Elyas M’Barek is an Austrian actor primarily based in Germany, known for his charismatic performances in both television and film.
Born on May 29, 1982, in Munich, West Germany, he comes from a diverse background with a Tunisian father and an Austrian mother, which granted him Austrian citizenship while he grew up in Munich.
He discovered his passion for acting during his school years in a theater group and completed his education at age 22 before pursuing a professional career in the entertainment industry.
Siblings
Elyas has a younger brother named Joseph M’Barek, who was born on May 28, 1986, in Munich and is also involved in the acting world.
Joseph has appeared in films such as The Wave in 2008, where he played a supporting role, as well as Summer Storm in 2004.
The brothers share a close family bond, having been raised together in Munich in a household of Tunisian and Austrian descent.
Career
M’Barek’s acting career began in 2001 with a role in the sex comedy Mädchen, Mädchen, marking his entry into the German film scene.
He gained widespread recognition for portraying Cem Öztürk in the popular comedy series Türkisch für Anfänger from 2006 to 2008, which highlighted his comedic timing and ability to handle culturally themed narratives.
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This was followed by a breakthrough in film with his role as Sinan in the 2008 drama Die Welle, where he depicted a student drawn into a fascist experiment.
In 2013, he starred as Zeki Müller in the blockbuster comedy Fack ju Göhte, which became the highest-grossing German film of the year, attracting over three million viewers in just 17 days and spawning two successful sequels.
That same year, he appeared in the international fantasy film The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones as a vampire and voiced Art in the German dub of Monsters University.
M’Barek continued to diversify his portfolio with supporting roles in hits like The Physician in 2013 and leading parts in films such as Welcome to Germany in 2016, where he played Dr. Tarek Berger, and The Perfect Secret in 2019 as Leo Keschwari.
More recently, he starred in Nightlife in 2020 and reunited with director Simon Verhoeven for Old White Man in 2024.
Accolades
In 2006, M’Barek received the German Television Award for best acting in a series for his performance in Türkisch für Anfänger.
He won the Bambi Award for Film – National in both 2012 and 2014, highlighting his impact on German cinema.
In 2013, he was honored with the Jupiter Award for his work in Heiter bis Wolkig, and he claimed another Jupiter Award in 2023 for best German actor.
Additionally, in 2014, he secured the Romy Award for Most Popular Actor in Austria and a Jury Prize for Best Actor.
M’Barek has also been nominated for the Bambi Award in 2023 and has accumulated 12 wins and 8 nominations overall, including accolades like the Golden Camera and German Comedy Award for his charismatic and versatile contributions to film and television.
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