Samy Naceri was born Saïd Naceri to an Algerian father and French mother in Paris' IVe arrondissement and spent his childhood in the Parisian suburb of Montreuil.
Attracted by acting, he takes lessons at "Pygmalion Studio" and takes part in castings where he's rapidly discovered.
After some jobs as an extra in the saga "La comédie française" and a role wich was cut in the final editing of "Killer kid", from Gilles de Maistre, Samy gets his first real role in Luc Besson's Léon... where he appears wearing a mask. Unrecognizable, his face will be revealed to the audience thanks to Raï, from Thomas Gilou, where he plays a jobs from the suburbs, role that he will play again in "Malik le maudit" and "Love in Paris". Unpleasant first steps, so, but success is imminent thanks to the main role of "Taxi". The french blockbuster of 1997 reveals Samy to a large audiance, manking him one of the star of the young generation and allowing him to be nominated for the Cesar of the most promissing actor of the year.
Stemming from a substance abuse charge in 2003, Samy was sentenced to eight months imprisonment with deferment, had his driving licence suspended for three years, and was penalized with a €5,000 fine for a road rage incident in which he smashed a car and assaulted one of its occupants.
In November 2005, after waiting for a late guest, Naceri attacked a 22-year-old man with an ashtray at a trendy Paris restaurant. The actor was convicted for assault and spent two months in jail. He was released in February 2006. Then, in December 2006 he was imprisoned for racially abusing police officers. In January 2007 he was accused of attempted murder after stabbing a security guard in Aix-en-Provence, He was sentenced to 9 Months in prison (6 months suspended) for violence and was also sentenced to 1 month in prison for assaulting two guards at a medical center where he was being treated for overdosing on drugs.