Patrick Bruel

Patrick Benguigui (French pronunciation: [patʁik bɛnɡiɡi]; born 14 May 1959), better known by his stage name Patrick Bruel (pronounced [patʁik bʁyɛl]), is a French singer-songwriter, actor and professional poker player.

Biography

Early life

Patrick was born into an Algerian Sephardic Jewish family in Tlemcen, French Algeria. He is the son of Pierre Benguigui and Augusta Kammoun, daughter of Elie and Céline ben Sidoun. His parents separated in 1960, and he was raised by his mother. Together, the two emigrated to France in June 1962 just before Algerian independence. He lived in the staff accommodation of the girls' school in Argenteuil where his mother was a teacher. In his youth, Bruel aspired to be a football player, but decided instead to pursue singing after seeing Michel Sardou in 1975.

Acting and music careers

His first success came as an actor, in 1979's Le Coup de sirocco. He continued acting in films, on television, and in the theater while pursuing his singing career. His first single, "Vide" ("Empty"), released in 1982, was not a success, but the follow-up, "Marre de cette nana-là" ("Fed up with that chick"), was a hit.

In 2003, just before his partner, the writer and playwright Amanda Sthers, gave birth to his first child, Oscar, on 19 August, he changed his name to Bruel-Benguigui, combining his stage name with his birth name. On 21 September 2004, he wed the then 26-year-old Sthers; it was his first marriage. His second child, Léon, was born on 28 September 2005. The couple separated in 2007.