Notable Algerians include:
Artists
Actors
Hadj Abderrahmane, actor and comedian:fr:Hadj Abderrahmane Isabelle Adjani, French actress Allalou, playwright, theatre director, and actor known as the father of Algerian theater Mahieddine Bachtarzi, singer of opera (tenor), actor, writer, and director of the TNA (Théâtre National Algérien) Jean-Pierre Bacri, actor and screenwriter Ramzy Bedia, French-Algerian actor Leïla Bekhti, French-Algerian actress Alice Belaïdi, French-Algerian actress Catherine Belkhodja, French-Algerian actress M'hamed Benguettaf, actor and playwright Jean Benguigui, stage, screen, and television actor Dali Benssalah, actor in James Bond movie No Time to Die (2021) Biyouna, singer, actress and comedian Mohamed Bouchaïb, Libya-born Algerian actor Sofia Boutella, actress, model and dancer Rachida Brakni, French actress Patrick Bruel, singer, actor, and professional poker player Alain Chabat, actor and director Mohamed Chouikh, filmmaker Mohamed Fellag, actor and comedian Eva Green, actress and model Khaled Habib, singer-songwriter, composer, actor, film director Roger Hanin, film actor and director Marlène Jobert, actress, singer and author Reda Kateb, actor Sid Ali Kouiret, actor Rachid Ksentini, actor and comedian Karim Leklou, actor Maïwenn, actress, film director and producer Tahar Rahim, actor Rouiched, comedy actor Lyes Salem, actor and film director Hadj Smaine Mohamed Seghir, actor, director, and man of stage Samy Seghir, French-Algerian actor Smaïn, actor and humorist Marie Soussan, actress and singer Patrick Timsit, comedian, writer, and film director Larbi Zekkal, actor and comedian
Directors and filmmakers
Merzak Allouache, film director Abdelkader Alloula, theatre producer Jean-Luc Azoulay, television producer Yamina Benguigui, filmmaker Malek Bensmaïl, film director Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina, film director, Palme d'Or at the 1975 Cannes Festival Ahmed Rachedi, film director–producer, pioneer of Algerian cinema Fatma Zohra Zamoum, film director
Fashion (designers, models)
Loli Bahia, model Farida Khelfa, former model and actress Yves Saint Laurent, designer
Illustrators
Baya, painter Ali Dilem, editorial cartoonist Le Hic, editorial cartoonist Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer, artist Rezki Zerarti, painter Hocine Ziani, painter
New media Maurice Benayoun, artist and theorist
Writers (including poets)
Ferhat Abbas (1899–1985), political leader and essayist Mohamed Aïchaoui (1921–1959), political leader and journalist Al-Akhdari (1512–1575), Arab-Algerian poet, Alim, astronomer, jurist and logician of Sherifian descent Abdelkader Alloula (1939–1994), playwright Malek Alloula (1937–2015), poet, writer, and critic Djamal Amrani (1935–2005), poet and essayist Jean Amrouche (1906–1962), 20th-century poet and writer Taos Amrouche (1913–1976), singer and writer Apuleius (–), Latin prose writer Mohammed Arkoun (born 1928), scholar and thinker Zighen Aym (born 1957), writer and engineer Farida Belghoul (born 1958), author Omar Belhouchet (born 1954), journalist Myriam Ben (1928–2001), novelist, poet, painter, and activist Berthe Bénichou-Aboulker (1888–1942), poet Mohammed Benchicou (born 1952), director and publisher of the Algerian newspaper Le Matin Salah Benlabed (born 1950), architect, academic, novelist and poet Malek Bennabi (1905–1973), writer and philosopher Rachid Boudjedra (born 1941), poet, novelist, playwright and critic Albert Camus (1913–1960), journalist, author, philosopher Mohamed Cherak, journalist Hélène Cixous, feminist writer Mohammed Dib (1920–2003), 20th-century writer Leila Djabali (born 1933) Tahar Djaout (1954–1993), poet, journalist, critic Assia Djebar (1936–2015), novelist, translator and filmmaker Mouloud Feraoun (1913–1962), writer and independence war hero Mohamed Hassaïne (1945–1994), journalist Miloud Hmida (born 1961), poet, critic, translator