- Source: Gilbert Melki
Gilbert Melki (French pronunciation: [ʒilbɛʁ mɛlˈki]; born 12 November 1958) is a French actor.
Life and career
Nephew of actor Claude Melki (The Acrobat), Melki grew up in a Jewish family from Algeria. His father, an antiques dealer, came from Khenchela in Algeria and his mother was from France. Both hid during the World War II: his father in Lyon and his mother in Normandy.
His father sent him to a woodworking school, but Melki only stayed a few months. At 20 he decided to move towards comedy and took multiple drama classes. Fearful of not being up to par he went to live for several years in Italy.
After a first appearance on screen in 1992 in the Claude Chabrol film Betty, Gilbert Melki rose to prominence in 1996 through Would I Lie To You? by Thomas Gilou in which he played Patrick Abitbol, a great businessman and millionaire megalomaniac, a role he revisited in the sequel in 2001.
His later films include the 2005 film Crustacés et Coquillages. In 2012, he moved to television with the Canal+ comedy series Kaboul Kitchen.
Filmography
1992
Betty by Claude Chabrol
1997
La Vérité si je mens ! by Thomas Gilou
Un amour de sorcière by René Manzor
Une journée de merde by Miguel Courtois
1998
Méditerranées by Philippe Bérenger
La Patinoire by Jean-Philippe Toussaint
Grève party by Fabien Onteniente
1999
Chili con carne by Thomas Gilou
Monsieur Naphtali by Olivier Schatzky
Vénus beauté (institut) by Tonie Marshall
2000
On fait comme on a dit by Philippe Berenger
La Taule by Alain Robak
2001
A Hell of a Day by Marion Vernoux
Les Morsures de l'aube by Antoine de Caunes
La Vérité si je mens ! 2 by Thomas Gilou
2002
Un couple épatant by Lucas Belvaux
Cavale by Lucas Belvaux
Après la vie by Lucas Belvaux
Au plus près du paradis by Tonie Marshall
2003
Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran by François Dupeyron
Rencontre avec le dragon by Hélène Angel
2004
Les Temps qui changent (Changing Times) by André Téchiné
Prendre femme by Ronit Elkabetz and Shlomi Elkabetz
Incautos by Miguel Bardem
Confidences trop intimes (Intimate Strangers) by Patrice Leconte
2005
Angel-A by Luc Besson
Palais royal! by Valérie Lemercier
2006
Crustacés et coquillages (Cockles and Muscles) by Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau
Ça brûle by Claire Simon
La Raison du plus faible by Lucas Belvaux
Mr. Average
2007
Le Deuxième Souffle by Alain Corneau
Anna M. by Michel Spinosa
Très bien, merci by Emmanuelle Cuau
Cowboy by Benoît Mariage
Le Tueur by Cédric Anger
2008
Made in Italy by Stéphane Giusti
Largo Winch by Jérôme Salle
2009
Accomplices by Frédéric Mermoud
2010
Le Mac by Pascal Bourdiaux
L’Avocat by Cédric Anger
2012
La vérité si je mens ! 3 by Thomas Gilou
2016
Vendeur by Sylvain Desclous
2019
Le Bazar de la Charité by Alexandre Laurent
2024
Cat's Eyes by Alexandre Laurent
References
External links
Gilbert Melki at IMDb