List of foreign-born French people
This is a list of notable French people who were born outside present-day Metropolitan France or Overseas France.
A
- Adel Abdessemed - contemporary artist, born in
Constantine, Algeria - Vincent Aka-Akesse – wrestler, born in
N'zi-Comoé, Côte d'Ivoire - Louis Althusser - Marxist philosopher, born in
Bir Mourad Raïs, French Algeria (now Algeria) - Amine - singer, born in
Casablanca, Morocco - Florent Amodio - figure skating coach, and former competitor, born in
Sobral, Brazil - Manuel Anatol – footballer, born in
Irun, Spain - Anggun – singer-songwriter, born in
Jakarta, Indonesia - Guillaume Apollinaire - poet, playwright, writer, novelist, and art critic, born in
Rome, Italy - Rachid Arhab - journalist and a member of the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA), born in
Larbaâ Nath Irathen, French Algeria (now Algeria) - Aure Atika - actress, writer, and director, born in
Estoril, Portugal - Arthur - TV presenter, born in
Casablanca, Morocco - Yvan Attal - actor, scriptwriter, and film director, born in
Tel Aviv, Israel - Jacques Attali - economic and social theorist, writer, political adviser and senior civil servant, born in
Algiers, French Algeria (now Algeria) - John James Audubon, self-trained artist, naturalist, and ornithologist, born in
Les Cayes, Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) - Anne of Austria - Queen of France from 1615 to 1643, born in
Valladolid, Kingdom of Spain (now Spain) - Marie Antoinette of Austria - Queen of France from 1774 to 1792, born in
Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, Holy Roman Empire (now Austria) - Daniel Auteuil - actor, and director, born in
Algiers, French Algeria (now Algeria)
B
- Jean-Pierre Bacri - actor, and screenwriter, born in
Bou Ismaïl, French Algeria (now Algeria) - Auguste of Baden-Baden - Duchess of Orléans - born in
Aschaffenburg, Electorate of Bavaria (now Germany) - Mansour Bahrami – tennis player, born in
Arak, Iran - Josephine Baker - dancer, singer, and actress, born in
St. Louis, Missouri, United States - Édouard Balladur – former Prime Minister of France, born in
Izmir, Turkey - Isabeau of Bavaria - Queen of France from 1385 to 1422, born in
Munich, Electorate of Bavaria (now Germany) - Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria - Dauphine of France from 1680 to 1690, born in
Munich, Electorate of Bavaria (now Germany) - Sophie Charlotte in Bavaria - Duchess of Alençon, born in
Pöcking, Kingdom of Bavaria (now Germany) - Guy Bedos - actor, screenwriter, and comedian, born in
Algiers, French Algeria (now Algeria) - Bérénice Bejo - actress, born in
Buenos Aires, Argentina - Abdelatif Benazzi - former rugby union player, born in
Oujda, Morocco - Astrid Bergès-Frisbey - actress, and model, born in
Barcelona, Spain - Serge Betsen - former rugby union player, born in
Kumba, Cameroon - Jane Birkin - actress, singer, and designer, born in
Marylebone, England, United Kingdom - Frida Boccara - singer, born in
Casablanca, French Morocco (now Morocco) - Aliette de Bodard - writer, born in
New York City, New York, United States - Isabelle Boni-Claverie - author, screenwriter, and film director, born in
Tiassalé, Ivory Coast - Michel Boujenah - actor, comedian, film director, and screenwriter, born in
Tunis, French Tunisia (now Tunisia) - Jean-Alain Boumsong - former footballer, born in
Douala, Cameroon - Maria Carolina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies - Duchess of Aumale, born in
Vienna, Austrian Empire (now Austria) - Didier Bourdon - actor, screenwriter, and film director, born in
Algiers, French Algeria (now Algeria) - Sofia Boutella - actress, dancer, and model, norn in
Bab El Oued, Algeria - Constantin Brâncuși – sculptor, painter, and photographer, born in
Hobița, Romania - Francisca of Brazil - Princess of Joinville, born in
Rio de Janeiro, Empire of Brazil (now Brazil) - Carla Bruni – model, singer, former first lady of France, born in
Turin, Italy - Ettore Bugatti - automobile designer, and manufacturer, born in
Milan, Kingdom of Italy (now Italy) - Khatia Buniatishvili - concert pianist, born in
Batumi, Georgian SSR (now Georgia)
C
- Eduardo Camavinga - footballer, born in
Cabinda, Angola - Albert Camus - philosopher, writer, author, journalist, and political activist, born in
Dréan, French Tunisia (now Algeria) - Amira Casar - actress, born in
London, England, United Kingdom - Ana Cata-Chitiga - basketball player, born in
Bucharest, Romania - Alain Chabat - actor, comedian, director, screenwriter, producer and television presenter, born in
