Dany Boon

Boon in 2008, photo by Prphotos.com

Birth Name: Daniel Farid Hamidou

Place of Birth: Armentières, Hauts-de-France, France

Date of Birth: 26 June, 1966

Ethnicity:
*father – Algerian Kabyle Berber
*mother – French

Dany Boon is a French actor, film director, screenwriter, and producer. In 2008, he was the highest-paid actor in European film history, netting 26 million Euro (c. 33 million dollars). He has directed and starred in the films La Maison du Bonheur, Welcome to the Sticks, Nothing to Declare, Supercondriaque, Raid dingue, La Ch’tite famille, Stuck Together, and Life for Real; he wrote the first, third, fourth, and eighth film, and co-wrote the others. He also appeared in the film Murder Mystery, and its sequel.

He was born into a poor family. His father, Ahmed Hamidou, was from Issers, Algeria, and was an Algerian Kabyle Muslim, who worked as boxer and truck driver. His mother, Danièle Ducatel, was French, from north of the country. Dany has said that he had almost never spoken French before the age of twelve. He spoke mainly the Chtimi dialect of Picard, Langue d’oïl, language at home. Dany took his stage name from American pioneer and frontiersman Daniel Boone.

Dany has a son with his first wife; a son with his former wife, actress and author Judith Godrèche; and three children with his former wife, French–Swiss actress, director, film producer, and screenwriter Yaël (Harris) Boon. Dany converted to Judaism when marrying Yaël.

Dany’s paternal grandfather was named Ali Hamidou.

Dany’s paternal grandmother was named Fatma N.

Dany’s maternal grandfather was named Marcel Ducatel. Marcel was born in Bryas, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France, France.

Dany’s maternal grandmother was Marie-Thérèse Bailleul (the daughter of André Bailleul and Aldegonde Carrière). Aldegonde was the daughter of David Auguste Carrière and Félicia Dumetz.

Sources: Genealogy of Dany Boon – https://gw.geneanet.org

Genealogy of Dany Boon (focusing on his mother’s side) – https://www.geni.com