Five French Actresses Under 30 You Should Follow in 2020
In honor of Bastille Day, the redaction has curated a list of five French actresses under 30 who you should definitely follow in 2020. Keep scrolling to find out who they are!
© Alice Isaaz, Coadic Guirec, Bestimage / Ramsamy, Roxane Duran, Veeren, Bestimage/ Antonia Desplat, Tartuffe’ Play Press Night In London
1- Alice Isaaz
© Denis Makarenko
You played Esther in David Perrault’s film, Savage State. Set in 1863, during the Civil War, it depicts a family of French settlers deciding to flee Missouri, where they have lived for 20 years, to move back to France. Can you share an interesting filming anecdote on this movie?
A. I.: For Savage State we had really specific conditions for filming. We mostly shot outside, and when we were in Canada, in November, there was a climate disruption! So we shot a part of the movie under 37 degrees Celsius [99 degree Fahrenheit]. It was absolutely unprecedented, but a memorable experience nevertheless.
Cannes Film Festival or the Oscars?
A. I.: I’ve been to the Cannes film festival for the movie Elle by Paul Verhoeven, but I’ve never been to the Oscars so let’s say Oscars!
Any haute-couture designer who makes you fantasize about a red carpet?
A. I.: Valentino.
Any obsessions?
A. I.: I’m extremely obsessed with the Basque country in the south of France, more precisely, to the city of Biarritz – my second home. I go there whenever it’s possible.
Can you tell us about your future projects?
A. I.: I have many upcoming projects. They include three movies which I’m not allowed to talk about yet and Messe Basse, a film with Jacqueline Bisset, that’s coming out soon.
2 - Roxane Duran
Do you remember your very first role?
R. D.: I was extremely fortunate to live my very first experience as an actress with the internationally renowned filmmaker, Michael Haneke, in the movie White Ribbon. He was looking for 10 children who could play the lead roles. I was 15 years old then.
You played one of the main characters, Adriana, in Riviera by Neil Jordan. Can you share a filming anecdote on the series?
R. D.: I remember my English agent called me while I was in Austria, and told me I got the part. I was elated but realized that I had to push away my natural instinct, my American accent, and work on a British accent. I watched all the Hugh Grant movies I could and went to the reading really nervous. Surprisingly, it went quite well and they didn’t ask for a dialect coach for me. I was quite proud of that!
Any haute-couture designer who makes you fantasize about a red carpet?
R. D.: I consider myself really fortunate to have attended the Cannes Film Festival in 2013 for the movie, Michael Kohlhaas. I was dressed by Christophe Josse, a French haute-couture designer, who I fantasize about.
Any US projects you would like to shoot for?
R. D.: Lately, I’ve been obsessed with Succession and Ozark. If I can ever get the opportunity to work on these, it’d be insane. Otherwise, I’ve always had a fantasy about A Streetcar Named Desire, written by Tennessee Williams. We read it in high school and I used to read the lines thinking if I could ever play Blanche Dubois in New York, that would be a dream come true.
Can you tell us about your future projects?
R. D.: I’m in the movie Narcissus and Goldmund, by the very talented Oscar-winner Stefan Ruzowitzky, and in a French movie, Lisa Redler by the incredible Nicole Garcia, with Stacy Martin and Pierre Niney. I’m also in the marvellous Sean Ellis' latest movie, Eight for Silver. In September, if everything goes well, I will do a theater tour in Belgium, Switzerland, and France for the play L’Heureux Stratagème directed by Ladislas Chollat. I will also play in a French movie about the Second World War, which we will shoot in September.
3- Antonia Desplat
© The Durrells by Steve Barron and Roger Goldby
Do you remember your very first role?
A. D.: I was nine, it was for Jeff et Léo, flics et jumeaux, a French TV series on the channel, M6. I wanted to be a ballerina but was told that I’m too tall and not flexible enough, and need to find something else to do. At that point, my sister was in an agency for child actors. My parents decided to enroll me as well. My first role was to play a grumpy child. I genuinely didn’t want to learn my lines because I wanted to dance so I went to the audition very grumpy, and I ended up getting the role! We started shooting and I realized I enjoyed it!