Yasmina Khadra (also known as Mohamed Moulessehoul) (born 1955), writer Aïssa Khelladi, journalist, novelist and playwright Ahmed Mahsas (1923–2013), political leader and writer Latifa Ben Mansour (born 1950), writer, psychoanalyst, and linguist Fodil Mezali (born 1959), journalist and writer Hocine Mezali (born 1938), journalist and writer Rachid Mimouni (1945–1995), writer, poet Ahlam Mostaghanemi, writer Sarah Rivens, writer Othmane Senadjki (1959–2010), journalist Ahmed Ben Triki (1650–1750), Algerian poet from Tlemcen Kateb Yacine (1929–1989), 20th-century writer Moufdi Zakaria (1908–1977), lyricist of the Algerian national anthem "Kassaman"
Criminals
Djamel Beghal, French Algerian convicted of terrorism Mokhtar Belmokhtar, sentenced to death for murder and terrorism Abdul Nacer Benbrika, found guilty of being the leader of a terrorist organisation Hamza Bendelladj, cyber-criminal also known as the "Smiling Hacker" Rédoine Faïd, French-Algerian bank robber and jailbreaker Slimane Khalfaoui, French-Algerian terrorist convicted of the Strasbourg cathedral bombing plot Ahmed Ressam, Algerian al-Qaeda member convicted of attempting to bomb the Los Angeles International Airport on New Year's Eve 1999 Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud, leader of the Algerian Islamic militant group Al-Qaeda organization in the Islamic Maghreb
Journalists Abdessami' Abdelhaï, journalist
Leaders and politicians Ancient Algeria
Juba I, 1st century BC, king of Numidia under Roman rule Saburra, Numidian general Juba II, 1st century BC, king of Numidia under Roman rule Naravas, Numidian chief Jugurtha, 2nd century BC, king of Numidia Zelalsen, king of the Massylii Ozalces, king of the Massylii Capussa, king of the Massylii tribe and brother to King Gaia Gala, king of the Massylii tribe Lacumazes, king of the Massylii tribe Syphax, king of the Massylii tribe Vermina, son of Sypbax and king of the Masaesyli tribe Archobarzane, last king of the Masaesylians Massinissa, 3rd century BC, king of Numidia Micipsa, king of Numidia Gulussa, king of Numidia along with his two brothers Mastanabal, king of Numidia Adherbal, king of Numidia Hiempsal I, king of Numidia Gauda, Jugurtha's brother; a king of Numidia Iarbas, Gaetulian king Hiarbas, king, usurped the throne of Numidia Hiempsal II, son of Gauda and king of Numidia Masteabar, king of western Numidia Massinissa II, king of western Numidia Arabio, last independent king of Numidia Cleopatra Selene II, wife of juba II Ptolemy of Mauretania, last king of Mauretania Tacfarinas, leader of a rebellion against the Romans Firmus, Numidian prince and Roman usurper Gildo, Roman Berber general Macrinus, Roman emperor Pope Gelasius I, pope from 1 March 492 to his death in 496 Quintus Lollius Urbicus, governor of Roman Britain Masuna, first recorded king of the Mauro-Roman Kingdom Mastigas, Masuna's successor John, Berber military leader Garmul, last recorded king of the Mauro Roman kingdom Masties, founder and first king of the Kingdom of the Aurès Iaudas, Berber leader and king of the Aurès Kusaila, last king of Altava who led a resistance against Islam Dihya, uncontested ruler of the whole Maghreb Tabat, Dihya's father
Early Islamic Algeria
Abu Qurra, proclaimed caliph by the banu ifran Berber tribe; founder of the indigenous Berber Muslim movement of Kharijite tendencies in North Africa; founder of the Emirate of Tlemcen Sulayman ibn Abd-Allah, known as "Sulayman I of Tlemcen"; emir of Tlemcen (786 / 7–813) Abd al-Rahman ibn Rustam, of Persian descent, founder of the Rustamid dynasty centered around Tiaret in modern-day Algeria Buluggin ibn Ziri, 10th-century emir; founder of the city of Algiers (Dzayer in Algerian Arabic refers to his father Ziri ibn Manad, founder of the Zirid dynasty) Hammad ibn Buluggin, founder and first Sultan of the Hammadid dynasty centered around Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad from 1008 to 1090, then Béjaïa from 1090 to 1152 Abd al-Mu'min, first caliph and founder of the Almohad dynasty Yaghmurasen Ibn Zyan, founder and first sultan of the Zayyanid dynasty centered around Tlemcen in modern-day Algeria
