With the dream of playing non-Arab roles and a passion for carving the path for upcoming actors, Tahar Rahim (طاهر رحيم) is a BAFTA and Golden Globe nominee French-Algerian actor. He is known for his versatile characters in films with different languages, cultures, and backgrounds. Tahar’s breakthrough role was in the French film A Prophete (2009) for which he won a French national Ceasar Award and Lumières Award. After tasting the fame and success, Rahim headed toward the series of internationally acclaimed films and rose to success with most of the roles he played. The French actor played the Marvel villain character (Ezekiel Sims) alongside Dakota Johnson in Madame Web (2024).
BIOGRAPHY
Tahar Rahim was born on 4 July 1981, in Belfort, France to Algerian parents. His parents were originally from Oran, Algeria. Tahar belongs to a North African Muslim family and had a dream of becoming an actor since his early childhood days. Although it was not normal for an Arab man to dream about working in the film industry, Tahar’s family was supportive of his passion. He moved to Paris to study film and worked as a construction worker and in nightclubs on the weekends to make ends meet. Rahim was always fascinated by evil and villainous characters and his goal was to work in Western cinema. Despite working mostly in Biographical films, Tahar experimented with his roles in every movie. Tahar said in an interview:
“When I agree to a project, it depends on either the character, the script, or the director. When it’s a true story you have a responsibility, so it’s scary. But if you convey their emotion and humanity to the audience, it doesn’t matter if you’re exactly the way the subject is.”
SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS
The most handsome and charismatic French actor is popular on Instagram and has a huge followership just like Pom Klementieff. Tahar is followed by many renowned names including Indian film director and producer, Karan Johar. The Napoleon actor shared the highlights of his life on social media as well as updates about his upcoming projects.
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| TikTok | Not Available |
WIKI
The Madame Web star is of Algerian roots. He is dazzling and has an elegant height of 5’9” feet. He has a natural black hair and fair skin. His sharp eyes and notorious smile are prominent features of his face. Tahar is frequently characterized as having an exceptionally attractive look and physique with being characterized as among the most handsome men in the world. Additionally, he always wears a silver ring on the small finger of his right hand. Moreover, his mustache and beard give him the most classical French-Arab look.
| Real Name | Tahar Rahim |
| Stage Name | Tahar Rahim |
| Nickname | N/A |
| Birthday | July 4, 1981 |
| Age | 41 years old |
| Birthplace | Belfort, France |
| Present Residence | Paris, France |
| Gender | Male |
| Zodiac Sign | Cancer |
| Nationality | French |
| Mother Tongue | French, Arabic |
| Ethnicity | Algerian |
| Religion | Islam |
| Education | Paul Valéry University Montpellier Laboratoire de l’Acteur |
| Qualification | Film & Drama |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Net Worth | USD 4 million approximately |
| Relationship Status | Married |
| Children | 4 |
| Height | 5′ 9” |
| Weight | 70kg |
| Eye Color | Natural Black |
| Hair Color | Natural Black |
| Hobbies | Travelling |
ZODIAC SIGN
The Serpent actor’s sun sign is Cancer. Cancer is a water sign, known for its highly sensitive nature and creativity. They are selfless, devoted, down-to-earth, and nurturing. Cancerians are dedicated to their passions and often gain popularity. Influential figures like Taylor Russell, Pamela Reif, Ariana Grande, and Danna Paola also have the same star sign as him.
PARENTS AND SIBLINGS
Rahim was born into a North African family from Algeria. His parents are Arab Muslims and moved to Belfast, France. The French actor has a strong bond with his family who has been supportive of his acting career since the beginning. He has a brother named Ahmed Rahim and also has a sister. Tahar loves the food his mother made and always mentioned the role of his family in his success. In an interview, Tahar states:
“I owe much of my success to my family. Regarding my religious faith. It’s hard to explain. I have a strong connection to God. This connection feeds me and I believe that it reminds me who I am.”
