Amal Ayouch

Born in Casablanca in 1966 Amal Ayouch showed interest in acting from an early age performing on stage at high school When she was 18 she arrived in Montpellier where she studied to become a pharmacist While at university in 1987 she joined a theatre group attached to the French literature department She began her film career thanks to another pharmacist Hassan Benjelloun who gave her an important part in Les Amis dhier 1998 Soon afterwards Hakim Noury invited her to star in Destin de Femme together with Rachid El Ouali Playing a woman who refused to submit to a difficult husband she contributed to the films success In 1999 she agreed to play a woman of loose morals in Ali Zaoua directed by her cousin Nabil Ayouch Similar roles followed in Farida Belyazids Casablanca Casablanca 2002 and Chassan Benjellouns Les lèvres du silence 2001 and Farida Belyazids Casablanca Casablanca 2002 She went on to star in Driss Chouikas Le jeu de lamour 2006 allowing her to master a difficult role in intimate scenes with Younes Megri5 She has also played in other successful films including Les Anges de Satan 2007 She appeared in two films directed by Nabil Lahlou Les années de lexil 2001 and Tabite or not Tabite 2004 It was also Lahlou who encouraged her to act on the stage inviting her to appear in his theatrical productions including Ophélie nest pas Morte Les Tortues Antigone and En Attendant Godot