Malik Zidi


Malik Zidi is a French film, television and theatre actor. He is a César Award recipient for Most Promising Actor.

Life and career

Malik Zidi was born in Châtenay-Malabry to a Kabyle, Algerian father and a Breton mother. He spent his formative years in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, a suburb of Paris. Zidi abandoned his conventional studies early to concentrate on a career in comedy. Following courses at the Théâtre Véronique Nordey, and the Théâtre de Proposition in Paris, he briefly studied acrobatics and mime at the Théâtre de la Piscine and cinema at the Studio Pygmalion. Zidi made his first film appearance in the 1998 Sébastien Lifshitz-directed Les Corps ouverts.
In 2000, Zidi was chosen by director François Ozon to appear as the troubled, lovelorn, bisexual youth Franz in the Teddy Award-winning film Water Drops on Burning Rocks. The film was based on the play Tropfen auf heisse Steine by German film director and screenwriter Rainer Werner Fassbinder. The film is a four-part comedy-drama shot entirely on one set and featuring only four actors: Zidi, Bernard Giraudeau, Ludivine Sagnier and American actress Anna Levine. Zidi's role in Water Drops on Burning Rocks garnered him his first of four César Award nominations.
Malik Zidi followed up with roles in the 2002 Antoine Santana-directed Un moment de bonheur opposite Isild Le Besco, earning his second César Award nomination for Most Promising Actor. In 2004, he appeared in the André Téchiné-directed romantic drama Les Temps qui changent as Sami, the bisexual son of Cécile, who visits his parents in Tangiers so that he may visit his Moroccan boyfriend. The film also starred actor Gérard Depardieu and was nominated for a Satellite Award. Zidi received his third César Award nomination.
In 2006, Zidi appeared in the Emmanuel Bourdieu-drama Les Amitiés maléfiques. The film was showcased at the Cannes Film Festival and Bourdieu received the Critics Week Grand Prize and the Grand Golden Rail. The film also won the SACD Screenwriting Award and Zidi was once again nominated for a César Award, winning the Award for Most Promising Actor 2007.
In addition to film, Zidi has appeared in numerous television roles.

Personal life

Zidi currently resides in the Ile-de-France. He lists Michel Piccoli and Laurent Terzieff as his "heroes" and is a jazz aficionado.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1998Open BodiesClassroom mate
1998Place VendômeSam's Son
1998Le Onzième commandement
2000Water Drops on Burning RocksFranzNominated—César Award for Most Promising Actor
2000The Judge Is a WomanYvanTV series
2000Deuxième vieThe cybercafé waiter
2001VertigesNicoTV series
2001Sa mère, la puteBimboTelefilm
2002Un moment de bonheurPhilippeNominated—César Award for Most Promising Actor
2002Almost PeacefulJoseph
2002Froid comme l'étéBaudelaire
2003My Children Are DifferentThomas
2003The ThibaultsJacques ThibaultTV mini-series
2004Sissi, l'impératrice rebelleRodolpheTelefilm
2004Old GoriotEugène de RastignacTelefilm
2004Changing TimesSamiNominated—César Award for Most Promising Actor
2005Looking for CheyennePierre
2005Les Rois mauditsPhilippe VI de ValoisTV miniseries
2006Beyond the OceanBruno
2006Poison FriendsEloi DuhautCésar Award for Most Promising Actor
Nominated—Lumières Award for Most Promising Actor
2006Le Grand MeaulnesFranz
2007Jacquou le CroquantTouffu
2007Les CamaradesFrançoisTV mini-series
2007Les Zygs, le secret des disparusJean / BéjeanTelefilm
2007Le BaiserThe manShort film
2007Faits diversFranckShort film
2008Rendez-vous au tas de sable...VincentShort film
2008Miroir, mon beau miroirLepicTelefilm
2008La Mort n'oublie personneJean RicouartTelefilm
2008Geliebte ClaraJohannes Brahms
2009Après moiHugoTelefilm
2009ExMarc
2009Un chat un chatAntoine
2009Venus and ApolloPaul
2009Sweet FranceMourad ChaoucheTelefilm
2009The Queen of ClubsAurélien
2010Mysteries of LisbonVisconde de Armagnac
2011Mysteries of LisbonVisconde de ArmagnacTV mini-series
2011RebellionJP Perrot
2012The Gordji AffairLuc DelairTelefilm
2012Le Silence et l'OubliEmmanuelShort film
2012Lines of WellingtonOctave de Ségur
2012Berthe MorisotÉdouard ManetTelefilm
2012As Linhas de Torres VedrasOctave de SégurTV mini-series
2012A Child of YoursVictor
2013Amaro amoreAndrè
2013The MarchersPhilippe
2013Loulou, l'incroyable secretLoulou
2013Robbery on the Champs-ÉlyséesMathieuShort film
2014Sire Gauvain et le Chevalier VertBertilak / Le Chevalier VertShort film
2015Le Ciel du centaureIngeniero
2015The AssistantThomas Lemans
2015Made in FranceSam
2016DaguerrotypeThomas
2016André Debierne
2017Gauguin - Voyage de TahitiHenri Vallin
2017NoxRaphaël BergerTV mini-series
2018Tout ce qu'il me reste de la révolutionSaïd
2019Play
2019Vers la batailleLouis
TBAO2Filming

Other awards