Born in Tel Aviv, Israel, to Algerian-Jewish parents. He grew up in the outskirts of Paris. His acting debut was in Éric Rochant's Un monde sans pitié (1989), which earned him a César Award for Most Promising Actor. His first feature film as director was Ma femme est une actrice (2001), which co-starred Charlotte Gainsbourg, Attal's real-life partner.
He directed a segment in the film New York, I Love You, and appeared as an actor in another.
He acted in The Interpreter and Anthony Zimmer, and in Rush Hour 3 he played a French cab driver named George.
