Melvil Poupaud, who turned fifty at the start of the year, began his career at the end of the 1980s. He filmed several times under the direction of François Ozon and Arnaud Desplechin, of whom he is one of the favorite actors; but also for various foreign directors like Angelina Jolie, Xavier Dolan, Woody Allen, Sean Bean, Lana and Lilly Wachowski.
Passing through New York for a retrospective in 10 films proposed by fi:af, Le Petit Journal asked the actor to talk about his relationship in NYC, fame and the cultural differences that may exist between France and the United States
New York
My very first time, I must have been 21 years old. With my brother, we toured legendary clubs, such as CBGB or Club 51 in the East Village. We are both very into music. There were mythical places on every street corner that we knew through cinema or comics and that made us completely fantasize.
Thirty years later, the city is still grandiose and the sets lend themselves to acting, even if I find NYC very changed: many addresses have closed. Poverty is very visible. We are in the same game, but it is as if we had changed the table. The decor has changed, the unevenness is more prominent. We feel the pressure of a dangerous city, of the accident that turns into a nightmare. But maybe it’s because I’ve aged. I have less ability to cash in.
Being famous in France VS New York
In France, when people don’t recognize me, I don’t say that I’m an actor. It always complicates relationships a bit. You are immediately asked in which films you have played, with which directors. I feel like I have to justify myself, because I’m not well known to the general public. I’ve done a lot of “arthouse films”. I prefer to approach people on a more neutral level, without bringing in notions such as celebrity.
In the United States, my profession is more diversified and less institutionalized. You can play for a TV series, in a Broadway Show, do theater or even advertising. And in fact, to be a huge star on Broadway, but totally unknown to moviegoers. Or an ultra-famous sitcom actor who will never shoot a movie. The fact of not being known to the public is less suspect than in France.
Afterwards, when I’m here, I don’t mind enjoying the clichés about “the French actor in New York”. It’s easy to act. I remember an evening spent at Marie’s Crisis, a bar where all the actors from Broadway meet and the pianist who stops playing to ask me “Hey! Where are you from? » And as I answer him, everyone starts to sing on an improvised air « Frenchman! Frenchman!” loudly.
American cinema VS French cinema
In the United States, when the actor was often, we install him in his dressing room and let him live his life, in a more responsible position, but also further from the heart of creation. The actor comes to the set, shoots his scene and leaves.
In France, or in England, the actor is much closer to the team, to the director. There are many repetitions. I remember a shoot in England where I was asked if I was satisfied, if I wanted to do another take. “Are you okay? Do you want another one? » I didn’t really know what to answer « And you? Are you happy with me? »
Another difference: the training of American actors is much more oriented towards the body and the action whereas we are more in introspection and speech.
In a French film, the character will uncork a bottle without saying anything, pour the glasses and start talking. In American cinema, the action is as important as the word. The body is trained to be mobile. There is no down time.
SO ? Paris or New York
Venice makes me want a lot more…
Find Melvil Poupaud at fi:af until April 25