You featured in Wes Anderson’s latest movie, The French Dispatch, and you played in Rise of a Star with Catherine Deneuve. Can you share a filming anecdote on one of these two movies?
A. D.: About Wes Anderson, to be honest, I have no words. What impressed me the most was a scene that involved gangsters who were shooting. The amount of precision Anderson had to work with to finalize that shot was so intense and immaculate, that it was mesmerizing to witness. Every single little detail in the film is already set in his mind and he just has to direct everyone, which I think is pretty incredible.
Your tips for staying in shape?
A. D.: 100% yoga. I can’t live without it.
Any obsessions?
A. D.: It’s a running joke with all my friends… I’m obsessed with Nutella.
Any US projects you would like to shoot for?
A. D.: I would love to work with the French-American filmmaker, Damien Chazelle. I also love stories that portray trauma or topics that are difficult to talk about. I ended up writing a short film titled Held for a moment. It depicts a woman who has stillbirth and goes through Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. As for my current projects, I’m doing an Apple TV show but I’m not allowed to say more [stay tuned!].
4- Sophie Mousel
© Sophie Mousel, Photo by Adriana Gradziel
How do you prepare for an audition?
S. M.: After reading through the text several times, I focus on questions such as why the scene is important and how important my character is to the scene. I try to imagine how I’d be talking, moving, speaking, where I come from and what I want. I have worked a lot with the American coach, Larry Moss, who is also Di Caprio’s coach.
You played Vanessa in the movie Souvenir, with Isabelle Huppert as the main character. Can you share a filming anecdote on this movie?
S. M.: I was panicking at the thought of working with Isabelle Huppert. Quite unexpectedly, she came up to me and was very kind asking questions about my home country Luxembourg, among other things. I was a part of a scene where I had to throw her on stage and she kept saying “Do it harder, do it harder!” I was so afraid of pushing her as she was extremely small and thin and I didn’t want to break her. She kept saying “Do it, do it!” So I did, I pushed her very hard, and then she said “Okay, that was great”. It was funny.
Any obsessions?
S. M.: I’m definitely a little obsessed with sports. I need them to feel better. I’m a different person when I’m engaged in a sport. I do French boxing and a bit of Thai boxing. Boxing is not only extremely physical and a great cardio workout for your entire body but it’s also ideal for your mental strength. It requires you to closely observe the other person to see what he’s doing.
Any US projects you would like to shoot for?
S. M.: I dream of doing something sport-related such as One Million Dollar Baby; something for which I’d have to physically prepare.
Can you tell us about your future projects?
S. M.: In July, I'm shooting a film in Europe about nuclear power plants where I’ll be playing a journalist. In September, I'll work in the theater play, On ne badine pas avec l’amour. All my other projects are for 2021.
5- Lou Roy-Lecollinet
© MY GOLDEN DAYS by Arnaud Desplechin
How did you become an actress?
L. R.-L.: I became an actress by accident. I was in high school and one of my teachers told us about an audition. I decided to go because most of my friends were going and I wanted to tag along. And they chose me. It was for Esther’s role in My Golden Days.
Can you share a filming anecdote on this movie?
L. R.-L.: I was a little lost at first but I shared a lot with my partner, Quentin Dolmaire. We really helped each other in this journey. I used to help him with the fake cigarettes he had to smoke, as he wasn't a smoker. We had a lot of fun trying to make it seem natural! We used to share our thoughts, feelings, and everything after everyday of shooting. It were great moments that helped us a lot.
Cannes Film Festival or the Oscars?
L. R.-L.: Cannes. I’ve never been to the Oscars so I would like to experience it once, but if I were in charge of a movie, I’d be prouder to present it in Cannes.
Any US projects you would like to shoot for?
L. R.-L.: Americans tend to make things grandiose, so I’d be interested in playing in a grand movie such as Wonder Woman; something with physical training maybe.
Can you tell us about your future projects?
L. R.-L.: I’ve been writing and singing songs. It’s pop music with rap inspiration and is about to be launched soon.
Interviews conducted by Delphine Daumont