Mourad Zaoui was born in the Aïn Sebaâ district of Casablanca, Morocco, on 23 April 1980. He is the oldest of two sons born to Mostapha and Khadija Zaoui.

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After earning his bachelor's degree in business communication at the Lycée Elbilia in Casablanca in 1999, he moved to New York City to study English at Queens College. It was there that he discovered his passion for theatre and cinema.