Gad Elmaleh makes touching revelations about Élie Kakou: 'I wanted to be like him'

Few people know it, but before becoming one of the most emblematic figures of humor, Gad Elmaleh took his first steps in the world of the stage in a discreet but meaningful way. Barely 18 or 19 years old, young Gad found himself in the shadow of an artist already well known to the public: Elie Kakou. This one, with its inimitable style and its colorful characters, conquered the spectators of the 90s with shows imbued with audacity and incisive humor. Gad Elmaleh, then passionate about theater and humor, was offered an exceptional opportunity: he became the “pursuer” by Élie Kakou, the technician in charge of following the actor with a projector during his performances. As he says, “He’s the first famous person I knew.”.

Observing Élie Kakou so closely allows him to decode the subtleties of a show, to understand the play of lights, and above all, to capture the way in which a comedian can play with the audience. This role offers him real live training, at the heart of the creation and execution of shows.