List of French people of immigrant origin

Algeria

(including Maghrebi Jews and Berbers)

Actors and filmmakers

Isabelle Adjani, actress; holds the record for most César Awards for Best Actress, with five awards

Jean-Pierre Bacri, actor

Leïla Bekhti (1984–), actress, César Award for Most Promising Actress in 2011

Catherine Belkhodja (1955–), artist, and her daughters Isild Le Besco and Maïwenn Le Besco, actress

Yasmine Belmadi, actor

Yamina Benguigui, film director, Junior Minister for French Nationals Abroad and Relations with La Francophonie (French-speaking countries worldwide) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Jean Benguigui, actor

Richard Berry, actor

Dany Boon (1966–), actor, comedian

Rachid Bouchareb, film director

Rachida Brakni, actress

Alain Chabat, comedian, film director, scriptwriter and producer

Élie Chouraqui, film director, producer and scriptwriter

Farid Chopel (1952–2008), actor

Abdel Raouf Dafri, scriptwriter

Gérard Darmon, actor

Samir Guesmi, actor

Nora Hamdi (1968–), film director

Roger Hanin, actor filmmaker

Hafsia Herzi, actress

Salim Kechiouche, actor

Claude Lelouch, film director, producer, scriptwriter and actor

Jalil Lespert, actor

Maïwenn, actress, film director

Kad Merad, actor

Samy Naceri (1961–), actor

Marie-José Nat, actress, Best Actress at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival for her performance in Les Violons du bal

Mehdi Nebbou, French actor, Algerian father and German mother

Safy Nebbou, French actor, Algerian father and German mother

Daniel Prévost (1939–), actor and comedian and his son Sören Prévost, comedian

Tahar Rahim (1981–), actor, César Award for Best Actor in 2010, European Film Award for Best Actor in 2009

Sabrina Ouazani, actress

Samy Seghir, actor

Zinedine Soualem, actor

Jacques Villeret (1951–2005), actor

Michaël Youn, actor

Claude Zidi, filmmaker

Malik Zidi (1975–), actor

Singers and musicians

Franck Amsallem, pianist

Chimène Badi, singer

Amel Bent (1985–), singer

Louis Bertignac (born to an Algerian Jewish father and a Spanish mother), musician

Cheb Mami, singer

Chico Bouchikhi, singer, co-founder of the Gipsy Kings

Patrick Bruel, born Maurice Benguigui, singer

Étienne Daho, singer

Demon One, rapper

DJ Mam's, DJ, music producer

Quentin Elias, singer, part of Alliage

Kenza Farah, singer

Faudel, singer

Imhotep, DJ, music producer

Jenifer, singer

Juliette, singer

Khaled, singer

Lacrim, rapper

Sheryfa Luna, singer

Melissa M, singer

Enrico Macias, singer

Médine, rapper

Marcel Mouloudji (1922–1994), poet and singer

Najim, singer

Juliette Noureddine (1962–), singer, author and composer

Ridan, singer

Merwan Rim, singer

Rim'K, rapper

Sinik, rapper

Skalp, DJ, music producer

Sofiane, singer

Martial Solal, jazz pianist

Sportsmen

Robert Abdesselam, tennis player

Karim Benzema (1987–), football player

Alphonse Halimi, boxer

Maxime Mermoz, French professional rugby union footballer

Alfred Nakache, swimmer, water polo

Samir Nasri (1987–), soccer player

Alain Mimoun (1921–), Olympic marathon champion

Zinedine Zidane, football player

Others

Alain Afflelou, Alain Afflelou SA is one of the leading optical retailers in France

Fadela Amara, Secretary of State

Kader Arif, Junior Minister for Veterans at the French Ministry of Defence

Jacques Attali, economist, writer

Amin Maalouf, author

Alain Bashung (1947–), author, composer, performer and comedian

Azouz Begag (1957), writer and politician

Paul Bénichou, historian

Nina Bouraoui (1967–), writer

Jean Daniel BenSaïd (1920–), director of Le Nouvel Observateur

Hélène Cixous, writer

Annie Cohen-Solal, writer

Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, physicist, Nobel Prize (1997)