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
He got his early education from a local school in Belfast, France, and got his Baccalauréat at the Lycée Condorcet of Belfort. Later he moved to Strasbourg and Marseille where he enrolled himself in Sports and later in the Computer Sciences program. But soon he finds out that he has no interest in such subjects. Finally, he attended Paul Valéry University Montpellier and studied film subjects. Tahar was also starred in a university documentary there. After completing his studies he shifted to Paris in 2006 where he studied drama at Laboratoire de l’Acteur under the supervision of French actress Hélène Zidi-Chéruy.
RELATIONSHIP AND DATING RUMOR
The French-Arab rare beauty has been married to fellow French actress Leïla Bekhti. Both met on the sets of The Prophet in 2007. When they met, their chemistry hit the right chords and both have four children together. Although the most prestigious French couple are great admirers of each other, they still keep their private life away from the spotlight and are rarely photographed together. A son Souleymane was born in 2017 then the couple welcomed a daughter in 2020, with an unexpected third child in 2021, and the French couple was blessed with 4th child in March 2024. Tahar and Leila love their children a lot and Tahar said it’s hard to stay away from my kids for a long time. About marriage, Tahar states:
“To marry is a pact, an immense proof of love and fidelity. After, there are the hazards of life. But I believe in marriage for life.”
CAREER
Tahar Rahim started his acting career by playing minor roles in French movies. He made a brief appearance in the French horror movie Inside (2007). He met the director Jacques Audiard while leaving the film set who later gave him a breakthrough by casting him in the French film A Prophet (2009). His role as a Malik El Djebena gets him nominations for several French national awards including the Ceasar Awards as well as other distinct titles. Tahar caught the attention of controversial Chinese director Lou Ye during the Cannes Film Festival in 2009 and he made the film Love and Bruises (2011) with him. Rahim is mostly known for playing characters of different ethnicities and languages. In an interview, Tahar talked about his accents and characters:
“I had to do it for my first job over there, The Looming Tower (2018). The character is from Lebanon, but he left for the States when he was fourteen, and I portray him in his late twenties. Even if there’s a slight accent now, I chose to force it in the American direction. On The Serpent (2021), they asked me for a French accent but I didn’t want to do a caricature, so I found an in-between that worked. But in Napoleon (2023), they requested a British accent. Similarly, I spoke ancient Scottish Gaelic in The Eagle (2011)”
Films
The French-Algerian actor is known for his roles in Biographical films. He mostly plays contradictory characters, hesitating between good and evil. Tahar likes to understand his character on a deeper level and his roles are intense and serious. Furthermore, his versatile characters and transformational abilities captivate audiences with his raw and unmatchable talent. Let’s take a look at the films he worked in.
| Tahar l’étudiant | 2006 |
| Inside | 2007 |
| A Prophet | 2009 |
| The Eagle Les Hommes libres Love and Bruises Black Gold | 2011 |
| Our Children | 2012 |
| The Past Grand Central The Informant | 2013 |
| The Cut Samba Le Père Noël | 2014 |
| The Anarchists | 2015 |
| The Eagle Les Hommes Libres Love and Bruises Black Gold | 2016 |
| The Price of Success | 2017 |
| Mary Magdalene Treat Me Like Fire | 2018 |
| The Kindness of Strangers | 2019 |
| The Mauritanian | 2021 |
| Don Juan | 2022 |
| Napoleon | 2023 |
| Madame Web Smiling Hacker | 2024 |
| Monsieur Aznavour | Coming Soon |
Television
From French and British crime-murder dramas to the powerful role of a serial killer in American series, Rahim played outstanding roles which gave him international recognition. A list of Television series in which he played a significant role is as follows:
| La Commune | 2007 |
| Carlos | 2010 |
| The Last Panthers | 2015 |
| The Looming Tower | 2018 |
| The Eddy | 2020 |
| The Serpent | 2021 |
| Extrapolations | 2023 |
NET WORTH
The French-Algerian actor has a net worth of USD 4 million approximately. He is the most successful French star and has a dedicated fandom not only in France but all over the world. His main source of income is several successful roles in French, British, and American Films, TV, and online series. Other than that, he also appeared in the brand campaigns for several French luxurious brands such as Louis Vuitton and appeared in magazines such as Vogue Greece, France, GQ Middle East, Vanity Fair, and Man in Town.
