Nassim Lyes is one of the stars of Netflix's new shark attack thriller, Under Paris.
Directed by Xavier Gens, Under Paris follows a scientist, played by Bérénice Bejo, who discovers a super shark in the Seine River during an international triathlon.
Playing Adil, the Seine River police commander, is 36-year-old French actor Nassim Lyes.
[ Under Paris Movie Ending Explained: The Meaning of the Shark's Final Infestation ]
4 Things to Know About Nassim Lyes
Nassim Is a French National Kickboxing Champ
Before Nassim Lyes broke into acting, he was a celebrated kickboxing champ with a background in MMA (mixed martial arts).
According to Nerd Reactor, he started kickboxing when he was 15 years old and won the French championship in 2010.
His athletic background and kickboxing career has come in handy for certain acting roles, including 2023's Mayhem!
He Was Discovered As a Waiter in Paris
While Nassim Lyes was born in Nîmes, France, Gala reports he went to Paris to pursue acting after obtaining his baccalaureate in the ES series and completing a year of law.
While working as a waiter, he was reportedly discovered by director Tristan Aurouet who cast him in Mineurs 27.
Today, Lyes is best known for The Spy, All-Time High, and Mayhem!
Nassim Lyes Worked with Under Paris Director Before
Under Paris isn't the first project where director Xavier Gens and Nassim Lyes have worked together. Lyes played an undercover detective in Gens' Mayhem! before reuniting for Netflix's action-horror shark flick.
In fact, in an interview with Above the Line, Lyes claimed they want from Mayhem! to Under Paris "straight away:"
"Right after [this], straight-away we did another movie. It’s a shark movie, it’s going to be released 2024 on Netflix. It’s going to be a big one."
An Agatha Christie Role Was Rewritten for Nassim
Nassim Lyes may have starred in the They Were 10, a mini-series adapted from an Agatha Christie bestseller; but that wasn't always the plan.
According to producer Sophie Révil via AlloCiné, Lyes was "urgently brought in" after an actor was injured and the character was rewritten "especially for him:"
"We had to replace it in 24 hours. We urgently brought in Nassim Lyes from Paris, who replaced him. And we rewrote the character especially for him."
Lyes explained he only had "five minutes to decide" when he was offered the role; but once he learned who was directing and who else had been cast, "I didn't hesitate:"
"My agent called me to offer me the role and I had to make a decision very quickly. I had five minutes to decide. To decide to go to Guadeloupe for three months. And when I was told that Pascal Laugier was directing and that I saw the casting, which is a very nice cast, I didn't hesitate."
How To Follow Nassim Lyes Online
Audiences who want to follow Nassim online can do so on Instagram (@nassimlyes).
Under Paris is streaming now on Netflix.
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