Jean-François Copé (his mother's name is Monique Ghanassia), politician

Rachida Dati, Minister of Justice

Jacques Derrida, philosopher

Julien Dray, politician

Jean-Pierre Elkabbach, journalist

Pierre Fédida, psychanalyst

Denis Guedj, writer and mathematician

Bernard-Henri Lévy, writer and philosopher

Arnaud Montebourg (his mother's name is Leïla Ould Cadi), France's Minister of Industrial Renewal since May 2012

Salah, dancer

Benjamin Stora, historian

Argentina

Keny Arkana, singer and rap artist

Bérénice Bejo, actress

David Trezeguet, football player

Armenia

Simon Abkarian, actor

Rosy Armen, singer

Serge Avédikian, producer

Charles Aznavour, singer

Édouard Balladur, former Prime Minister

Alain Boghossian, soccer player

Jean Carzou, painter

Patrick Devedjian, ministre

Youri Djorkaeff, soccer player

Patrick Fiori, singer

Georges Garvarentz, composer

Robert Guédiguian, film director

François Kevorkian, music producer, record label owner

Philippe Vartan Khazarian, film director, producer, screenwriter

Francis Kurkdjian, perfumer

Marie Laforêt, actress

Michel Legrand, musical composer, arranger, conductor, pianist and prolific film and television scores composer

Missak Manouchian, poet, communist militant during World War II

André Manoukian, composer, musician

Mathieu Madénian, humorist, actor

Alain Prost, racing driver

Cyriaque Rivieyran, football player

Hélène Ségara, singer

Jean Ter-Merguerian, violinist

Henri Troyat, writer

Michael Vartan, actor

Sylvie Vartan, singer

Francis Veber, film director, screenwriter and producer and theater playwright of Armenian Jewish descent

