Gad Elmaleh, Moroccan comedian and actor born in 1971 in Casablanca, is an emblematic figure of the French cultural landscape. Despite his popularity in France, he does not have French nationality. In 8:30 p.m. Sundayhe explains the reasons.
Since his show entitled The Other is me in 2005, Gad Elmaleh entered the hearts of the French public. The comedian becomes a national icon. Sketches like Le Blond et The Supermarket become cult. The finesse of his humor, mixed with an incredible ability to imitate and embody different characters, appeals to a wide audience. Gad Elmaleh is one of the first French comedians to fill gigantic venues like the Zénith and the Accor Arena in Bercy.
In the cinema, he seduces with different roles in successful films like The truth if I lie 2, Pet where he plays a touching transvestite or the film Coco which he also realizes.
An immigrant who feels good in France
Although a major public figure in France and living there for several years, the comedian never acquired French nationality. He was born in Casablanca and obtained Canadian citizenship in the 1990s, during which he lived and studied in Montreal.
In 8:30 p.m. Sunday of this January 5, he explains the reasons, the first being the complexity of the administrative procedures: “I do not have a French passport, I do not have French citizenship. It’s not a belief. To be very honest, I started the process a long time ago, and It was such a job that I gave up.” Then, he explains that there is a much more personal reason for this decision: “I liked the idea of being an immigrant in France for whom things are going very well and who lives the life of the Frenchwho does not need to become French to be loved, appreciated, helped initially by the French.“A choice which did not prevent him from conquering the hearts of the French thanks to his universal humor, his humanity and his ability to juggle several cultures.
