Skam France is a French television teen drama series broadcast by France.tv Slash and based on the Norwegian television series, Skam, created by Julie Andem. Skam France was the first international remake of the show to surpass original storylines, originally focusing on two friend groups at Lycée Dorian in Paris, but then focusing on original, younger students at the same school as the series progressed. Each season of the show centers on one character, telling a story through their perspective, touching upon themes of loneliness, friendship, feminism, sexual assault, homosexuality, religion, deafness, substance abuse, bisexuality, pregnancy denial, food insecurity, HIV, grief, depression, anger issues, and asexuality.
The series has been incredibly popular. As of March 2023, it was reported that Skam France had "accumulated more than 400 million views on Slash and YouTube." It has even reached outside of the borders of France, with publication Le Parisien touching upon the popularity of the adaptation in South Korea. The characters and storylines featured on the show have also inspired several pieces of scholarship.Gitzen, T. “Minute by Minute”: The Radical Presentism of Queer Youth Sexuality. Sexuality & Culture 26, 1766–1781 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-022-09969-3Dhaenens, F., Mediavilla Aboulaoula, S., & Lion, A. (2023). ‘I’m just not gay-gay’: Exploring same-sex desire and sexual minority identity formation in SKAM and its Western European remakes. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 26(6), 863-879. https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494221136616
Due to the diversity of its cast, characters, and storylines, the series was awarded the "Out d'or" from the AJL association of LGBTQI journalists in France in 2019. The award "celebrates the visibility of LGBTI people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex) in the media," and specifically focused on the inclusion of the love story between Lucas and Eliott, two teenage boys. Skam France was also later awarded the Konbini Commitment Award at the CANNESERIES festival in 2022, which specifically mentioned that the show "is genuine... [and] makes it possible for the audience to identify to its characters. Rewarding SKAM France means celebrating youth, freedom of tone and multicultural speech."
The following is a list of characters by role type who have appeared over the twelve seasons of the show.
Central characters Name Actor Starring seasons Recurring/guest seasons Original series counterpart Emma Borgés Philippine Stindel 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 6, 7, 8 Eva Kviig Mohn Emma Borgés (born 2002) is the central character of season 1, which focuses on Emma's relationship with her boyfriend Yann, who used to date her best friend, Ingrid. As a result of Emma and Yann beginning to date, she has lost Ingrid and Sarah as friends. Emma struggles with loneliness and insecurities throughout her season, including the fact that she believes Yann will cheat on her with Ingrid. These insecurities come to a head when she kisses another classmate, Alexandre, at a party. As Emma grows closer to Manon, Alexia, Daphne, and Imane, she finds strength in herself and forming her own opinions. The end of her season finds Emma breaking up with Yann, and choosing to focus on herself.
Later seasons characterize Emma as a free-spirited, adventurous person. Emma likes to party, and also forms an on-and-off relationship with Alexandre, who she formed a connection with in the first season. She goes on to graduate from Dorian High School in season 6, and becomes a tattoo artist. Manon Demissy Marilyn Lima 1, 2, 3, 4 6 Noora Amalie Sætre Manon Demissy (born June 2, 2002) is the central character of the second season, who recently started at Dorian High School. Manon is extremely self-motivated and independent, due to her parents' work moving their family around frequently. She used to live in Madrid, but moved to Paris to live with her cousin, Lisa. The second season follows Manon as she wrestles with her attraction towards Charles Munier, a popular boy at school, which also clashes with her feminist values. Manon also struggles with the fact that her friend, Daphné, is also attracted to Charles. Other storylines deal with eating disorders, as well as Manon's sexual assault at the hands of Charles' brother, Nicolas, which throws her relationship with Charles into further disarray.
The beginning of the third season sees Manon having moved to London with Charles, but she quickly returns to the flat she shares with Lisa, Mickaël, and now Lucas, when their relationship breaks down. In season 4, she attempts to move on with Sofiane, but Charles returns to reconcile. Manon then drops out of Dorian High School to do humanitarian work with Charles and her parents, but returns briefly in season six to attend Daphné's birthday party. Lucas LallemantAxel Auriant 1, 3, 4, 5 2, 6Isak Valtersen Lucas Lallemant (born July 11, 2002) is the central character of the third season. In the beginning of the series, he is shown as Yann's best friend and a close confidant of Emma's. His mother struggles with her mental health, and his father is mostly absent from his life. These familial struggles culminate in Lucas moving in with Lisa, Mickaël, and then Manon in the third season. Lucas's season primarily functions as a coming-out story, and his romantic relationship with new classmate, Eliott.
Later seasons show Lucas as a more carefree, outgoing person. He supports both Imane and Arthur as they deal with racism and hearing loss, respectively. Season six, however, highlights Lucas's struggle to trust Lola as she befriends Eliott, as he sees her as a risk to Eliott's maintaining sobriety and a good mental health.Imane BakhellalAssa Sylla 1, 2, 3, 4, 56Sana Bakkoush Imane Bakhallal (born 2002) is the central character of season 4. While early seasons showed her as self-assured, her season shows her wrestle with her identity as both a regular, French teenager, and her identity as a young, Black Muslim woman in her community. This is further complicated by her growing attraction to Sofiane, her brother's best friend, who also happens to be non-religious. Imane also struggles with the racism she faces both at school from her classmates, and from strangers on the street. At the time of the season's airing, Assa Sylla was the first Black Muslim woman to lead a French television series.