Henri Verneuil, filmmaker

Belgium

Raymond Devos, humorist

Johnny Hallyday, singer

Yann Tiersen, musician

Bosnia

Josiane Balasko, actress

Bulgaria

Tzvetan Todorov, essayist and historian

Sylvie Vartan, singer

Cameroon

Dieudonné M'bala M'bala, humorist

Yannick Noah, former tennis player and singer

Chile

Sergio Coronado, politician

Marisol Touraine, politician

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Steve Mandanda, footballer

Congo, Republic of the

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, tennis player

Cyprus

Diam's, singer

Egypt

Richard Anthony

Guy Béart, author, composer and performer

Emmanuelle Béart, actress

Andrée Chedid, poet and novelist

Louis Chedid, singer

Matthieu Chedid, author, composer, and rock performer

Nagui, TV and radio personality

England

Jane Birkin

Charlotte Gainsbourg

François Grosjean, psycholinguist and specialist on bilingualism

Emily Loizeau

Jeanne Moreau, actress and singer

Charlotte Rampling

Germany

Isabelle Adjani, actress

Daniel Cohn-Bendit, politician

Laurent Fabius (maternal grandmother from Frankfurt), politician

Jean-Jacques Goldman, singer

Robert Guédiguian, film director

Stéphane Hessel, diplomat, writer

Gérard Lenorman, singer

Eugène Schueller, pharmacist

Greece

Vassilis Alexakis, writer

Nikos Aliagas, talk show host, singer

Kostas Axelos, philosopher

Georges Moustaki, singer

Iannis Xenakis, composer

Hungary

Lorànt Deutsch, actor and writer

Michel Jonasz, singer

Mathieu Kassovitz, film director

Joseph Kosma, composer

Nicolas Sarkozy, French president

Béatrice Schönberg, journalist

Sylvie Vartan, singer

Iran

Robert Hossein, actor, filmmaker

Yasmina Reza, filmmaker

Aravane Rezaï, tennis player

Marjane Satrapi, cartoonist and film director

Italy

Dalida, singer

Roberto Alagna, tenor

Jean Alesi, racing driver

Claude Bartolone, President of the National Assembly

Jean-Paul Belmondo, actor

Georges Brassens, singer

Calogero, singer

Laetitia Casta, actress and model

François Cavanna, writer

Francis Cabrel, singer

Philippe Candeloro, patineur

Eric Cantona, actor and footballer

Benjamin Castaldi, television personality

Coluche, humorist

Laurence Ferrari, journalist

Léo Ferré, singer

Aurélie Filippetti, Minister of Culture and Communication

Geneviève Fioraso, Minister of Higher Education and Research

Marina Foïs, actress

Florence Foresti, comedian and actress

Raymond Forni, politician

Claude François, singer

Joseph Gallieni, marshal of France

Max Gallo, writer and historian

Léon Gambetta, statesman

Jean Giono, writer

Fabrice Luchini, actor

Jean-Baptiste Lully, composer

Elsa Lunghini, singer

Léon Gambetta, politician

Gilles Marini, actor

Chiara Mastroianni, actress

Yves Montand (Ivo Livi), actor

Roger Piantoni, soccer player

Michel Platini, soccer player

Serge Reggiani, actor

Hélène Ségara, actress

Sylvie Testud, actress

Albert Uderzo, writer, humorist and cartoonist, creator of Asterix

Émile Zola, writer

Lebanon

Louis Chedid, singer, songwriter

Matthieu Chedid, aka -M-, rock guitarist

Gilbert Collard, writer, barrister and politician; one of his great grand-fathers, Fatallah Tarrazi, was from Lebanon

Omar Harfouch, businessman

Eid Hourany, nuclear physicist

Antoine Karam, politician, President of the Regional Council of French Guiana

Vénus Khoury-Ghata, writer, poet

Thomas Langmann, film producer, actor of Lebanese Jewish descent

Amin Maalouf, author, novelist

Ibrahim Maalouf, musician, trumpet player, composer

Robert Mazlo, art jeweller and goldsmith

Pierre-Antoine Melki, aka Nius, music producer

RAmez, rapper

Jean-Pierre Rassam, film producer

Julien Rassam, film actor

Jacques Saadé, businessman

Princess Sarah, singer

Gabriel Yacoub, guitarist, singer

Gabriel Yared, music composer

Ycare, singer, songwriter

Lithuania

Joseph Kessel, writer

Emmanuel Levinas, philosopher

Mexico

Carlos de Beistegui, art collector and decorator

Dominique Fernandez, writer

Adan Jodorowsky, actor and musician

Alan Vanzo, tenor and composer

Moldova

Cécilia Attias, second wife of Nicolas Sarkozy

Morocco

Fu'ad Aït Aattou, actor

Richard Anconina, actor

Pierre Assouline, journalist

Aure Atika (1970–), actress

Robert Benayoun, movie critic

José Bénazéraf, film director, scriptwriter and producer

Rachida Dati, politician

Jamel Debbouze, humorist

Gad Elmaleh, humorist

Nadia Farès, actress

David Guetta, house music DJ

Saïda Jawad (1970–), actress

Roger Karoutchi (his mother's name is Solange Fedida), politician

Yasmine Lafitte (née Hafida El Khabchi), pornstar

Salah, dancer

Élie Semoun, humorist

Saïd Taghmaoui, actor

Elisa Tovati, actress

Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, French Minister of Women's Rights and spokesperson for the government since May 2012

Roschdy Zem (1965–), actor

Singers and musicians

Amel Bent, singer

Frida Boccara, singer

Booba, rapper

Canardo, rapper

Cut Killer, DJ

DJ Abdel, DJ

Kamelanc', rapper

Larusso, singer

Édith Piaf (1915–1963), singer

La Fouine, rapper, singer

Mister You, rapper

Nessbeal, rapper

Sapho, singer

Zifou, rapper

Norway

Eva Joly, politician and former judge

Alexis Pinturault, alpine ski racer

Yann Tiersen, musician

Poland

Guillaume Apollinaire, writer

Robert Badinter, lawyer, academic, essayist and politician

Claude Berri, film director

Juliette Binoche, actress

Marie-George Buffet, politician

Marie Curie, physicist

Alain Finkielkraut, philosopher, writer and essayist

Jean-Pierre Foucault, television personality

Romain Gary, romancier

Jean-Jacques Goldman, singer

René Goscinny, writer, humorist, known around the world for the Asterix books

Michel Jazy, middle distance runner

Raymond Kopa, football player

Laurent Koscielny, football player

Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, politician

Henri Krasucki, politician

Jean-Marie Lustiger, Archbishop of Paris

Jean Malaquais, writer

Frédéric Michalak, rugby player

Jean-Pierre Mocky, film director

Ludovic Obraniak, football player

Georges Pérec, writer

Damien Perquis, football player

M. Pokora, singer

Roman Polanski, film director

Michel Poniatowski, politician

Régine, artist

Catherine Ringer, singer

Simone Signoret, actress

Michel Wieviorka, sociologue

Georges Wolinski, cartoonist and comics writer

Portugal

Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, musician (Daft Punk member)

