In 2004, after the end of the show on
Canal+,
Yolande Moreau, his partner on screen, hired him in her first film as a director :
When the Sea Rises. The movie became a critical success and won the
César Award for Best First Feature Film. In 2008, he starred in the hugely successful ''
Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis'', which pays homage to the
Nord-Pas-de-Calais region. He is often cast in
Albert Dupontel's movies, like
Locked Out in 2006,
The Villain in 2009,
9 Month Stretch in 2013,
See You Up There in 2017 and his last one
Second Tour, released in 2023. Since 2020, he play the role of Michel Specklin, one of the main characters in the TV series
Parlement created by Noé Debré. == Theater ==