, La Doublure and Midnight in Paris
Midnight in Paris
Midnight in Paris is a 2011 romantic comedy-fantasy film written and directed by Woody Allen. The plot centers on a small group of Americans visiting the French capital for business and pleasure...
.
Early years
Elmaleh was born in CasablancaCasablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
, Morocco. He is Jewish and was brought up in a mixed cultural background, speaking Moroccan Arabic
Moroccan Arabic
Moroccan Arabic is the variety of Arabic spoken in the Arabic-speaking areas of Morocco. For official communications, the government and other public bodies use Modern Standard Arabic, as is the case in most Arabic-speaking countries. A mixture of French and Moroccan Arabic is used in business...
and French. He earned his Baccalaureate in Morocco at Lycee Lyautey in Casablanca before he studied political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
for four years, then moved to Paris to study drama.
His first one-man show Décalages, performed at the "Palais des glaces" in 1995, was autobiographical.
Career
Elmaleh's first contact with cinema was the full-length film, Salut cousin ! by Merzak Allouache. He later appeared in L'homme est une femme comme les autres and Train de Vie.His fame further increased with the success of his second one-man show, La Vie Normale, and the film La Vérité si je mens ! 2 (2000) in which he played the role of "Dov", the seducer. The character of "Chouchou" in La Vie Normale was reproduced in the comedy Chouchou
Chouchou (film)
Chouchou is a 2003 French comedy film about a maghrebin transvestite who settles in Paris to find his nephew. The film stars Gad Elmaleh as the title character Chouchou, for which he was nominated the César Award for Best Actor.-Cast:...
(2002), directed by Merzak Allouache and also starring Alain Chabat
Alain Chabat
Alain Chabat is a French actor and director who appeared in La Cité de la peur, French Twist, The Taste of Others and The Science of Sleep.- Life and career :Chabat was born in Oran, French Algeria. He is Jewish....
; the film drew large audiences.. He then did his debut as a singer in "it's kiz my life", a popular song in a non-existing language. The music video was directed by J.G Biggs and shot in the famous Parisian Hôtel Costes
Hôtel Costes
The Hôtel Costes is a famous hotel in Paris, France. Located in 239 rue St-Honoré, it is perhaps best known for its bar and courtyard café.The hotel was commissioned by the Costes brothers to the designer and architect Jacques Garcia in 1991...
.
In contrast to his first two one-man shows, his L’autre c’est moi (2005) contains more improvisation and interaction with the public. In an interview, Gad Elmaleh said that this one-man show is more in the tradition of stand up.
He returned to film in 2004 when he starred in the 2004 film Olé! with Gérard Depardieu
Gérard Depardieu
Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu is a French actor and filmmaker. He is a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, Chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite and has twice won the César Award for Best Actor...
. In 2005, he starred as François Pignon in La Doublure (English title "The Valet"), by Francis Veber
Francis Veber
Francis Paul Veber is a French film director, screenwriter and producer, and theater playwright. Many of his French comedies feature recurring types of characters, named François Pignon and François Perrin...
. In 2006, he appeared opposite Audrey Tautou
Audrey Tautou
Audrey Justine Tautou is a French model and film actress, best known for playing the title character in the award-winning 2001 film Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain, Sophie Neveu in the 2006 thriller The Da Vinci Code, Irène in Priceless and Coco Chanel in Coco avant Chanel...
in Hors de prix (English title "Priceless"), by Pierre Salvadori.
He came back to the stage with L'autre, c'est moi in September 2006 in Canada (Montreal) and in the U.S. (in Broadway, at the Beacon Theater in front of 3000 spectators); it was performed also in Casablanca, Morocco. Between April and August 2007 he played his successful show in France, Belgium, and Switzerland.
On July 15, 2007, Elmaleh premiered his latest show, Papa est en haut, in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
as part of the Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs is a comedy festival held each July in Montreal, Quebec, founded in 1983. It is the largest international comedy festival in the world.- Information :...
festival.
