Jamel Debbouze

About this actor

Jamel Debbouze (Arabic: جمال دبّوز‎; born 18 June 1975) is a French actor, comedian and producer of Moroccan descent. Debbouze is the oldest of five brothers. He was born in Paris, France, but his family moved to Morocco the following year. They returned in 1979 and settled in Trappes, where Jamel spent the rest of his childhood. 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, while another young man, Jean-Paul Admette, died. After this accident Debbouze met Alain Degois, his mentor, and began his career as a comedian/actor. On 29 March 2008 Jamel Debbouze became engaged to French journalist and news anchor Mélissa Theuriau; the two married on 7 May 2008. They had a son on 3 December 2008 named Léon. 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...