FAVORITES
The dashing Tahar Rahim has a great taste for many things in his life. He revealed in a different interview about his inspiration from multiple resources and people. Let’s see what are his favorite things:
| Favorite Color | Black White |
| Favorite Actor | Leonardo DiCaprio Cillian Murphy |
| Favorite Actress | Alicia Vikander |
| Favorite Personality | Emir’ Abdelkader |
| Favorite Director | Jacques Audiard |
| Favorite Singer | Umm Kulthum Édith Piaf Cheikha Rimitti |
| Favorite Song | Classical French and Arabic |
| Favorite Movie | 1970’s Hollywood |
| Favorite TV Show | Peaky Blinders Breaking Bad |
| Favorite Food | Algerian Meatballs Roga Harsha Kahel Taham Felfela |
| Favorite Drink | Coffee |
| Favorite Sports | Soccer |
| Favorite Brand | Louis Vuitton |
| Favorite Destination | Paris Thailand America Middle East |
AWARDS
Tahar Rahim won several awards for his excellent and remarkable roles in film and TV. Here is the list of his achievements.
| British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA)/ 2010 & 2021 | Nominated |
| César Awards/ 2010 Lumières Awards/ 2010 Prix Patrick Dewaere/ 2010 | Won |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards/ 2010 | Nominated |
| IFTA Film & Drama Awards/ 2011 | Nominated |
| Chlotrudis Awards/ 2014 | Nominated |
| European Film Awards/ 2009 | Won |
| Dublin Film Critics’ Circle Awards/ 2010 Globe de Cristal Awards/ 2010 | Won |
| Golden Globe Awards/ 2021 & 2022 | Nominated |
| London Film Critics Circle Awards/ 2010 & 2021 | Nominated |
| Santa Barbara International Film Festival Awards/ 2021 | Won |
| Royal Television Society Programme Awards/ 2022 | Nominated |
INTERESTING FACTS
- Tahar once tried to write a script of his own but failed due to a lack of plot.
- Rahim is fluent in French, and Arabic as well as an American accent.
- He likes to play roles which are from different ethnicities, languages, and cultures.
- The French actor is fond of South Korean cinema and called it the next Hollywood.
- Tahar speaks up for the rights of Palestinians in Gaza.
- Tahar Rahim speaks with the psychologist about nightmares to play the role of a Marvel villain in Madame Web (2024).
- Rahim loves Algerian food and traveling.
- The French actor is a big fan of Thomas Shelby, a character played by Cillian Murphy in Peaky Blinders.
Quotes
“I’m just a boy from the countryside. These awards ceremonies exist in another world, like myths. They’re not something I ever thought about, so it’s not a dream come true. It is the impossible made real.”
“Languages connect you to a country’s culture, so each time you ask for a word and you want to understand something, it comes from somewhere. You learn a little bit more every time.”
“There’s really nothing to do there. Some kids go walking in the mountains but I just went to the cinema. So when I told my parents I wanted to be an actor, even though this wasn’t normal for Arab kids or anyone in the town, they were sort of expecting it and were very supportive.”
“I find it harder to play someone who’s just happy in a simple life because it’s too real, too common, too natural.”
Is Tahar Rahim an Arab?
He was born in Belfort, France to North African parents from Algeria.
Who played the character of Ezekiel Sims in Madame Web?
Tahar Rahim is a French actor who played the role of a Marvel villain in Madame Web (2024).
Does Tahar Rahim speak Arabic?
Yes, he is multilingual and fluent in French, Arabic and English.
Does Tahar Rahim have children?
He married fellow French actress Leïla Bekhti and together they have 4 children.
Where does Tahar Rahim live now?
He lived in Paris, France.
