David (Da’ud) Richard Thompson's name often prompts curiosity. People frequently ask, “Is Da’ud your nickname?” The answer is, “No, it is not his nickname. It is his name.” Born in Beirut, Lebanon, his birth certificate is bilingual: Arabic on the right side and English on the left. In Arabic, it reads “Da’ud Rachid Thompson.” His father called him Da’ud from the day he was born until the day he died, and his friends and colleagues did the same, introducing him as Da’ud and calling his father “Abu Da’ud,” meaning “Father of Da’ud.”

On the left side of his birth certificate, his name is recorded in English as “David Richard Thompson.” This dual naming was a compromise between his parents: his mother agreed to Da’ud Rachid in Arabic if she could name him David Richard in English, with the intention of calling him Ricky, though she never did. Instead, she always called him David, and that’s how she introduced him to others.

David Richard Thompson was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to American and Canadian parents and was raised in Morocco, Jordan, and Washington D.C. He later moved to Ohio, USA, for his final year of high school. David spent his university and graduate school years in DC, Paris, and New York City, becoming fluent in French. His early acting highlights include playing Linus in a school musical and performing in community theatre in Rabat, Morocco, and Amman, Jordan. One memorable moment was when King Hussein of Jordan attended his performance of "The Girl in The Freudian Slip" in Amman and congratulated David on his comedic skills backstage.

David's television career includes roles opposite Jenna Elfman, Peri Gilpin, and Geena Davis, and a notable scene in "Killing Zoe" with Eric Stoltz. He was also a founding member of the Los Angeles-based sketch comedy group "Unprotected Six."

In 2009, David took a hiatus from acting to co-found the World Freerunning Parkour Federation (WFPF) and the International Parkour Federation (IPF) with his friend and business partner, Victor Bevine. Despite this shift, his passion for acting and singing has remained strong. David is also an accomplished author and singer-songwriter. 

As a dual national of the USA and Canada, he loves traveling and embraces anything creative. He is deeply committed to making the world a better place through his humanitarian efforts and artistic endeavors.

Co-Founder/President WFPF- World Freerunning Parkour Federation, Co-Founder/Secretary General IPF-International Parkour Federation (a 501c3 non-profit), Chairman IPF’s #PeaceThroughParkour Global Education Initiative, Co-Founder/Director USA Parkour, Creator & Executive Producer WorldParkourChampionship.com , Co-Executive Producer MTV’s ULTIMATE PARKOUR CHALLENGE, Board Member IPTC (International Professional Training Certification), Board Member USA Sports Council, VP for Canada World Football Skating Federation, Ambassador “Books for Peace”, Board member/mentor "Second Families" Syrian/Iraqi refugee resettlement organization.