Dany Boon, born Daniel Farid Hamidou in Armentières, Northern France, initially studied arts before pursuing a career as a comedian, honing his skills on the Parisian open-mic circuit in the late 1980s. His breakthrough came in the early 1990s when he started collaborating with renowned producer Patrick Sébastien. Boon’s popular one-man shows, such as Je vais bien, tout va bien (1995), established him as a rising star on the French comedy scene, before he made his foray into acting by landing more substantial parts in comedies like Le Déménagement (1997) and Bimboland (1998). But Dany Boon’s career reached new heights in 2008 with the release of his directorial debut, Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis, which became the highest-grossing French film of all time, with over 20 million admissions. The film’s success cemented Boon’s status as one of France’s most bankable comedic talents. He has since directed and starred in several other hit comedies, including Rien à déclarer (2011), Supercondriaque (2014) and La Ch’tite Famille (2018). Beyond his work in front of and behind the camera, Boon is known for his philanthropic endeavours, supporting organisations that help the underprivileged and those affected by natural disasters.
