Tchéky Karyo

About

Tchéky Karyo (French: [tʃeki kɑʁjo]; born Baruh Djaki Karyo; October 4, 1953 – October 31, 2025) was a Turkish-born French actor and musician. Beginning his career as an actor on stage in classical and contemporary plays, he later worked as a character actor in films in the 1980s. He acted in numerous films by Hollywood and French directors, including Luc Besson. He was nominated for a César Award for Most Promising Actor for his performance in the 1982 film La Balance. Baruh Djaki Karyo was born in 1953 in Istanbul, Turkey. His mother was Greek Jewish, and his father, a delivery man and builder, was from a Turkish Sephardic Jewish family; both families had Spanish roots. When he was young, his family moved to Paris, France. The spelling of his name, Djaki, was changed to Tchéky in a form of French transliteration. At age 13, his parents separated, and his mother ordered him to leave...

Known for

KaamelottSeries • 2005GeniusSeries • 2017The Name of the RoseSeries • 2019Red Shoe DiariesSeries • 1992GoldenEyeMovie • 1995Bad BoysMovie • 1995LiaisonSeries • 2023The MissingSeries • 2014From the Earth to the MoonSeries • 1998The PatriotMovie • 2000The CoreMovie • 2003ZeroZeroZeroSeries • 20201492: Conquest of ParadiseMovie • 1992Kiss of the DragonMovie • 2001Taking LivesMovie • 2004The Messenger: The Story of Joan of ArcMovie • 1999Crying FreemanMovie • 1995Women at WarSeries • 2022The BearMovie • 1988The KillerMovie • 2024No LimitSeries • 2012The EddySeries • 2020NikitaMovie • 1990Arabian NightsSeries • 2000