Born in Paris, son of an engineer-architect father and a Dancer mother, Duris studied arts at university but decided to follow a career in music forming a jazz-funk band. Music remains a major interest. He was noticed in the street by a casting Director whilst waiting in a queue in 1993 and was offered a part in the 1994 Cédric Klapisch film Le péril jeune. He has since worked with Klapisch regularly. His first role however was in a pop video for Princess Erika, Faut qu'j'travaille (I Need To Work), in which he plays the role of a small-time gangster. His sister is Pianist Caroline Duris, who performs on the Soundtrack of the 2005 film The Beat That My Heart Skipped. Before going into acting, he started an acid-jazz band where he was a Drummer. Duris lives in Paris near La Bastille with his Actress girlfriend Olivia Bonamy with whom he has a son, Luigi, born 10 February 2009.