Ottoman Algeria
Hassan Agha, 16th-century Prince of Algiers; defeated Emperor Charles V in Algiers Baba Aruj, 16th-century corsair; leader of the Regency of Algiers Hayreddin Barbarossa, brother and successor of Aruj Zymen Danseker, Dutch privateer during the Eighty Years' War, became admiral of the Algerian fleet from 1600 to 1610; said to have introduced the round ship to the Algerians Rais Hamidou, nicknamed 'Amir el Bihar' (leader of the seas), admiral and last great leader of the Algerian Navy, of Berber descent Sulayman Reis, Dutch privateer during the Eighty Years' War; later turned to the corsair activity swearing allegiance to the Sultan of Algiers and became an officer under Zymen Danseker
Algeria under French colonization
Emir Abdelkader, 19th-century leader of the resistance against French colonisation Hadj Ahmed Bey, last Bey of Constantine; fought the French Army during two sieges in 1836 and 1837 Cheikh Boumerdassi, 19th-century leader of the resistance against French colonisation Mohamed Seghir Boushaki, 20th-century leader of the Kabyle political resistance against the French Mohamed Deriche, 20th-century leader of the Kabyle political resistance against the French Messali Hadj, co-founder of "l'Etoile Nord-Africaine", the first Algerian nationalist party Belkacem Radjef, co-founder of ENA with Messali Hadj and Amar Imache Lalla Fatma N'Soumer, 19th-century female leader of the Kabyle resistance against the French Mohamed ben Zamoum, 19th-century leader of the resistance against French colonisation Omar ben Zamoum, 19th-century leader of the resistance against French colonisation
Revolutionary War of Independence
Ferhat Abbas, president of the provisional government of Algeria before independence, 1958–1961 Mohamed Aïchaoui, journalist and independence war hero Colonel Amirouche, independence war hero Krim Belkacem, independence war hero; vice president of the provisional government of Algeria Jeanine Belkhodja, doctor, communist and activist Hassiba Benbouali, female hero of the independence war Mostefa Benboulaid, Commander of Zone 1 during the independence war Djamila Bouhired, female hero of the revolution Yahia Boushaki, political and military leader of the independence war Lyès Deriche, political leader of the independence war; member of the Revolutionary Committee of Unity and Action Ali La Pointe, also known as Ali Ammar; independence war hero Ahmed Mahsas, sociologist and independence war hero Larbi Ben M'hidi, commander of Zone 5 during the independence war Mohamed Rahmoune, political and military leader of the independence war Abane Ramdane, political leader of the independence war; author of the "political over military" and "interior over exterior" principles Yacef Saadi, fighter in the independence war in the 1957 Battle of Algiers; actor in the 1966 war film by the same name after independence Zazi Sadou, spokeswoman for the Algerian women's resistance movement
Independent Algeria
Chaâbane Aït Abderrahim, Wali of M'Sila, Constantine, and Algiers provinces Hocine Ait Ahmed, political leader and head of the Socialist Forces Front opposition party (also a prominent independence war leader) Mohamed Bahi (born ), American-Algerian former Chief Liaison of New York City Mayor Eric Adams to the Muslim community Ahmed Ben Bella, Algeria's first president, 1962–1965 Mourad Benachenou, minister for the restructure of industry, 1995Hunter, Brian. (Ed.) (1995) The Statesman's Year-Book 1995-96. 132nd edition. London: Macmillan. p. 71. Zahia Benarous, journalist and politician, Secretary of State for Culture Chadli Bendjedid, president of Algeria, 1979–1992