Malik Zidi

Biography

Malik Zidi, born in Châtenay-Malabry to a Kabyle Algerian father and a Breton mother, grew up in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, a suburb of Paris. He left traditional education early to pursue a career in comedy, honing his craft at the Théâtre Véronique Nordey and the Théâtre de Proposition in Paris. He also explored acrobatics and mime at the Théâtre de la Piscine and studied cinema at Studio Pygmalion. Zidi made his film debut in the 1998 drama Les Corps ouverts, directed by Sébastien Lifshitz.

His breakthrough came in 2000 when François Ozon cast him as Franz, a complex, bisexual character, in the Teddy Award-winning film Water Drops on Burning Rocks (French: Gouttes d'eau sur pierres brûlantes), adapted from Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s play. This role earned Zidi his first César Award nomination, setting the stage for his illustrious career.

In 2002, he starred in Un moment de bonheur, directed by Antoine Santana, which led to a second César nomination for Most Promising Actor. Zidi continued to build his filmography with a role in the acclaimed 2004 romantic drama Les Temps qui changent, alongside legends like Catherine Deneuve and Gérard Depardieu, garnering a third César nomination.

His 2006 performance in Les Amitiés maléfiques, directed by Emmanuel Bourdieu, showcased at Cannes, won him the César Award for Most Promising Actor in 2007. Beyond film, Zidi has also made significant contributions to television. In 2020, he ventured into literature with his debut novel, L'ombre du soir, published by Éditions Anne Carrière.