Oran, French Algeria (now Algeria) - Timothée Chalamet - actor, born in
New York City, New York, United States - Frédéric Chau - actor, born in
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - Jacques Cheminade – politician, born in
Buenos Aires, Argentina - François Cheng - academician, writer, peot, and calligrapher, born in
Nanchang, China - Frédéric François Chopin - composer and virtuoso pianist, born in
, Żelazowa Wola, Poland - William Christie – musician, born in
Buffalo, New York, United States - Julio Cortázar - novelist, short story writer, poet, essayist, and translator, born in
Ixelles, Belgium - Cristina Córdula - television presenter, fashion consultant, and former fashion model, born in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Sergio Coronado - politician, born in
Osorno, Chile - Marie Curie – physicist, chemist, born in
Warsaw, Kingdom of Poland (now Poland)
D
- Vencelas Dabaya – weightlifter, born in
Kumba, Cameroon - Dalida – singer, born in
Cairo, Egypt (now Egypt) - Joe Dassin - singer, and songwriter, born in
New York City, New York, United States - Anne-Marie David - singer, born in
Casablanca, French Morocco (now Morocco) - Hind Dehiba - runner, born in
Bejaâd, Morocco - Marcel Desailly - former footballer, born in
Accra, Ghana - Antoinette Nana Djimou - heptathlete and pentathlete, born in
Douala, Cameroon - Leonora Dori - courtier, born in
Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany (now Italy) - Cédric Doumbé - professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer, born in
Douala, Cameroon - Didier Drogba – footballer, born in
Abidjan, Ivory Coast - Thomas-Alexandre Dumas - army officier, born in
Jérémie, Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) - Marguerite Duras - novelist, playwright, screenwriter, essayist, and experimental filmmaker, born in
Saigon, French Cochinchina (now Vietnam)
E
- Wagneau Eloi - former footballer, born in
Port-au-Prince, Haiti - Myriam El Khomri - politician, born in
Rabat, Morocco - Gad Elmaleh - comedian, and actor, born in
Casablanca, Morocco - Boughera El Ouafi - athlete, born in
Ouled Djellal, French Algeria (now Algeria) - Zineb El Rhazoui - journalist, born in
Casablanca, Morocco - Gévrise Émane - judoka, born in
Yaounde, Cameroon - Henrietta of England - Duchess of Orléans, born in
Exeter, England (now United Kingdom) - Deniz Gamze Ergüven - film director, born in
Ankara, Turkey - Sofia Essaïdi - singer, and actress, born in
Casablanca, Morocco - Maria Teresa Felicitas d'Este - Duchess of Penthièvre, born in
Modena, Modena (now Italy) - Patrice Evra – footballer, born in
Dakar, Senegal
F
- Mylène Farmer - singer, and songwriter, born in
Montreal, Canada - Luis Fernandez - football manager, and former footballer, born in
Tarifa, Spain - Penelope Fillon - Former politician, born in
Llanover, Wales, United Kingdom - Tsuguharu Foujita - painter, born in
Tokyo, Japan - Claude François - singer, composer, songwriter, record producer, drummer, and dancer, born in
Ismailia, Egypt (now Egypt)
G
- Charlotte Gainsbourg - singer, and actress, born in
London, England, United Kingdom - Erol Gelenbe - computer scientist, electronic engineer, and applied mathematician, born in
Istanbul, Turkey - Romain Genevois - former footballer, born in
L'Estère, Haiti - Franz-Olivier Giesbert - journalist, author, and TV presenter, born in
Wilmington, Delaware, United States - Chantal Goya - singer, and actress, born in
Saigon, French Cochinchina (now Vietnam) - Greg – cartoonist, born in
Ixelles, Belgium - Élisabeth Guigou – politician, born in
Marrakesh, French Morocco (now Morocco)
H
- Youssouf Hadji - former footballer, born in
Ifrane Atlas-Saghir, Morocco - Gisèle Halimi - lawyer, politician, essayist, and feminist,
Tunis, French Tunisia (now Tunisia) - Olivia de Havilland - actress, born in
Tokyo, Japan (to British parents) - Anne Hidalgo – Mayor of Paris, born in
San Fernando, Spain
I
- Eugène Ionesco – playwright, born in
Slatina, Romania
J
- Vanessa James - pair skater, born in
Scarborough, Canada - Alejandro Jodorowsky - filmmaker, born in
Tocopilla, Chile - Eva Joly – politician, born in
Grünerløkka, Oslo, Norway - Lloyd Jones – ice skater, born in
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
K
- Anna Karina - actress, model, director, writer, and singer, born in
Frederiksberg, Denmark - Roger Karoutchi - politician, and teacher, born in
Casablanca, French Morocco (now Morocco) - Tchéky Karyo - actor, and musician, born in
