Saïd Taghmaoui Biography

Fast Facts

• Born in France to Moroccan parents
• Dropped out of school at 14 to pursue a boxing career, eventually rising to second in his division
• Made his big-screen debut in 1995 crime drama La Haine, which he wrote with director Mathieu Kassovitz; garnered a Most Promising Newcomer César Award nomination for his performance
• First became known to many filmgoers when he appeared in the Kate Winslet drama Hideous Kinky (1998) and Three Kings (1999), in which his character, Captain Said, tortures Mark Wahlberg's character