In the early 1980s, Jeane Manson left American actor Robert Viharo for Richard Berry. In her autobiography published in 2011, the singer recounted in great detail this very difficult period of her life.
If Jeane Manson has spoken little since the start of the Richard Berry affair, it is enough to delve into the books she has written to gain a broad overview of her relationship with the actor. In An American in Paris, published in 2011 by Editions du Rocher, the singer told their story, which began as an adulterous affair. In the early 1980s, she was still married to the American Robert Viharo and couldn’t decide between the two men. ” When Robert came to France, Richard found the scowl that I knew him and he made me pay dearly for my irresolution. She wrote. Richard Berry would have started him ” put pressure “, Before finally demanding” exclusivity » : « His intimation was clear: I had to get a divorce. “Jeane Manson complied and left California to settle in France with Richard Berry, who obviously had big plans for her:” Richard felt a soul of Pygmalion and took care to help me progress in the art of comedy », Recounted the artist in his autobiography. But there was unfortunately only one step to take for advice to become orders.
Jeane Manson: his terrible testimony on Richard Berry
« After helping me progress in my profession as an actress, Richard also wanted to take my life in hand and change me, wrote Jeane Manson in An American in Paris. He didn’t like my friends or the way I worked, he was critical of most of my professional relationships. According to him, I was doing it wrong in many areas, so my self-confidence was slowly collapsing. “In this chilling testimony, she assures us that Richard Berry imposed a certain appearance on him : « I shouldn’t smile when I was photographed, an actress never smiled, it seems. I had to be dressed strictly, my blouses neatly buttoned up to the neck. Make-up was prohibited, or at least it had to be as light as possible. I also had to sing without too much smile. I had no choice, I had to follow his advice or prepare for incessant reproaches. To this was added violence and, according to her, a jealousy more and more difficult to bear.
« Richard didn’t like the competition, including mine. He wanted to be the best, she wrote in 2011. I had to follow him like his shadow without making any to him. As soon as we were in the presence of other people, he felt the need to shine at my expense. From passionate, our relationship became conflictual. In 1984, during a tour in Reunion, Richard Berry would have exploded several times. ” I was the star and he couldn’t take it Jeane Manson analyzed. Between two short lulls, the singer couldn’t stand this situation anymore : « I felt locked and chained, like a fly in a carefully woven spider’s web. »
How Jeane Manson figured out she had to go
Jeane Manson says he decided to leave after yet another argument. There had been many others before : « His hurtful words made me aggressive, me who had never been before. Plates and dishes were flying. Sometimes I locked myself in the bathroom to calm myself down and come to my senses. But that day was different again: the singer was in a state that frightened her herself.
« He was driving and he accelerated until he drove me crazy, she said in her book. He drove at over 150 km / h on winding roads bordered by vertiginous ravines. I was scared to death. I asked him to slow down several times until he complied to go 5km / h when he knew we were due for a rehearsal and that we were late. Exhausted, she threw her ring out the window in anger. “ At that moment, I knew that everything was over between us. His exclusive character, his anger and his contempt again risked resurfacing in me that violence that was hitherto unknown to me., she concluded in her book. I didn’t trust anymore, I feared him too much and no longer believed in any redemption. »
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