---
name: "Saïd Taghmaoui"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/said-taghmaoui"
fi1m_id: "said-taghmaoui"
imdb_id: "nm0846548"
tmdb_id: 5419
wikidata_id: "Q373034"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "19 July 1973"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 7
average_fi1m_score: 74
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 7
updated: "2026-10-07T14:57:35.682423+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Saïd Taghmaoui

## Identity

Saïd Taghmaoui

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/said-taghmaoui
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** said-taghmaoui
- **IMDb ID:** nm0846548
- **TMDB ID:** 5419
- **Wikidata ID:** Q373034
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%C3%AFd_Taghmaoui, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q373034, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0846548/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5419

Actor. Born 19 July 1973 in Villepinte, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 19 July 1973, Villepinte, Seine-Saint-Denis, France
- **Active:** 1995–2019
- **Also known as:** Said Taghmaoui, سعيد تغماوي, سعيد التغماوي, سعید تغماوی
- **Frequently works with:** [Charles Roven](https://film.one/person/charles-roven.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 74, as actor, over 7 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 85 (2), 2000s 60 (2), 2010s 76 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 76 to 77 across 6 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 4 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 5, Crime 3, Action 2, Comedy 1, Mystery 1, Thriller 1
- **Screen time:** 10 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $776m across 5 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%C3%AFd_Taghmaoui, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q373034, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0846548/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5419

## Streaming the US now

- **Pluto TV:** [*John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum*](https://film.one/film/john-wick-chapter-3-parabellum.md) (72), [*The Kite Runner*](https://film.one/film/the-kite-runner.md) (60)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Saïd Taghmaoui

> Saïd Taghmaoui’s restless energy works particularly well in company, where he can make a group of actors feel like old friends. *La Haine* is our recommendation; the subsequent career has too often been narrowed by the parts offered.

In *La Haine* (1995), Saïd Taghmaoui helps make three friends seem to have known one another long before we meet them. Vincent Cassel’s Vinz is so insistent in his resentment that he could overwhelm the group, but Taghmaoui’s Saïd and Hubert Koundé’s Hubert give him people to respond to. We laughed more than we expected because their exchanges had the familiarity of friends, rather than jokes inserted to make the drama easier. Mathieu Kassovitz lets us enjoy their company without asking us to excuse everything they say.

Taghmaoui also co-wrote the film, drawing on his own experience, which helps explain why Saïd feels at home in this company. It is worth remembering the writing before treating a natural performance as something that happened by itself. Kassovitz’s direction occasionally shows off, but the actors keep the friendship credible. Taghmaoui’s restless energy is useful here because Cassel and Koundé give him something to respond to; he helps make their performances convincing too.

The breakthrough did not bring an unrestricted choice of parts: limited opportunities and typecasting in France pushed his career abroad. *Three Kings* (1999), in which he plays Captain Said, was an early substantial English-language role. His later work has been largely in supporting parts in international productions, including *American Hustle* (2013), Sameer in *Wonder Woman* (2017) and the Elder in *John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum* (2019). He speaks French, Arabic, English and Italian, but military and Middle Eastern roles have remained a recurring feature of the casting.

The recurring casting makes us cautious about what any new credit will ask of him. We would like more parts that give him the time and the company Kassovitz provided, without simply asking him to repeat Saïd. Start with *La Haine*, and watch how Taghmaoui and Koundé make Cassel’s anger part of a friendship we believe in.

## Biography

Saïd Taghmaoui is a French actor born on 19 July 1973 in Villepinte, Seine-Saint-Denis, France. He left school early and became a boxer, reaching number two in his weight class in France, before beginning an acting career in 1994.

Taghmaoui is known for his role as Saïd in *La Haine* (1995), which he co-wrote with director Mathieu Kassovitz; he was nominated for a César Award for Most Promising Actor. He has since appeared in international productions including *Three Kings* (1999), *Wonder Woman* (2017) and *John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum* (2019). He moved to the United States in 1999 and became a US citizen in 2008.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, themoviedb.org.*

## On Fi1m (7)

- *John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum* (2019), Fi1m 72, as The Elder — [page](https://film.one/film/john-wick-chapter-3-parabellum.md)
- *The Missing* (2014), Fi1m 83, as Khalid Ziane — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-missing-2014.md)
- *American Hustle* (2013), Fi1m 72, as Irv's Sheik Plant — [page](https://film.one/film/american-hustle.md)
- *House of Saddam* (2008), Fi1m 60, as Barzan Ibrahim — [page](https://film.one/tv/house-of-saddam.md)
- *The Kite Runner* (2007), Fi1m 60, as Farid — [page](https://film.one/film/the-kite-runner.md)
- *Three Kings* (1999), Fi1m 80, as Captain Said — [page](https://film.one/film/three-kings.md)
- *La Haine* (1995), Fi1m 90, as Saïd — [page](https://film.one/film/la-haine.md)

