Assaad Bouab

Assaad Bouab is a French-Moroccan actor who has earned widespread recognition for his versatile performances across French and international film, television, and theater productions. Born on July 31, 1980, in Aurillac, France, Bouab spent much of his childhood in Rabat, Morocco, before returning to France to pursue higher education and professional acting training. He is best known for portraying talent agent Hicham Janowski in the hit comedy-drama series Call My Agent! (Dix pour cent) and for appearing in prominent international television projects such as Peaky Blinders, Messiah, Bad Sisters, and Franklin.

Early Life and Education

Bouab was raised in Rabat, Morocco, by a French mother and a Moroccan father, alongside his brother Younes Bouab, who also became an actor. He completed his secondary education at the Lycée Descartes in Rabat. In 1998, Bouab relocated to Paris, where he initially studied economics before deciding to commit fully to dramatic arts. He enrolled in the prestigious Cours Florent drama school from 1999 to 2002. Following his studies there, he gained admission to the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art (CNSAD) in Paris, graduating in 2006.

Acting Career

Bouab began working in film and theater during his university years. He landed early roles in Christophe Honoré's Seventeen Times Cécile Cassard (2002) and gained significant attention for his leading role in Laïla Marrakchi's drama Marock (2005). He went on to star in notable films including Rachid Bouchareb's Oscar-nominated WWII drama Days of Glory (Indigènes, 2006), Nabil Ayouch's Whatever Lola Wants (2007), and Bouchareb's historical drama Outside the Law (2010). Beyond French cinema, Bouab expanded his footprint in global television, joining the cast of Homeland as Waleed and starring as CIA operative Qamar Maloof in Netflix's Messiah. From 2017 to 2020, he starred as major ASK agency shareholder Hicham Janowski in Call My Agent!, a role that brought him wide international acclaim. In subsequent years, he appeared in BBC and Amazon's The Pursuit of Love (2021), the final season of Peaky Blinders (2022), Apple TV+'s Bad Sisters (2022), and as Beaumarchais in Apple TV+'s biographical drama Franklin (2024).

Personal Life

Bouab speaks French, Arabic, and English fluently, enabling him to navigate a wide range of international roles. He is married to Sarah, a psychologist, and the couple has a daughter named Ysa. He splits his time between France and Morocco and maintains an active theatrical presence alongside his screen career.