Alain Chabat

Alain Chabat (born 24 November 1958 in Oran, French Algeria) is a multifaceted French entertainer whose career spans more than three decades. Raised in a Jewish family, he moved to mainland France where his comedic instincts found fertile ground in the burgeoning cable television scene of the late 1980s. In 1987 he co‑founded the cult comedy troupe Les Nuls alongside Bruno Carette, Chantal Lauby and Dominique Farrugia; their absurdist sketches and sci‑fi parody "Objectif Nul" quickly made them icons on Canal+. The group’s irreverent humor, heavily influenced by Anglo‑American slapstick, set the stage for Chabat’s breakthrough as co‑writer and star of the 1994 cult classic La Cité de la peur, a film that cemented his reputation as a master of pop‑culture reference comedy. Over the next years he diversified his portfolio, co‑creating the wildly popular game show Burger Quiz, which still holds the record for the most watched entertainment programme in French television history. His energetic on‑screen presence, combined with a sharp wit, earned him a place among France’s most beloved comedians. Transitioning behind the camera, Chabat proved equally adept as a director and screenwriter, penning and helming a string of commercially successful comedies. Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002) showcased his knack for blending slapstick with lavish production design, while the absurdist RRRrrrr!!! (2004) and the family‑friendly Houba! On the Trail of the Marsupilami (2012) displayed his willingness to experiment with genre. He earned the César Award for Best First Film in 1998 for Didier, and his vocal talent brought the beloved ogre to French audiences as the voice of Shrek across all four installments. Beyond cinema, Chabat returned to television as host of Le Late avec Alain Chabat in 2022 and, from 2021, developed the animated Netflix miniseries Asterix and Obelix: The Big Fight, slated to premiere in 2025, confirming his enduring relevance in French popular culture.