## Complete filmography (65)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Kraken* (2026), as Bachir
- *Tin Soldier* (2025), as Shinja Atlas
- *The Killer* (2024), as Prince Majeb Bin Faheem
- *The Family Plan* (2023), as Augie
- *The Forgiven* (2022), as Anouar
- *Professionals* (2020), series, as Tariq Basari
- *Embattled* (2020), as Claude
- *All the Way Up* (2020), series, as Nasser Berou
- *John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum* (2019), as The Elder — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/john-wick-chapter-3-parabellum.md)
- *At First Light* (2018), as Cal
- *Espionage Tonight* (2017), as Iskandar Yasin
- *Etta's Mission* (2017), as Sameer
- *Wonder Woman* (2017), as Sameer
- *Money Man* (2016), Actor
- *The Infiltrator* (2016), as Amjad Awan
- *Ballers* (2015), series, as Psychiatrist
- *The Missing* (2014), series, as Khalid Ziane — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-missing-2014.md)
- *American Hustle* (2013), as Irv's Sheik Plant — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/american-hustle.md)
- *Touch* (2012), series, as Guillermo Ortiz
- *My Brother the Devil* (2012), as Sayyid
- *Conan the Barbarian* (2011), as Ela-Shan
- *An Unhealed Wound - The Harkis in the Algerian War* (2010), as Narrator (voice)
- *Stranded* (2010), as Aroui
- *G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra* (2009), as Breaker
- *Linear* (2009), as Cop / Biker
- *Kandisha* (2008), as Dakir Nesri
- *Mogadischu* (2008), as Captain Mahmud
- *Traitor* (2008), as Omar
- *House of Saddam* (2008), series, as Barzan Ibrahim — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/tv/house-of-saddam.md)
- *1 Hour in Hell* (2008), series, Actor
- *Vantage Point* (2008), as Suarez
- *The Kite Runner* (2007), as Farid — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/the-kite-runner.md)
- *Suspectes* (2007), series, as Stan Lamérat
- *Djihad!* (2006), as Youssef
- *O Jerusalem* (2006), as Saïd Chahine
- *Five Fingers* (2006), as Dark Eyes
- *Sleeper Cell* (2005), series, Actor
- *Lost* (2004), series, as Caesar — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/lost.md)
- *I ♥ Huckabees* (2004), as Translator
- *For Bread Alone* (2004), as Young Mohamed Choukri
- *Spartan* (2004), as Tariq Asani
- *Hidalgo* (2004), as Prince Bin Al Reeh
- *Crime Spree* (2003), as Sami
- *The Good Thief* (2003), as Paulo
- *Break of Dawn* (2002), as Werner
- *Alive* (2002), as The DJ Box
- *Tom Thumb* (2001), as le chef de troupe
- *Absolutely Fabulous* (2001), as Manu
- *Confession of a Dredger* (2001), as Fabio
- *Room to Rent* (2001), as Ali
- *Ali Zaoua: Prince of the Streets* (2001), as Dib
- *Gamer* (2001), as Tony
- *Nationale 7* (2000), as Rabah
- *The Slammer* (2000), as L'innocent
- *Last Minute Kasbah* (1999), as Raschid
- *Three Kings* (1999), as Captain Said — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/three-kings.md)
- *The West Wing* (1999), series, as Umar Usef — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-west-wing.md)
- *Before the Sunset* (1999), as Alì Ben Sellam
- *Hideous Kinky* (1999), as Bilal
- *The Garden of Eden* (1998), as Aziz
- *Heroines* (1997), as JP
- *La Haine* (1995), as Saïd — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/la-haine.md)
- *Brothers: Red Roulette* (1995), as Paul
- *J'aime beaucoup ce que vous faites* (1995), as Maxime
- *Putain de porte* (1994), Actor

## Gallery

- ![Saïd Taghmaoui](https://film.one/media/person/86297/gallery-50b06422592a.jpg) Saïd Taghmaoui — Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Sa%C3%AFd_Taghmaoui_2014.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Saïd Taghmaoui](https://film.one/media/person/86297/gallery-00497a8957b6.jpg) Saïd Taghmaoui — Image via TMDB
- ![Saïd Taghmaoui](https://film.one/media/person/86297/gallery-aa052f61fe48.jpg) Saïd Taghmaoui — Image via TMDB

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© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/said-taghmaoui