Creatives

Marc Zinga, a Chameleon in art and soul

Cast for the latest James Bond film, Spectre, in the role of a villain when we interviewed him, Marc Zinga didn’t seek fame or glory through this work… For us, the actor shares his memories of Africa. The journey of an artist who finds success in everything.

The beginnings of an actor

Still a student at the IAD (broadcasting arts institute) in Louvain-La-Neuve (Belgium), Marc Zinga started out in film while helping a friend with his thesis; the thesis supervisor being none other than Benoît Mariage. He went on to make several appearances, including alongside Gérard Depardieu in Diamond 13 in 2009 and in a Canal+ production Mister Bob.  In 2013, he once again crossed paths with the Belgian producer, who asked him to feature in the comedy-drama he was directing, Scouting for zebras, alongside Benoît Poelvoorde; a perfect way for him to rekindle with one of his old passions, football.

Another key collaboration notched up is May Allah Bless France!, produced by rapper, novelist and film-maker Abdel Malik. Praised by critics, his acting performance saw him nominated for a César in the category: most promising actor. Marc is a sensitive and truly humble person. As he tells us, his motivation for film is neither fame nor glory. “The reason I did this work was to tell stories, to journey into the imagination. And, in growing up, I’ve managed to capture the human and political significance of these stories”.

Memories of Africa

Strong feelings come through as the actor touches on his childhood, a childhood with close links to Africa. Despite not having returned to Congo for quite some time, he misses the land he was born in. He talks about it with emotion: “I have very clear recollections of my early childhood, the smells, the sensations. But older, it’s meeting people and a very strong conscience”. However, the actor believes that the two worlds that moulded him have served him well; he grew up in a home steeped in African culture while outside life revolved around a largely Western society…

By Francesca Caseri

The complete article is available in the first issue of MOYI (MOYI 1).