Yannick Noah will have a surprising role in a series in 2025, yet he finds himself “unbearable” on screen

Yannick Noah will have a surprising role in a series

We know Yannick Noah as the greatest tennis player in French history, a leader of men when he is a coach and obviously as a singer. From now on, you’ll have to get used to seeing him as an actor…

Yannick Noah64, is a man of many facets. Winner of Roland-Garros in 1983, he remains to this day the last Frenchman to have won the Grand Slam tournament. After his playing career, he successfully converted to singing, releasing popular hits like “Saga Africa” and “Aux Arbres Citoyens”.

Yannick Noah has never stopped surprising. Captain of the French Davis Cup team, he is also very involved in the development of wheelchair tennis. And recently, he has been passing on his experience to younger generations. And not just any ones since he will coach the new Spanish prodigy Carlos Alcaraz during the next Laver Cup.

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But there’s no question of stopping there. Always eager for new challenges, the former champion recently launched an acting career. In October 2024, he took his first steps in the cinema in the film “It’s the world upside down!” by Nicolas Vanier, alongside Michaël Youn and François Berléand. A first conclusive attempt for the one who nevertheless admits to having difficulty seeing himself on the screen and even finds himself “unbearable”, in an interview full of humor in The Team ! The reason: an inferiority or imposter complex in the face of “real” actors. “I’m always worried. It’s not my world […]. When I look at the others, it’s fantastic but as soon as I arrive, it’s Oh hell, no, not him!

But these difficulties do not prevent him from continuing the adventure. Yannick Noah has just landed a role in Death on claya detective TV film derived from the “Morts à…” saga which will soon be broadcast on France 2. A role tailor-made for the former sportsman. Directed by Denis Malleval, this 90-minute thriller takes place in the world of tennis, where the murder of a young hopeful will upset a prestigious tournament.

Yannick Noah will play Vincent Beti, a former champion who became tournament director, a charismatic and troubled character who will help the investigation led by a police captain passionate about tennis (Florent Peyre) and his young teammate (Roxanne Roux). Rivalries between players and parental ambitions will mix to blur the lines in this gripping intrigue. And the presence of the star will certainly be a real added value to this telefilm event.

The former French number 1 will also have the joy of playing opposite one of his daughters, Eleejah Noah, also in the casting. An exciting experience that longtime fans and thriller fans alike will no doubt be delighted to discover. The filming of Death on clay began at the end of November and will end in mid-December. The release date is not yet known.

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