At 58, Kad Merad is the epitome of success. The actor, noticed in the humorous duo Kad and Olivier, has risen to the rank of the most bankable French actors of his generation. Since September 14, the companion of Julia Vignali is on the poster of honorary citizen, dramatic comedy telling the story of a writer back on his land of origin in Algeria. A sweet echo of his own journey to which he returns during an interview with the magazine Society.
Kad Merad is the son of Janine Béguin and Mohamed Merad. Proud of his origins, his father nevertheless preferred that he keep them quiet: “He yelled at me. He always said ‘Stop saying that I am Algerian’ and explained to me that when he arrived in France in the 1950s, at 17 or 18, he had French nationality.” His first name, it is besides to his mother that he owes it: “It was she who insisted that we have Algerian first names, he confides. My father did not want him – and all his brother’s children, who have the same story as him, are called Pierrick, Régis, etc. We are Reda, Karim, Kaddour and Yasmina. And that’s thanks to my mother, la Berrichonne! It was very brave at that time, especially since his mother, Paulette Béguin, was not the most welcoming with my father..”
Despite this difference, Kad Merad had a special bond with his father, who died last summer: “He was a father who was often severe, with whom we had very tough relations, even if he loved us very much. Me, I was the only one to manage to make him laugh before he hits, that saved me. Humor was my defence. I was not far from being his darling, we spent a lot of time together thanks to sport, we had a real bond.“He was also his first fan and sent him all the press cuttings published about him:”It’s true, he sent me everything that came out on me, and even what concerned Julia, my wife, who is a TV host.” A pride that warms the heart.