Pierre-François Martin-Laval

Pierre-François Martin-Laval, frequently referred to as PEF or Pef, was a French actor, film director, screenwriter, and theatre director. Born in Marseille on June 25, 1968, to Denis Martin-Laval, he began his training as an actor from 1988 to 1991 under Isabelle Nanty and Denise Bonal. During this period, he met Marina Foïs, Élise Larnicol, Maurice Barthélemy, Jean-Paul Rouve, and Pascal Vincent, individuals who would later become integral members of a comedy team.

The comedy duo 'Les Robins des Bois' was established by Martin-Laval in 1996 alongside his classmates. Initially called 'The Royal Imperial Green Rabbit Company', they quickly renamed themselves after their first successful play, 'Robins des bois'. The play premiered at the Théâtre des Sablons in Fontainebleau and was presented over 250 times at the Théâtre de la Gaîté-Montparnasse and then at the Splendid. Dominique Farrugia discovered Les Robins des Bois and produced them on Comédie! channel, where they appeared on 'La Grosse Emission' from November 1997 to June 1999, and later on Canal+’s 'Nulle part ailleurs' from September 1999 to 2001. During his time with Les Robins des Bois, which lasted from the 1990s to the 2000s, he portrayed recurring characters such as Pouf le Cascadeur, Commissaire Van Loc, Monsieur Merdocu, Maître Marcadet, Madame Marcadet, and Professeur Cigalon.

Beyond his work with Les Robins des Bois, Martin-Laval has pursued a diverse career. He directed 'Éric et Ramzy' from 1996 to 1998 and directed the film 'Essaye-moi' in 2006, featuring Julie Depardieu, Pierre Richard, Kad Merad, and Marina Foïs. He also directed 'Serial Teachers' in 2013 and its sequel in 2015, as well as 'Gaston Lagaffe' in 2018. His acting credits include roles in films like Vilaine (2008), Modern Love (2008), L'un dans l'autre (2016), Mon poussin (2016), and Un jour mon prince ! (2016). He also voiced Emile in the French version of 'Ratatouille' in 2007, appeared in 'Capitaine Marleau' in 2018, and 'The Disappearance' in 2015. He directed and acted in the play 'Robin des Bois d'à peu près Alexandre Dumas' in 1997, and directed the musical Spamalot at the Théâtre Comédia in 2010, reprising the role of King Arthur from 2013 to 2014 at Bobino.