A new light falls on Sami Naseri, the well-known Taxi alumnus, who recently appeared in an Uzbek commercial project tied to a Chinese automobile. The project was reported by motor.ru as part of a broader promotion campaign that mixed entertainment with a brisk glimpse into regional commerce. Naseri is not just a cameo; his involvement is presented as a bridge between different markets, blending cinema, advertising, and local culture in a way that resonates with audiences in both Europe and Central Asia.
The 62-year-old French actor participated in the production staged for the Tashkent automobile marketplace and a local fast-food outlet named Feed Up. This collaboration showcases Naseri guiding viewers through a playful, fast-paced storyline where consumer desire, travel, and media spectacle intersect. The central plot follows a visitor at a bustling car market who expresses curiosity about the Songsan SS Dolphin, a stylized Chinese roadster valued around 86,000 dollars. Naseri’s performance highlights his offbeat charm and ability to convey rapid, spontaneous feats while nibbling on a hamburger during the action. The scene is designed to be visually striking and memorable, emphasizing speed, appetite, and a moment of ad-libbed humor that keeps the audience engaged from start to finish.
What stands out in the execution is that every character in the video speaks Uzbek, including Naseri himself. This linguistic choice amplifies the sense of place and authenticity, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in a bilingual world of commerce, entertainment, and international product showcases. The Uzbek dialogue also aligns with the project’s aim to reach audiences in Central Asia while maintaining a cosmopolitan appeal that can translate across borders. It’s a reminder that cross-cultural advertising can be both locally grounded and globally appealing when cast and direction emphasize natural dialogue and relatable humor.
Sami Naseri was later a guest at the Tashkent International Film Festival, known as the Pearl of the Silk Road, held in the Uzbek capital from late September through early October. The festival provided a platform for the actor to reconnect with audiences in Central Asia and to discuss the intersections of cinema and advertising in a region where storytelling and commerce frequently converge. Naseri’s presence at the festival underscored his status as a global talent capable of moving between film roles and commercial work with ease, reinforcing the idea that film culture and market screenings can reinforce each other in meaningful ways.
Beyond the Uzbek project, Naseri is widely recognized for his role as Daniel in the Taxi franchise and its sequels. His career has experienced fluctuations influenced by legal and personal challenges. Reports have noted periods when Naseri faced penalties, including fines and brief incarcerations related to incidents such as altercations, disputes with law enforcement, and issues surrounding public behavior. In 2007, he served a nine-month sentence with six months suspended after an incident involving a club security guard, an episode that drew significant attention in media circles. Later, in 2018, he was involved in a bar brawl in Moscow. Despite these events, Naseri has maintained ongoing work in acting and, through the years, he has balanced professional projects with public scrutiny and personal life. He has a son named Julian, born in 1995, and has been married to actress Marie Guillard since 2005, a union that has often been part of public discussions around his personal timeline and career choices.
In a separate and somewhat unrelated public remark, Serbian director Emir Kusturica once spoke about plans to create a film adaptation of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel in Russian, with a focus on a cast free from certain high-profile names. The comment sparked conversation about how cinema can revisit classic literature while exploring new languages and casting dynamics. The broader theme emerging from these discussions is a fascination with cross-cultural collaboration and the ongoing evolution of film and advertising in a global context, where stories may travel across continents yet still reflect local voices and atmospheres.