Here at Mille, we’re always on the lookout for the next slate of fresh faces our region has to offer. The more we search and scout, the more it feels as if we won’t be running out of shimmering talent anytime soon. Painting the future of the Arab World with the brightest shades of pastel, the latest generation of gifted individuals, who carry roots from our side of the world, are expected to sit in the front seat of our fast-growing scene, filling the soon-to-be vacant spots left by the stars of yesterday to become those of tomorrow.
With such a rich and diverse industry as the one we can proudly boast about, our semi-serialized, and ongoing, focus list of which names to keep in mind has led us to discover American-Moroccan comedian and actor Mekki Leeper, whose clever wit and humor have been captivating audiences behind the screen and in real life equally.
On a steady rise, Pauline Chalamet’s co-star in HBO MAX’s The Real Sex Life of College Girls has been making waves across the Atlantic, getting viewers used to seeing his name in film and series credits one venture at a time. On the brink of making it into the mainstream, by our standards at least, we decided to zero in on the life and career of the latest addition to the roster of famed North Africans making a name for themselves in Hollywood.
Below, 5 facts about Mekki Leeper.
He comes from a mixed background
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The comedian’s father, Paul Leeper, is a US citizen and reportedly believes in Christianity, while his mother, Niamate Bouhelal, is Moroccan and Muslim— an experience the actor never shies away from recounting on stage despite having carried its own load of struggles and challenges while growing up.
Leeper is a Virgo
Mekki Leeper was born in Philadelphia on September 9, 1994, making him a Virgo (as well as a 28-year-old but we thought that being a Virgo was more important).
His first encounter with success was through stand-up comedy
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Although recognized for his role in The Real Sex Life of College Girls — which has an impressive 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes — Leeper’s rise to fame can largely be credited back to his first steps as a stand-up comedian, with features on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Just For Laughs: New Faces, and Comedy Central’s Up Next. It’s a profession that he still exercises alongside his career in the silver screen industry.
He’s vocal about his political opinion
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Of the handful of celebrities who make sure to use their platform to advocate for a good cause is Mekki Leeper. The comedian and actor constantly uses his presence on social media, alongside his humor, to raise awareness, trigger positive change, and build safe communities.
His Instagram and Twitter profiles alone should be enough to convince you of his dedication to making a difference, as his grid and feeds are punctuated with socially-conscious images and posts— mainly speaking up in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
He made a fake company selling used tissues which went viral
In 2019, as part of a program dubbed Control Room produced by Comedy Central, the part-Moroccan comedian used $1000 to set up a fake company, called VAEV, that exclusively sold used tissues. It was designed to give buyers a cold to be able to “get sick on your own terms.” Eventually going viral, the hoax enterprise went on to receive coverage from CBS, The Times, Fox News as well as Yahoo Finance, and more. Leeper fooled many established agencies into believing that the venture was real, publicly endorsing its unique concept of selling used tissues for self-induced illness and calling it out when in fact they were victims of an elaborate prank.
