Souheila Yacoub (born 29 June 1992) is a Swiss actress, theater maker, former rhythmic gymnast, and Miss Suisse Romande 2012 winner.[1] Her films include Climax (2018), Making Of (2023), and Dune: Part Two (2024). On television, she appeared in the Canal+ miniseries Savages (2019).

Souheila Yacoub
Yacoub in 2021
Born (1992-06-29) 29 June 1992 (age 32)
Geneva, Switzerland
OccupationActress

Life and career

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Yacoub was born in Geneva to a Tunisian father and a Flemish mother. She has a sister.[2]

Yacoub attended La Haute école fédérale de sport de Macolin and joined the Swiss National Rhythmic Gymnastics Team as a teenager, competing in the 2009 and 2010 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships. She left school at 16 to focus on gymnastics. When the team did not qualify for the Olympics, Yacoub quit the sport altogether. Although she did not officially testify against the coaches amid the 2021 abuse allegations, she supported her former teammates' claims and told a number of stories of the coaches' behaviour, such as limiting how much members could eat or drink and benching them for putting on a kilo.[3]

After quitting, Yacoub returned home. Uncertain what to do next, her sister suggested she apply for Miss Suisse Romande. Yacoub also enrolled in local dance and acting classes. After winning Miss Suisse Romande 2012, Yacoub was offered a scholarship for a three-year programme at the Cours Florent in Paris. She further trained at the CNSAD.[4][5]

Yacoub made her television debut in six episodes of the France 3 soap opera Plus belle la vie. Upon graduating from the Cours Florent, Yacoub landed her first major theatre role on the Paris stage as Wahida in Wajdi Mouawad's play Tous des oiseaux at Théâtre national de la Colline. She then starred in Gaspar Noé's 2018 horror film Climax and the 2019 Canal+ miniseries Savages.[3]

In 2020, Yacoub appeared in the multilingual internationally co-produced war drama series No Man's Land.[6] She starred in Philippe Garrel's black and white film The Salt of Tears, which premiered at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival, as well as The Braves and A Brighter Tomorrow in 2021.[7][8]

Yacoub is the founder of theatre company 23h59.[3]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2018 Climax Lou
Les Affamés Eva
2020 The Salt of Tears (French: Le Sel des larmes) Betsy
2021 The Braves (French: Entre les vagues) Margot
A Brighter Tomorrow (French: De bas étage) Sarah
2022 Rise (French: En corps) Sabrina
2023 Making Of Nadia / Oudia
2024 Dune: Part Two Shishakli
2024 The Balconettes Post-production
2024 Planet B Post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2016 Plus belle la vie Aïcha 6 episodes
2019 Savages (French: Les Sauvages) Jasmine Miniseries
2020 No Man's Land Sarya Dogan Main role

Music videos

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Song Year Artist Notes
"Trop beau" 2019 Lomepal

Stage

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Year Title Role Notes
2017–2018 Tous des oiseaux Wahida Théâtre national de la Colline, Paris

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref
2022 Berlinale Shooting Star Won [9]

References

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  1. ^ "Souheila Yacoub is Switzerland's Shooting Star 2022". Swiss Films. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  2. ^ Guillain, Marine (19 July 2021). ""Quand j'aime, je ne réfléchis pas"". 20 Minutes (in French). Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Sallin, Jean Daniel (3 May 2021). "Souheila Yacoub, "Sans la gym, je serais une actrice différente"". Paris Match (in French). Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Souheila Yacoub: l'ex-miss qui a conquis le cinéma français". Le Matin (in French). 25 February 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Souheila Yacoub: "My career fills me beyond my expectations"". Screen Rant. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  6. ^ Neetha K (17 November 2020). "'No Man's Land': Meet Felix Moati, Souheila Yacoub and rest of the cast of Hulu's Syrian Civil War series". MEAWW. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  7. ^ Lemercier, Fabien (31 December 2019). "Soufiane Guerrab and Souheila Yacoub in the cast of A Brighter Tomorrow". CinEuropa. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  8. ^ Tuillier, Laura (16 July 2021). "Souheila Yacoub : "J'ai envie que tu sois ma pote Mylène"". Libértation. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  9. ^ Vivarelli, Nick (12 January 2022). "'Happening' Star Anamaria Vartolomei Among 10 European Shooting Stars Announced for Hybrid 25th Anniversary Edition". Variety. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
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