Seasons 5 and 6 show Imane as a supportive friend to both Arthur and Daphné, while also continuing her studies and her romantic relationship with Sofiane. She then graduates from Dorian High School at the end of the sixth season. Arthur BroussardRobin Migné3, 5 4, 6, 7 Mahdi Disi Season 5 features Arthur Broussard (born 2002) as the central character. When Arthur is introduced in season 3, he is shown more typically as comic relief, and a supportive friend to Lucas as he navigates his coming-out journey.
Arthur's season is the first Skam France season to feature wholly original storylines. Arthur begins to experience gradual hearing loss, which causes him to have to navigate a whole new culture and language in French Sign Language. Other storylines of his season include him juggling romantic feelings for both Alexia, and Noée, a Deaf girl he meets through a community organization for Deaf people, navigating a tough relationship with his father, and coming to terms with the end of his high school career. Arthur graduates from Dorian High School at the end of season 6, but returns as a guest star in season 7, where it is revealed he is now in a long-term romantic relationship with Noée.Lola LecomteFlavie Delangle 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 5, 11 – Season 6 features Lola Lecomte (born November 21, 2004) as the central character. Lola is introduced as Daphné's younger sister in season 5. Lola is the first Skam France character to have a season centered on them without a counterpart in the original Norwegian series. The two girls have a combative relationship, and are not close for much of season 6. Lola struggles with alcohol and substance abuse, and these issues are intensified as she copes with the recent death of her mother, and the revelation that she and Daphné do not have the same father.
Lola becomes close with Eliott, who sees Lola as a kindred spirit, and helps her navigate sobriety. Lola also becomes close with Jo, Max, Sekou, and Maya, who like to do urban exploration and call themselves "La Mif." Maya and Lola also fall in love, and with the support of Maya, Daphné, Eliott, and her new friends, Lola decides to return to inpatient treatment to deal with her mental health and her addictions.
Later seasons show Lola continue to struggle with her sobriety, and her relationship with Maya unravel. Despite these setbacks, she remains a loyal friend, and goes on to graduate from Dorian High School in the tenth season. She makes a cameo appearance in season 11, waiting outside a party with Jo, Max, and Anaïs. Tiffany "Tiff" PrigentLucie Fagedet 7, 8, 9, 10 6 – Tiffany Prigent (born August 25, 2004) is the central character of the seventh season. Tiffany is the class representative of Lola's grade in season 6, who expresses her condolences when Lola's mother passes. Unfortunately, this relationship quickly sours, and Tiffany, along with Anaïs and Louise, decide to bully Lola anonymously through Instagram. Tiffany is later reprimanded for this behavior.
Season 7 provides more background to Tiffany, showing that she used to be a competitive gymnast until at a gymnastics meet, she traumatically gives birth to a baby — known as pregnancy denial. This creates a radical shift in Tiff, who begins to be a more kind, empathetic person. She grows closer to La Mif, especially Jo, and forms a romantic interest in Max, who is transgender. She also decides to keep her child, who she names Moïra, and learns how to co-parent with her former fling, Aurélien.
Later seasons highlight Tiff as a supportive friend, particularly to Maya and Anaïs, and a committed mother who continues to navigate her responsibilities to varied success. Bilal CherifKhalil Ben Gharbia7, 8, 9 10 – Bilal Cherif (born January 28, 2004) is the central character of the eighth season. Bilal is a new student to Dorian High School in season 7, and a recent addition to "La Mif." He has a vested interest in fashion and luxury, and is generally characterized as easygoing. The eighth season pulls back the true curtain on his life, where it's shown that Bilal, his brother, Zakaria, and his mother have lost their house as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Temporarily, Bilal and his brother stay at Lycée Dorian, Redouane's house, and Max's apartment.
By the end of the season, Bilal and his family have found stable housing, Bilal has gotten a job at a kabab restaurant, and he is happily in a relationship with Jo, who Bilal supported through her HIV-positive diagnosis. Season 9 shows Bilal getting involved in Maya's fast-fashion activism actions, and continuing his relationship with Jo. He graduates from Dorian High School at the end of season 10 with the rest of La Mif.Maya EtienneAyumi Roux 6, 7, 8, 9, 10–– Season 9 focuses around Maya Etienne (born October 13, 2001). Maya lost her parents at an early age from a drunk-driving incident her father caused. As a result, Maya spent much of her life within the confines of the French foster care system. She dropped out of high school, and works at a supermarket during seasons 6 and 7. She also has a vested interest in activist causes, particularly ones about protecting the environment. She is in a long-term relationship with Lola Lecomte from season 6 to season 9.