Actor, singer, humorist, philanthropist and even a senator: few personalities have left their mark in Quebec in such diverse fields as Jean Lapointe. An artist of rare versatility, an inspiring man with a sometimes unnerving candor, he died on Friday at the age of 86, leaving behind an immense legacy, if only for the therapy center that bears his name.
“People already loved him. But showing an imperfect side of himself, presenting himself as a man who struggled with his demons, he sought even more public love», underlines his daughter Anne Elizabeth Lapointe, who today runs the Maison Jean Lapointe, which her father founded in 1982. .
Before becoming the champion of the fight against addiction, Jean Lapointe had a prolific career in the entertainment world. First in cabarets in the 1950s, then as a comedian in the comedy duo Les Jérolas, alongside Jérôme Lemay, until 1974.
At the cinema he will star in two of the greatest masterpieces of Quebec cinema: orders by Michel Brault in 1974, and Hot water, hot water by Andre Forcier. “He IS an exquisite being. He is a being with a big heart who has managed to establish a bond with the other actors », recalls the actress Sophie Clément, who was his partner in Hot water, hot water. He never felt the slightest contempt for this comedian, a great star of the variety, who tried his hand at dramatic roles in arthouse films. “On the contrary, there was immense respect,” insists Sophie Clément.
His acting skills were no longer in doubt when he got the role of Maurice Duplessis in the biopic series directed by a certain Denys Arcand, then at the very beginning of his career. Jean Lapointe is stunning in the skin of the strongman of the Great Darkness, sometimes presented as a vulnerable being. the 15-minute dialogue between Maurice Duplessis in his hospital bed and Adélard Godbout has gone down in history. Some, including PQ Pascal Bérubé, went so far as to ask Radio-Canada on Friday to rebroadcast the Duplessis series to pay tribute to Jean Lapointe.
One thing is certain, the entire political class, from Justin Trudeau to François Legault, wanted to welcome the departure of this colossus. “Jean Lapointe was a monument to Quebec culture and an inspiration to thousands. Above all, Maison Jean Lapointe is one of his most precious legacies,” wrote Valérie Plante on Twitter.
The fight of his life
A close friend of Félix Leclerc, Jean Lapointe was also hugely successful as a songwriter in the 1970s and 80s. sing your song.
“He first described himself as imaginative. But I think his favorite thing was the stage. He loved acting, but he wouldn’t have the patience to spend his life on film sets. It was on stage that he was happiest. When the kodaks fired up, it fired up too. He really was a beast of the stage,” says his only son, presenter Jean-Marie Lapointe.
But as he shone on boards and screen in the early 1970s, Jean Lapointe was being eaten up behind the scenes by his drinking problems. After numerous therapies, she eventually regained the upper hand on her demons, but it wasn’t until the early 1980s that he spoke openly about his struggle.
“He was one of the first known people to confess to having a drinking problem. He really helped advance the cause and broke down the prejudices. In the late 70s, an alcoholic was still a drunk, a lazy person. For such a beloved personality to expose the flaws in him, it changed perceptions,” recalls Anne Elizabeth Lapointe, whose boundless admiration for her father, who will be sober for more than 40 years, we feel.
The antipolitical
His commitment against addictions earned him the nomination of senator in 2001 by Jean Chrétien, an experience he ultimately did not appreciate. Especially since his work to better supervise the installation of the lottery machines was in vain.
“Our grandfather was a federal deputy, so when he was made a senator it was an immense pride for him. The first years he was very motivated. But he was disappointed after his inability to regulate gaming machines better. Let’s just say that in all that he’s accomplished in his life, politics really wasn’t what he was most proud of,” admits Jean-Marie Lapointe, who believes his father was too frank, too direct, for the political game.
“He was really honest. He said what he thought and did what he said. He didn’t care what people thought,” adds Jean-Marie Lapointe, who never fails to point out that behind this strength of character lies a great vulnerability.
Jean Lapointe will sit in the upper house until 2010, the year he turns 75, the mandatory retirement age for senators. In one of his last interviews with Radio-Canada last January, this convinced ex-federalist, son of a former liberal deputy, now confided that he hoped for the advent of a sovereign Quebec.
“Quebec’s independence will come someday, and I hope so,” he confided to Patrice Roy, speaking of the two irreconcilable solitudes he had observed during his years in Ottawa.
Reconnaissance
After politics, Jean Lapointe will reconnect full-time with his first love, which he had never really left. However, Jérolas’ return to the stage was cut short in 2011, when his accomplice, Jérôme Lemay, died a few weeks after passing out in the middle of a show.
The same year, he received the Jutra tribute for his entire film career, which, however, was far from over. And for good reason, the same evening, he also received the Jutra for Best Supporting Actor for his moving performance in Origin of a cry by Robin Aubert. An award that he had already won in 2005 for the Last tunnel by Érik Canuel, for which he also won the Genie Award for Best Supporting Actor.
The director of the film has only fond memories of these shoots, during which Jean Lapointe shared the poster with Michel Côté. “Jean Lapointe was a real one. If we can give him credit for anything, it’s for always being whole. He was a tormented man, but he knew, through his great humanity, how to turn him around to help people, ”summarizes Érik Canuel.
