Moussa Maaskri is a French-Algerian actor and screenwriter, born in Chelghoum Laïd, Algeria. He was born in Chelghoum Laïd shortly after Algeria gained independence. In 1967, he joined his father, who had come to work in France, along with his mother, brothers, and sisters. He grew up in Marseille, in the working-class neighborhood of "Le Flamant." Gifted at football, he eventually turned to acting. He attended acting classes and began performing on stage, notably at the Théâtre de la Criée in productions by Marcel Maréchal. His early screen appearances were modest: a role in Alex Métayer's film "Mohamed Bertrand-Duval" in 1991, a TV film by Dominique Baron, and an episode of the series "Navarro" alongside Roger Hanin in 1993.

He first drew attention for his role as a drug dealer in Karim Dridi's film "Bye-Bye." In 1999, in Nicolas Wadimoff's film "Mondialito," he played Georges, a gas station employee who accompanies a young runaway to a World Cup football match in Marseille. During the trip, they become friends and have several unexpected encounters. This film, whose screenplay he co-wrote with the director, earned him the Best Actor award at the Tokyo International Film Festival.