Leïla Bekhti

She is a French film and television actress known for her nuanced performances. Born Yasmine Leïla Bekhti on 6 March 1984 in Issy‑les‑Moulineaux, a suburb of Paris, she grew up as the youngest of three children in an Algerian family originally from Sidi Bel‑Abbes. Her upbringing was steeped in both French and Algerian cultures, and she has spoken about her Muslim identity and her ability to converse in Algerian Arabic thanks to her grandmother. Determined to pursue acting, Bekhti attended drama school in Paris’s 18th arrondissement and later enrolled in the program of Stéphane Gildas in Tolbiac, before studying under Bérengère Basty at the Art’aire studio. To fund her studies she worked a series of odd jobs in clothing retail and telemarketing, experiences that she says kept her grounded. Her first break came in 2005 when friends urged her to audition for the horror film Sheitan, where she was cast as Yasmin, a young beurette, launching her professional career. The film’s success, with around 300,000 tickets sold, gave her visibility and led to roles in television and cinema such as the telefilm Harkis and the segment “Quais de Seine” in the anthology Paris, je t’aime. These early projects reflected her interest in stories about the Algerian diaspora and the complexities of French‑Algerian history. She also appeared in Mauvaise Foi, playing the sister of Roschdy Zem’s character, further establishing her as a versatile talent. By the end of the decade she had built a reputation for selecting socially resonant material. In 2008 Bekhti earned a Best Actress award at the Silhouette Festival for her performance in Choisir d’aimer, confirming her critical appeal. The following year she delivered a memorable turn as Djamila in Jacques Audiard’s A Prophet, the sole female role in a film that won nine César Awards and the Grand Prix at Cannes, raising her international profile. Her breakthrough commercial success arrived with the 2010 comedy‑drama Tout ce qui brille, directed by Géraldine Nakache, where her portrayal of Lila earned her the César Award for Most Promising Actress and a Golden Swan at Cabourg. The film’s 1.3 million tickets sold cemented her status as a leading actress of her generation. She continued to diversify, starring in television projects such as the Swedish series Midnattssol (2016) and the biopic of Maria Montessori (2024). In addition to acting, she became the face of L’Oréal in 1 111, expanding her presence in advertising. On a personal note, she married fellow French‑Algerian actor Tahar Rahim in 2010, a partnership forged on the set of A Prophet, and together they have four children born between 2017 and 2024. The couple’s activism was evident in June 2024 when they signed a petition urging President Emmanuel Macron to recognize the State of Palestine. Throughout her career, Bekhti has been praised for her ability to portray strong, authentic women navigating cultural identity, making her a compelling figure in contemporary French cinema. Her ongoing work, both on screen and in public life, continues to inspire audiences across Europe and the Maghreb.