He also played the voice of Barry B. Benson in the French version of the 2007 film Bee Movie
Bee Movie
Bee Movie is a 2007 computer animated family comedy film starring Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, Megan Mullally, John Goodman, Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, and Patrick Warburton. Produced by DreamWorks Animation, it is directed by Simon J...
, Drôle d’Abeille.
In 2009, he released the film, Coco
Coco (film)
Coco is a 2009 French comedy film written, directed, and starring Gad Elmaleh. The film is based on a character sketch he created for his one-man show "La Vie Normale". The film earned $8.5 million in its opening weekend at the French box office, and went on to gross $11.7 million in the European...
, which he directed, wrote and starred in. In 2010 he appeared in a dramatic role in Roselyne Bosch's The Round Up
The Round Up (film)
The Round Up is a 2010 French film directed by Roselyne Bosch and produced by Alain Goldman. The film stars Mélanie Laurent, Jean Reno, Sylvie Testud and Gad Elmaleh...
, which is based on the events surrounding the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup.
Elmaleh was scheduled to perform in the 2009 Beiteddine Festival
Beiteddine Festival
The Beiteddine Festival is an annual summer festival that takes place in Beiteddine Palace in Beiteddine, Lebanon. It was established in 1984 with local artistic performances and it gradually started having regional and international performances...
in Lebanon on July 13–15.
In 2011, he had a small role in Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
's Paris-set feature, Midnight in Paris
Midnight in Paris
Midnight in Paris is a 2011 romantic comedy-fantasy film written and directed by Woody Allen. The plot centers on a small group of Americans visiting the French capital for business and pleasure...
. He also appeared in the motion capture film The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn alongside Jamie Bell
Jamie Bell
Andrew James Matfin "Jamie" Bell is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in the films Billy Elliot , King Kong , Hallam Foe , Jumper , Defiance , The Eagle and The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn .- Early life :Bell was born in Billingham, in the Borough of...
. The film which was directed by Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
and Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
, was released on October 26, 2011 in Belgium and is set to release in the United States on December 23, 2011. The same year, he also starred in Jack & Jill
Jack & Jill (film)
Jack and Jill is a 2011 comedy film starring Adam Sandler. Dennis Dugan, who has collaborated with Sandler on most of his films, served as director...
as Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
's French cook.
Awards
Elmaleh was awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des lettresOrdre des Arts et des Lettres
The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and confirmed as part of the Ordre national du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963...
medal by French culture minister Renaud DonneDieu de Vabres, in March 2006.
In January 2007, he was elected as "la personnalité la plus drôle de France" (The Funniest Person in France), beating out 49 other humorists.
He and Audrey Tautou
Audrey Tautou
Audrey Justine Tautou is a French model and film actress, best known for playing the title character in the award-winning 2001 film Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain, Sophie Neveu in the 2006 thriller The Da Vinci Code, Irène in Priceless and Coco Chanel in Coco avant Chanel...
received the 2007 NRJ Ciné Award for Best Kiss for one of their smooches in Hors de prix.
Personal
He lived with French actress Anne BrochetAnne Brochet
Anne Brochet is a French comedienne and actress. She has appeared in such films as Cyrano de Bergerac, Le temps des porte-plumes, 30 ans, Une journée de merde! and Tous les matins du monde. She has also appeared in several episodes the television show Voici venir l'orage......
from 1998 to 2002. They have one son, Noé. The story of their relationship and breakup can be found in Brochet's book Trajet d'une amoureuse éconduite.
Filmography
- La Vérité si je mens! 2 with Richard AnconinaRichard AnconinaRichard Anconina is a French actor.-Filmography:*1977 : Comment se faire réformer directed by Philippe Clair*1978 : Les Réformés se portent bien*1979 : Démons de midi directed by Christian Paureilhe...
, José GarciaJosé Garcia (actor)José Garcia , sometimes credited as José Luis Garcia, is a French film and television actor.- Early life and education :He was born in Paris, France.- Career :...
