Sy What? Everything You Want to Know About Lupin’s Sexy Star, Omar Sy

Author:
Stephanie Osmanski
Jun 10, 2021

When it comes to Lupin hottie Omar Sy—oui oui! The 43-year-old French actor is well-known in France for his radio comedy sketches and his award-winning appearance in 2011's The Intouchables—and now, he's garnering attention worldwide for his starring role in Lupin, Netflix's original series based on the Arsène Lupin book series. (The show's five-episode Part 2 arrives Friday, June 11.) But all of that barely scratches the surface of who Sy is.

"If I were British, I would have said James Bond, but since I'm French, I said Lupin," Sy told The New York Times back in January (when Lupin Part 1 premiered) regarding his dream role. "He's playful, he's clever, he steals, he's surrounded by women. Plus, he's a character who plays characters. For an actor, he's the best."

Portraying Assane Diop—a skilled thief and caper inspired by the adventures of the fictional Arsène Lupin—isn't just a dream role for Sy. Viewers love it too, with more than 78 million Netflix subscribers tuning in after it first premiered.

With Lupin Part 2 dropping any minute, fans want to know as much about Sy as possible. That might be difficult, as Sy tends to shy away from the spotlight. In fact, he even admitted to Time that he pursued acting as a way to "transcend a form of shyness."

That being said, if you can get past Sy's glittering eyes and dazzling smile, here's everything you need to know about the sexy Lupin star—from his humble beginnings and family to all of his fantastic film projects.

Who is Omar Sy?

Sy was born in Trappes in the Île-de-France region of France in 1978 after both of his parents emigrated from West Africa. One of eight children, it wasn't until after high school that Sy pursued a career in comedy. He got his first big break of sorts when he met future comedy partner Fred Testot at Radio Nova, and not too long after, Sy became the first Black recipient of France's César Award for Best Actor for his role in the dramedy The Intouchables.

Is Omar Sy French?

Yes, born and raised, although his mother hails from Mauritania and his father from Senegal. Nowadays, though, Sy and his family live in Los Angeles, California.

Who is Omar Sy's wife?

Sy is taken (sigh!). He married wife Hélène Sy on July 5, 2007, in the French township of Tremblay-sur-Mauldre. The couple was together for a decade before tying the knot and lived in Montfort-l'Amaury in France for a bit before eventually moving to L.A.

Does Omar Sy have children?

Sy and his wife have welcomed five children together—four of which (two sons and two daughters) were born in France. They had their fifth child, a daughter named Amani-Nour, after moving to L.A. Their other children are named Selly, Sabah, Alhadji and Tidiane.

The couple decided to move to L.A., in fact, because Sy was so well-known overseas that they wanted to give their children the chance to grow up away from the limelight.

"I feel that my children are more free," Hélène told Elle France of living in the U.S. "They are much less returned to their origins than in France, where things have changed since my childhood. I have the impression that at the time we lived fairly harmoniously between different cultures."

What is Omar Sy's net worth?

It's kind of difficult to say, but according to Net Worth Post, it's estimated that Sy's net worth is about $800,000.

Was Omar Sy in Jurassic World?

Yes! Sy played Barry Sembène in the 2015 movie Jurassic World. And if you're a fan of the franchise, there's even better news! Sy will be back to reprise his role as Barry in 2022's Jurassic World: Dominion, which is currently in post-production, according to IMDB.

What other movies is Omar Sy in?

You may also recognize Sy from such shows and movies as The Call of the Wild (2020), Inferno (2016), Samba (2014 and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) and 2016's Chocolat—which is not the same as the 2000 film Chocolat starring Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche.

Sy also voiced the dubbing of the French version of the Disney-Pixar animated movie Soul and lent his voice to the character of Hot Rod in 2017's Transformers: The Last Night.