Linda de Suza, singer

Kévin Gameiro, footballer

Antoine Griezmann, footballer; his mother is from Portugal

Bruno Lopes, aka Kool Shen, French rapper and producer

Corentin Martins, footballer

Marie Myriam, singer

Morgan Parra, rugby player

Robert Pirès, footballer

Romania

Jean-François Copé, politician

Claude Berri, film director

Marcel Dalio, actor

Michel Drucker, French journalist and TV host

Eugène Ionesco, writer

Cyprien Iov, YouTube celebrity

Michèle Laroque, actress

Pierre Moscovici, politician

Cédric Pioline, former tennis player

Élisabeth Roudinesco, historian

Maria Schneider, actress

Paul-Loup Sulitzer, writer

Pierre Vassiliu, singer

Russia

Carlos, singer

Marc Chagall, painter

Joe Dassin, singer

Sacha Distel, singer

François Feldman, singer

Serge Gainsbourg, singer

Judith Godrèche, actress

Émile Meyerson, philosopher

Gérard Oury, film director

Léon Poliakov, historian

Michel Polnareff, singer

Maxime Rodinson, historian

Thierry Roland, TV commentator

Nathalie Sarraute, writer

Pierre-André Taguieff, philosopher

Jacques Tati, film director and actor

Marina Vlady, actress

Léon Zitrone, journalist

Scotland

Brice Lalonde, politician

Senegal

Booba, rapper

Pape Diouf, journalist, former President of Olympique de Marseille, politician

Patrice Evra, footballer

Bafétimbi Gomis, footballer

MC Solaar, rap and hip hop artist

Omar Sy, actor

Patrick Vieira, footballer

Rama Yade, politician

Spain

Albert Camus, Nobel Prize-winning author

Eric Cantona, actor and footballer

Manu Chao, singer and musician

Michel del Castillo, writer

Raymond Domenech, former Manager of the French national soccer team

Luis Fernández, football player

Louis de Funès, actor

José Garcia, actor

Anne Hidalgo, politician

Raphaël Ibañez, rugby player

Virginie Ledoyen, actress

Frédéric Lopez, television host

Olivier Martinez, actor

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, French politician

Paloma Picasso, fashion designer

Robert Pirès, footballer

David Pujadas, journalist

Jean Reno, actor

Olivia Ruiz, singer

Jaime Semprun, essayist and translator

André Téchiné, film director

Mathieu Valbuena, footballer

Manuel Valls, French Socialist Party (PS) politician, Minister of the Interior

Ray Ventura, jazz bandleader

Sweden

Eva Green, actress

Mathilda May, actress

Max von Sydow, actor

Switzerland

Jean-Luc Godard, film director

Romain Grosjean, racing driver

Le Corbusier, architect

Quentin Mosimann, musician

Manuel Valls, politician

Tunisia

Adel Bencherif, actor

Sami Bouajila, actor

Michel Boujenah, humorist

Paul Boujenah, director

Dany Brillant, singer

David Charvet, actor

Georges Cravenne, founder of the César Award

Marcel Dadi, guitar player

Pierre Darmon, tennis player

Mabrouk El Mechri, film director

Félix Gray, singer

Gisèle Halimi, lawyer

Serge Halimi, journalist

Cyril Hanouna, television presenter, producer and comedian

Agnès Jaoui, actress

David Jemmali, soccer player

Abdellatif Kechiche, film director

Lââm, singer

Pierre Lellouche, politician

Alain Mamou-Mani, producer

Didier Marouani, composer and musician

Albert Memmi, writer

Serge Moati, journalist and film director

Yael Naim, singer

Dominique Strauss-Kahn (his mother's name is Jacqueline Fellus), politician

Jacqueline Taïeb, singer

Maurice Taieb, geologist

Ariel Zeitoun, film director, scriptwriter and producer

Tunisiano, rapper

Turkey

Édouard Balladur, prime minister

Françoise Giroud, writer

Tchéky Karyo, actor

Mathilda May, actress

Ukraine

Pierre Bérégovoy, politician

Serge Lifar, dancer and choreographer