Assane Diop

Assane Diop is the protagonist of *Lupin*, the French Netflix series that premiered in 2021. Omar Sy plays him as a Parisian thief, con artist, and expert in disguise who models his exploits on Arsène Lupin, the gentleman burglar created by Maurice Leblanc. Assane’s attachment to those stories began with his father, Babakar Diop, a Senegalese immigrant who worked for the wealthy Pellegrini family. Babakar was accused of stealing a necklace from his employer and died in prison, leaving Assane convinced that he had been framed. A Lupin novel given to Assane by Babakar becomes both a keepsake and a practical guide to deception.

The series opens with Assane targeting that same necklace when it goes up for auction at the Louvre. He enters the museum under different identities, manipulating security arrangements and the auction itself to seize the jewel. His elaborate plans often rely less on physical force than on costumes, forged documents, social assumptions, and an ability to anticipate what others will notice. One of his aliases, Paul Sernine, rearranges the letters of Arsène Lupin’s name. Police detective Youssef Guedira recognizes the literary pattern behind Assane’s crimes, making him unusually capable of following the clues Assane leaves. Their contest becomes a recurring thread of the series.

Assane’s campaign against Hubert Pellegrini, Babakar’s former employer, extends beyond recovering a stolen object: he wants to establish who engineered his father’s downfall. His closest accomplice is Benjamin Ferel, a childhood friend who runs an antiques business and helps with disguises and equipment. Assane also has a son, Raoul, with his former partner Claire. Pellegrini’s efforts to intimidate Assane culminate in Raoul’s abduction, raising the cost of Assane’s revenge. Journalist Fabienne Bériot helps Assane investigate Pellegrini, but her involvement ends in her murder. Assane eventually exposes Pellegrini at a charity concert, then goes into hiding rather than enjoying a victory.

In the third part, released in 2023, Assane returns to steal a black pearl and stages his own death, hoping to free Claire and Raoul from the dangers of being associated with him. The reappearance of his mother, Mariama, draws him into a confrontation with Jean-Luc Keller, a figure from his teenage years. Assane’s schemes remain tied to family rather than profit: the father he could not save, the son he wants to protect, and the mother he believed lost. By the end of that part, his choices have led him into prison.