Aïssa Maïga

Aïssa Maïga(born 5 May 1975) is aSenegal-born French actress, director, writer, producer, and activist.Maïga has worked with major auteurs likeMichael Haneke,Abderrahmane SissakoandMichel Gondry, and recently starred inChiwetel Ejiofor’s directorial debut.
Maïga is an advocate for inclusion and has been vocal aboutracial discriminationin the film industry throughout her career. Maïga was inspired to speak out and create theDiasporActcollective after realising she was often the sole performer of colour to receive top billing and awards season attention—despite the abundance of diverse talent around her.
Maïga was born inDakar,Senegalto aMalianfather andSenegalesemother. Maïga grew up inDakarbut would go toMalion holidays as a child to spend time with her grandmother, uncles, aunts, and cousins. Her family comes from a small town in the region ofGao—near theSaharadesert—and her father is of theSonghay people.
She moved to France when she was 4 years old to live with her aunt and uncle. Her father, Mohamed Maïga was murdered in 1987, a few months before the Head of State in Burkina Faso was killed in a coup.
Maïga landed a role alongsideYvan Attalin Denis Amart's Saraka Bô (1996), her acting was well received, and she went on to play a rebellious young girl inMichael Haneke'sCode Unknown(2000) and his later filmCaché(2005). Her work inCédric Klapisch'sRussian Dolls(2005) cemented her role as a notable performer in French cinema.
Maïga was nominated for aCésar Award for Most Promising Actressfor her role inAbderrahmane Sissako’s Malian dramaBamako(2006) and became the first French actress of African descent to ever receive a nomination,thereby becoming the most visible black actress working in France.That same year, an anthology film calledParis, je t’aime(2006) was also premiered atCannesand Maïga was the female lead in the short film directed by South African filmmakerOliver Schmitz. Maïga was joined on theCannesred carpet byOliver Schmitzand producerDanny Glover.
Bianco e nero(2008) starring Maïga andFavio Volowas the first successful and mainstream Italian film to tackle interracial romance.In 2009, Maïga wonBest ActressforBianco e nero(2008) at the Festival du Cinema Italien de Bastia.
Maïga starred alongsideAudrey TautouandRomain DurisinMichel Gondry's surreal and whimsicalMood Indigo(2014).In 2016, Maïga starred in theNetflixfilmThe African Doctor(2016) alongsideDemocratic Republic of the CongoactorMarc Zinga.
In 2018, Maïga premiered in the IrishRTÉcrime seriesTaken Down(2018–present) written byStuart Carolanand her role was received with critical acclaim.
Maïga co-starred withChiwetel Ejioforin his joint film withNetflixset during the Malawian food crisis in the 2000s,The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind(2019). She was the lead female character—Agnes Kamkwamba—and the film premiered at theSundance Film Festivaland was added toNetflixon March 1, 2019.
Maïga is a leading figure in a new wave of activism by people of colour inFrench cinemain response to the lack of black representation in French films. The few roles available in the industry for black actors and actresses are usuallyracial stereotypesand Maïga uses her platform to challenge this and encourage change.
Maïga has collaborated with fifteen other black actresses and French personalities to create theDiasporActcollective. The group consists of Maïga,Nadège Beausson-Diagne,Mata Gabin,Maïmouna Gueye,Eye Haïdara,Rachel Khan,Sara Martins,Marie-Philomène Nga,Sabine Pakora,Firmine Richard,Sonia Rolland,Magaajyia Silberfeld,Shirley Souagnon,Assa Sylla,Karidja Touré, andFrance Zobda.
Before Maïga went toMalawiin 2017 to filmChiwetel Ejiofor’s adaptation ofThe Boy Who Harnessed the Wind(2019), Maïga wrote the essay that would become the book's forward. Once the filming was over, she dedicated herself to the book and contacted a group of performers to bring many perspectives to the project.
TheDiasporActgroup published a book calledNoire n’est pas mon métier(which means 'Black is not my job') (ed. Seuil).The essays in this book featured a response to the lack of representation and inclusion that black actresses face in French cinema, as well as the stereotypical portrayal of black people whenever they are included. The book details the inequity and racism black women face in the French film industry and outlines personal stories and casting experiences specific to black actresses,and came to fruition amid the #MeToo movement and theCannesfestival that had a wave of calls for inclusion.
The book was a success in France and has sparked debate about minority representation.
Maïga and the DiasporAct collective held a peaceful anti-racism protest as they went into the premiere ofLee Chang-dong'sFIPRESCI Prize–winning film,Burningat the71st Annual Cannes Film Festivalin 2018.The group of women stood at the top of the red carpet steps at the festival and raised their fists while dancing joyously to theRihannasongDiamondsto protest the racial bias and discrimination that is rampant within the French film industry.During a press conference that featured the group, Maïga toldAgence France-Pressethat setting up aracial quotain the French film industry is a potential option for combating the lack of onscreen diversity, and acknowledged that this could spark strong opposition in France.All members of the group wore matching black and whiteensembles created byBalmain'smixed-race designerOlivier Rousteingwho toldVogue:
The clear message of the protest, combined with the recently released book to back it up, was met positively—the consequent media reports talked of their beauty, style and courage.
Maïga and 30 fellow actors of colour all spoke out against the lack of diversity among those nominated for a2020 César awardin an open letter entitled '#BlackCesars' that was published just before the awards ceremony. The intention of the open letter was to shed light on the absence of Black, Arab, and Asian performers and filmmakers in the nominations for the event.
On the night of the45th César awards, Maïga gave a speech calling out the lack of diversity in French cinema. The speech was unexpected and contrasted with the congratulatory speeches that had taken place throughout the evening, the predominantly white audience of the "FrenchOscars" were all frozen in silent surprise and discomfort. Maïga began her speech by greeting the 12 black people (out of the 1,600 guests) and proceeded to outline the ways in which black people and their stories are systemically ignored in French media, TV, and cinema.
WhenRoman Polanskiwas awardedBest Directorlater in the ceremony, Maïga walked out along withAdèle Haenelto join the protestors outside the awards ceremonywho were chanting "Polanski is a rapist".
Maïga was an ambassador forAMREF'sStand Up for African Mothers Campaign (SU4AM). In 2013 AMREF Africa organised a trip for French SU4AM ambassadors to visitUgandafor events in collaboration with French midwives to support their colleagues in Africa. Here Maïga (along with singerZazie, international fencing championLaura Flessel, former midwifeMathilde de Calanwho works at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and AMREF France'sHaweya Mohamed) met Ugandan midwifeEsther Maduduat the Katine Health Centre, took part in an outreach mission, and visited the Masaka School of Midwifery and Comprehensive Nursing in Kampala and the Tiriri Health Centre IV in Soroti.
Voguecites Maïga as their “French style crush” and says she has “never once disappointed”,Maïga challenges the “just rolled out of bed” Parisian style and opts for a look that is glamorous and elegant.