Where to even start with Aïssa Maïga? An actress as accomplished but still on the rise to greater things. Aïssa was born in 1975 in Dakar, Senegal to a Malian father and Senegalese mother. Spending most of her early life in France, she has come to use her rich culture as a defining piece of her. Aïssa fell in love with acting while in school when her teacher put her to play on stage. She discovers the world of theatre and would continue to perform on stage until she get her first role in 1996 for "Saraka bô" a film by Denis Amart. She would further her resume by playing in other feature films like "Les poupées russes" and "Paris, Je t'aime." A path that would not be easy for a black actress in France, her breakout role would be for Abderrahmane Sissako's "Bamako" (2006) for which she would get a César nomination for the most promising actress. She would play in multiple other movies and tv films that would cement her as one of the most sought-after black actresses in France. As a matter of fact, Aïssa is more than just an actress, she is an activist and has been very vocal about the racism and discrimination against black actresses including her, endure in the french film industry. She released her book "Noir n'est pas mon métier" in 2018 with the collaboration of multiple french black actresses. She worked on two documentaries as a director for "Regard noir" a continuation of her book and "Marcher sure l'eau" in 2021.