, Bruno Solo, Gilbert Melki – (2001) - A+ PolluxA+ PolluxA+ Pollux is a film by Luc Pagès, released in 2002. It is an adaptation of a novel by Philippe Jaenada, Le Chameau sauvage, which won the Prix de Flore in 1997.-Synopsis:...
with Cécile De FranceCécile de FranceCécile de France is a Belgian actress. After achieving success in French cinema hits such as L'Art de la séduction and Irène , she gained international attention for her lead role in Haute Tension and Hereafter .- Career :Born in Namur, she left Belgium at the age of 17 to go to Paris where she...
– 2002 - ChouchouChouchou (film)Chouchou is a 2003 French comedy film about a maghrebin transvestite who settles in Paris to find his nephew. The film stars Gad Elmaleh as the title character Chouchou, for which he was nominated the César Award for Best Actor.-Cast:...
with Alain ChabatAlain ChabatAlain Chabat is a French actor and director who appeared in La Cité de la peur, French Twist, The Taste of Others and The Science of Sleep.- Life and career :Chabat was born in Oran, French Algeria. He is Jewish....
– (2003) - Ole! with Gérard DepardieuGérard DepardieuGérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu is a French actor and filmmaker. He is a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, Chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite and has twice won the César Award for Best Actor...
– (2005) - La Doublure with Alice TaglioniAlice TaglioniAlice Taglioni is a French actress. She has a film Paris Manhattan coming out in 2011 where she will star with Patrick Bruel and Woody Allen it is directed by Sophie Lellouche.- Filmography :* Dandy * Jet Lag...
, Daniel AuteuilDaniel AuteuilDaniel Auteuil is a French film, television and theatre actor.-Early life and education:He was born in Algiers, French Algeria.-Career:...
, Dany BoonDany BoonDany Boon is a French comedian who has acted both on the stage and the screen. He takes his stage name from the television show Daniel Boone.-Life and career:...
, Virginie LedoyenVirginie LedoyenVirginie Fernandez , known by her stage name Virginie Ledoyen, is a French actress.-Life and career:She was born in Aubervilliers, Paris, the daughter of Olga, a restaurateur, and Bernard Fernandez, a merchant who sold cleaning products. Her paternal grandfather was Spanish...
, Kristin Scott ThomasKristin Scott ThomasKristin A. Scott Thomas, OBE is an English actress who has also acquired French nationality. She gained international recognition in the 1990s for her roles in Bitter Moon, Four Weddings and a Funeral and The English Patient....
– (2005) (English title: The Valet) - Hors de prix with Audrey TautouAudrey TautouAudrey Justine Tautou is a French model and film actress, best known for playing the title character in the award-winning 2001 film Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain, Sophie Neveu in the 2006 thriller The Da Vinci Code, Irène in Priceless and Coco Chanel in Coco avant Chanel...
– (2006) (English title: Priceless) - CocoCoco (film)Coco is a 2009 French comedy film written, directed, and starring Gad Elmaleh. The film is based on a character sketch he created for his one-man show "La Vie Normale". The film earned $8.5 million in its opening weekend at the French box office, and went on to gross $11.7 million in the European...
– (2009) - The Round UpThe Round Up (film)The Round Up is a 2010 French film directed by Roselyne Bosch and produced by Alain Goldman. The film stars Mélanie Laurent, Jean Reno, Sylvie Testud and Gad Elmaleh...
– (2009) - Midnight in ParisMidnight in ParisMidnight in Paris is a 2011 romantic comedy-fantasy film written and directed by Woody Allen. The plot centers on a small group of Americans visiting the French capital for business and pleasure...
– (2011) - The Adventures of Tintin – (2011)
- Jack & JillJack & Jill (film)Jack and Jill is a 2011 comedy film starring Adam Sandler. Dennis Dugan, who has collaborated with Sandler on most of his films, served as director...
- (2011)