Istanbul, Turkey - Abdellatif Kechiche - film director, screenwriter, and actor, born in
Tunis, Tunisia - Jirès Kembo Ekoko - former footballer, born in
Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) - Khaled - singer, musician, and songwriter, born in
Oran, French Algeria (now Algeria) - Lyna Khoudri - actress, born in
Algiers, Algeria - Margaret Kelly - dancer, born in
Dublin, Ireland - Pom Klementieff - actress, born in
Quebec City, Canada - Olga Kurylenko - actress, born in
Berdiansk, Ukrainian SSR (now Ukraine)
L
- Ariane Labed - actress, and film director, born in
Athens, Greece - Joseph-Louis Lagrange - mathematician, physicist, and astronomer, born in
Turin, Kingdom of Sardinia (now Italy) - Joël Lautier - chess grandmaster, born in
Scarborough, Canada - Jena Lee - singer, and songwriter, born in
Santiago, Chile - Pierre Lellouche – politician, born in
Tunis, French Tunisia (now Tunisia) - Axelle Lemaire – lawyer and former politician, born in
Ottawa, Canada; mother is French - Marie Leszczyńska - Queen of France from 1725 to 1768, born in
Trzebnica, Duchy of Oels (now Poland) - Jean-Baptiste Lully - composer, dancer, and instrumentalist, born in
Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany (now Italy) - Bonne of Luxembourg - wife of the Crown Prince of France, born in
Prague, Bohemia (now Czech Republic)
M
- Amin Maalouf - author, born in
Beirut, Lebanon - Enrico Macias - singer, songwriter, and musician, born in
Constantine, French Algeria - Aïssa Maïga - actress, director, writer, producer, and activist, born in
Dakar, Senegal - Claude Makélélé - former footballer, born in
Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) - Steve Mandanda - footballer, born in
Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) - Véronique Mang - track and field sprint athlete, born in
Douala, Cameroon - Roxana Maracineanu - politician, born in
Bucharest, Romania - Guy Mardel - singer, born in
Oran, French Algeria (now Algeria) - Sara Martins - actress, born in
, Faro, Portugal - Jeanne Mas - singer, born in
Alicante, Spain - Cardinal Mazarin - Catholic prelate, diplomat and politician, born in
Pescina, Kingdom of Naples (now Italy) - Loïc Mbe Soh - footballer, born in
Nanga Eboko, Cameroon - Helene of Mecklenburg-Schwerin - French Crown Princess from 1837 to 1842, born in
Ludwigslust, Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (now Germany) - Mounia Meddour - film director, born in
Moscow, Soviet Union (now Russia) - Elli Medeiros - singer, and actress, born in
Montevideo, Uruguay - Catherine de'Medici - Queen of France from 1547 to 1559, born in
Florence, Republic of Florence (now Italy) - Marie de' Medici - Queen of France from 1600 to 1610, born in
Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany (now Italy) - Jean-Luc Mélenchon – politician, born in
Tangier International Zone (now Tangier, Morocco) - Kad Merad - actor, and writer, born in
Sidi Bel Abbès, French Algeria (now Algeria) - Radu Mihăileanu - film director, and screenwriter, born in
Bucharest, Romania - Yves Montand - singer, and actor, born in
Monsummano Terme, Kingdom of Italy (now Italy) - Eugénie de Montijo - Empress of the French from 1853 to 1870, born in
Granada, Spain - Marie Myriam - singer, born in
Kananga, Belgian Congo (now Democratic Republic of the Congo)
N
- Aya Nakamura - singer, and songwriter, born in
Bamako, Mali - Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily - Queen of the French from 1830 to 1846, born in
Caserta, Kingdom of Naples (now Italy) - Joakim Noah - former basketball player, born in
New York City, New York, United States - Francis Ngannou - professional mixed martial artist, and professional boxer, born in
Batié, Cameroon
O
- Michael Olise - footballer, born in
London, England, United Kingdom - Ferdinand-Philippe of Orléans - French Crown Prince from 1830 to 1842, born in
Palermo, Kingdom of Sicily (now Italy) - Marie Isabelle of Orléans - Countess of Paris, born in
Seville, Spain - La Belle Otero - actress, dancer, and courtesan, born in
Valga, Spain
P
- La Païva - courtesan, born in
Moscow, Russian Empire (now Russia) - Elizabeth Charlotte of Palatinate - Duchess of Orléans, born in
Heidelberg, Electoral Palatinate (now Germany) - Tony Parker - former basketball player, born in
Bruges, Belgium - Fleur Pellerin – politician, born in
Seoul, South Korea - Mary Pierce - former tennis player, born in
Montreal, Canada - Julie Pietri - singer, born in
Algiers, French Algeria (now Algeria) - Camille Pissarro - painter, born in
Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands, Danish West Indies (now U.S. Virgin Islands) - Jean-Vincent Placé - politician, born in
Seoul, South Korea - Axel Poniatowski - politician, born in
Rabat, French Morocco (now Morocco) - Carlo Ponti – film producer, born in
Magenta, Lombardy, Italy - Elvira Popescu - actress, born in
Bucharest, Romania
Q
R
- Jean Reno - actor, born in
Casablanca, French Morocco (now Morocco) - Sonia Rolland - actress, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss France 2000, born in
Kigali, Rwanda - Ségolène Royal – politician, born in
Dakar, French West Africa (now Senegal)
S
- Yves Saint-Laurent - fashion designer, born in
Oran, French Algeria (now Algeria) - Brice Samba - footballer, born in
Linzolo, Republic of the Congo - Megumi Satsu - singer, born in
Sapporo, Japan - Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, explorer, born in
Rome, Papal States (now Italy) - Marie Adélaïde of Savoy - Dauphine of France from 1711 to 1712, born in
Turin, Savoyard state (now Italy) - Marie Joséphine of Savoy - Countess of Provence, and titular Queen of France from 1795 to 1910, born in
Turin, Savoyard state (now Italy) - Maria Theresa of Savoy - Countess of Artois, born in
Turin, Savoyard state (now Italy) - Marie Thérèse Louise of Savoy - Princess of Lamballe, born in
Turin, Savoyard state (now Italy) - Maria Josepha of Saxony - Dauphine of France from 1747 to 1765, born in
Dresden, Electorate of Saxony (now Germany) - Victoria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha - Duchess of Nemour, born in
Vienna, Austrian Empire (now Austria) - Countess of Ségur - Writer, born in
Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire (now Russia) - Simone Signoret - actress, born in
Wiesbaden, Weimar Republic (now Germany) - Maria Theresa of Spain - Queen of France from 1660 to 1683, born in
Madrid, Kingdom of Spain (now Spain) - María Teresa Rafaela of Spain - Dauphine of France from 1744 to 1746, born in
Madrid, Kingdom of Spain (now Spain) - Margaret Stewart - Dauphine of France from 1436 to 1445, born in
Perth, Scotland (now United Kingdom) - Igor Stravinsky – composer, born in
Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire (now Russia) - Linda de Suza - singer, born in
Beringel, Portugal
T
- Kenzō Takada – fashion designer, born in
Himeji, Hyōgo, Japan - Carlos Takam - boxer, born in
Douala, Cameroon - Tal - singer, born in
Hadera, Israel - Henri de Tonti - military officer, and explorer, born in
Gaeta, Kingdom of Naples - Tristan Tzara - journalist, playwright, literary and art critic, composer, and film director, born in
Moinești, Romania
U
- Uffie - singer, songwriter, rapper, and DJ, born in
Miami, Florida, United States - Joseph Ujlaki - footballer, born in
Budapest, Hungary - Samuel Umtiti - footballer, born in
Yaoundé, Cameroon
V
- Virimi Vakatawa - rugby player, born in
Rangiora, New Zealand - Najat Vallaud-Belkacem – politician, born in
Bni Chiker, Morocco - Manuel Valls – former Prime Minister of France, born in
Barcelona, Spain - Agnès Varda - film director, screenwriter and photographer, born in
Ixelles, Belgium - Sylvie Vartan - singer, and actress, born in
Iskrets, Bulgaria - Patrick Vieira - football manager, and former footballer, born in
Dakar, Senegal - Sashina Vignes Waran - badminton player, born in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Marthe Villalonga - actress, born in
Bordj El Kiffan, French Algeria (now Algeria) - Valentina Visconti - Duchess of Orléans, born in
Pavia, Duchy of Milan (now Italy) - Matei Vișniec - playwright, poet and journalist, born in
Rădăuți, Socialist Republic of Romania (now Romania)
W
- Mami Watta - drag performer, born in
Abidjan, Ivory Coast - Edmond Weiskopf - footballer, born in
Budapest, Austria-Hungary (now Hungary) - Wendelin Werner - mathematician, born in
Cologne, West Germany (now Germany) - Charles Terres Weymann - aeroplane racing pilot, and businessman, born in
Port-au-Prince, Haiti - Georges Wolinski - cartoonist, and comics writer, born in
Tunis, French Tunisia (now Tunisia)
X
Y
- Rama Yade – politician, born in
Ouakam, Dakar, Senegal - Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa - footballer, born in
Bangui, Central African Republic - Yiqing Yin - Haute couture designer, born in
Beijing, China - Youssoupha - rapper, born in
Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) - Jia Nan Yuan - table tennis player, born in
Zhengzhou, China
Z
- Carolle Zahi - sprinter, born in
Bingerville, Ivory Coast - Zhang Chongren – artist and sculptor, born in
Xujiahui, Shanghai, China