Acting
Thomas Ngijol
Thomas Ngijol, born on October 30, 1978, in Paris, is a multifaceted French comedian, actor, and director. He gained prominence as a stand-up comedian through his affiliation with the Jamel Comedy Club. Growing up in Maisons-Alfort within the Val-de-Marne area, he is the son of Cameroonian sociologist Gilbert Ngijol and nurse Crescence Ngijol. In the early 2000s, he worked as an educator at the Aimé et Eugénie Cotton primary school in Bonneuil-sur-Marne, which marked the beginning of his artistic journey.
Ngijol's talent was first recognized at the Juste pour rire festival in Nantes, where he paid homage to Richard Pryor. His performances at the Moloko in Paris caught the attention of Kader Aoun, leading to his breakout at the Jamel Comedy Club. He became a familiar face on Canal+, contributing a daily segment on the show Le Grand Journal from 2006 to 2008. His memorable sketches include “Un Superman noir!” and “Mon retour du Cameroun!”
In October 2010, he co-directed and starred in his first film, *Case départ*, a groundbreaking comedy centered on slavery that was well-received in French cinema. Ngijol also took on the role of patron for the Youth Prize at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. He continued to thrive in film with *Le Crocodile du Botswanga* in 2014 and the comedic *FastLife*, which he wrote, directed, and starred in later that year. Notably, he welcomed his daughter Angelina with actress Karole Rocher in May 2014, just before the release of *FastLife*.
