Bad twist of theater. A resident of the Comédie-Française is summoned by the institution for a “preliminary interview with a view to dismissal”announced the latter, Wednesday January 15, after learning “death threats” made in particular against the environmentalist MP Sandrine Rousseau. In June 2021, this 52-year-old actor, Nâzim Boudjenah, had already been sentenced in Paris to six months of suspended imprisonment for death threats made in 2019 and 2020 against a former girlfriend, Marie Coquille-Chambel with a probationary suspension of two years including a ban on contacting the victim, an obligation to provide compensation and care.
Despite everything, he has remained an employee of the Comédie-Française until now but has been subject to “a measure of removal” and no longer played within the institution according to Éric Ruf, its general administrator. Gold, “new facts” – of the “serious actions” – were worn “to the knowledge of the Comédie-Française” during the hearing, Monday January 13, of Éric Ruf before the National Assembly’s commission of inquiry into violence committed in the cinema and performing arts sectors, says the institution in a press release.
“Serious threats”
The president of this commission Sandrine Rousseau testified on this occasion to the fact that this actor had, in July 2024, “also made death threats against [elle]». “Which pushed me to file a complaint against him, to report it to the prosecutor” she added. HAS Liberationthe deputy specifies that the actor “made publications on X (formerly Twitter)” where he talks about putting her in a “acid bathtub” or even from him «[casser] head on the sidewalk, on screenshots that Libé was able to consult.
She also remembers meeting him by chance in front of the National Assembly. “I didn’t even know him,” she explains to Liberation. Nâzim Boudjenah calls on the MP, and presents himself as the author of the death threats against her, as she reports: “It was an incredible moment, fortunately I was accompanied by a parliamentary colleague, so I was more calm but it is very impressive. He looked like he had taken substances and was upset.” The trial between him and the actor will take place “next June 6”.
A dismissal in sight
During the parliamentary committee, the environmentalist MP questioned Éric Ruf about the actor. The Frenchman’s administrator confirmed that he was still an employee there but that he had “put in place a distancing measure. He hasn’t played again since.” within the institution. The affair took another turn this Wednesday, because the actor will now probably lose his job. “The discovery of these new facts authorizes the Comédie-Française […] to summon him to a preliminary interview with a view to his dismissal”she adds, without naming this employee.
In its press release, the Comédie-Française specifies that it has “already taken measures against this employee by immediately removing him from the sets”. Elle “firmly refutes the allegations of inertia, since it has put in place all the necessary measures to prevent and protect the health and safety of its employees, which is at the heart of its daily concerns. She reaffirms her total support for victims of gender-based and sexual violence.”
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