sign in sign up
<<
Home , Guillaume Canet, Marion Cotillard

// : 1 City 5 Ways

// Napa Valley High Notes

// Talk Show with Peter Sarsgaard

French Allure The enduring influence of Parisians on popular culture.

Paris’ , Oscar-winner june 2011 Marion Cotillard is an Oscar-winning, stunningly chic actress who has beguiled directors from () to Chris Nolan (, ) to (Midnight in ). And she makes it all seem so effortless.

// This month you’re starring in Woody Allen’s Midnight of paper or the material you use for painting. You, in Paris, and your character has been described as the yourself, create from the beginning. “muse.” Do you have a muse in your life? // So, in a way, you are your own muse for your roles? Marion Cotillard: A muse is a very intriguing charac- ter and person, someone who is totally fascinated by MC: I wouldn’t say that . . . but, well, yes. I just did a artists and has a very strong artistic side. The muses movie and I was inspired by myself, and it was really I read about have a common fascination with art and weird, because I tried to get away from that, and I very strong characters, and they are open-minded— would always come back to me. Eventually I told open on many levels—and very, very accessible. At myself, “Well it is like it is. You have to accept that the same time, they carry this mystery that you can- the inspiration will be some of what you are.” Not not really solve, which makes them vibrant, mysteri- entirely, because it would be too difficult. I find it ous and inspiring. easier when the character is very far from who I am; There are many, many people who inspire me in when it is close to who I am, it is kind of scary to me. my life and in this world. Some people I know, some people I don’t. But I wouldn’t say that I have a muse. // What role was that? I think there is a difference between being an artist like an actor and being an artist like a writer or a MC: It was in [Cotillard’s partner] ’s painter. When you are an actor, you have material last movie, Little White Lies. that has been made especially for you. To be able to create something, you are inspired by many things // portrays Paris as a hotbed of creativ- that you choose as you work and create a character. ity, art, big ideas and magic. Is that still the case? But when you are a painter or a writer, your first material is yourself, the world and a pen, a sheet MC: It is still a very creative spot, but it’s not like it

by sarah elbert | photographs by Dominique Issermann / H&K / CPi Syndication

deltaskymag.com June 2011 73 MC: My parents always told me that act- was a kid, but not professionally, and La Vie de ing was a job and it was a lot of work. I have great respect for musicians, so I Sometimes people think that it is just wouldn’t call myself a musician. Then I “I love traveling in being who you are—but it doesn’t last met Maxim Nucci, the singer of Yode- very long if you think it’s not very, very lice, and he is a very important person From film to rock to environmental different periods of hard work that you have to achieve to in my life, because he is the one who activism, a taste of Mlle.Cotillard’s create a character. And the closer the always says, “Well, you should do this, varied career: character is to you, the harder you have you should try at least,” and he pushes time and going from to work. That is what they taught me at me: He took me onstage, he put a bass an early age: work, work, work. And I guitar in my hand, he put a mic in my Inception to Midnight remember when I was in acting class, hand, he put drums, he put keyboards they would always tell me: “You may . . . . He really opened this world for have something that is inside of you, me, and he invited me onstage with the 2011 in Paris to a French Stars in Woody Allen’s this quality that an actor has to have. band, which is one of the most beauti- Midnight in Paris and But if you don’t work, someone who ful presents I’ve ever had. Because he the thriller Contagion. movie. It makes might not have this high quality will knew that I really wanted to do this, be much better than you, because this but I was too shy or too scared or my life and my job person will experience and will give maybe too impressed by all the singers 2010 so much for that art, that job, and that that I admire so much. Having created Performs with the band job will give it back to him or her. If this character in the band, whose name Yodelice and travels to the you just think that you have something is Simone, allows me in a way to feel Congo with , an magical, really.” organization with which she and you can make a job and a life of that I actually have a place in the world has long had an attachment. this interesting but still small thing, of music. 2010 you will have a very, very small career.” When I started being an actress, I Stars in Inception and And that is true, it’s really true. really needed to feel that I had a place Little White Lies, directed in that world, because I thought, “Wow, by her partner, Guillaume Canet, and is made a // You’ve been photographed wearing I am going out there telling stories and chevalier of the Ordre 2009 was in certain periods of time when are probably right, maybe there is this MC: With what I do as an actress—a lot some truly stunning clothes. How would asking people to look at me, to listen to des Arts et des Lettres. Stars in all of the artists would gather together kind of phenomenon on the Internet. of observation of human beings and you describe your personal style? me,” and if you don’t feel that is where Public . (inception); s Enemies, and share this energy of creativity. trying to understand how the human you belong, it’s really hard to be—not and the Paris is still very creative about art, // It’s a little sad. soul works—I think that if you are not MC: That is the hardest question. Each comfortable, because you never really first of four rner bro “Lady ” fashion, movies, but I feel that you grounded then you lose something. I wa time it’s like the first time I’m answer- look for comfort—but at least that you short films. y of xi 2). don’t have this phenomenon that hap- MC: I don’t know if I would judge it know that I want simple things and s ing it, and the first thing that comes have the right to ask people, “Look at a pened in the 1920s, in the ’50s, in the that way. In a way, it could be sad, I want to stay close to simple things, to my mind is “Don’t be dumb, please, me, I have something to say. Listen to ’60s, with people like [poet and screen- but in another way, you can have a and what I search for in my life would please don’t be so dumb.” I don’t really me, I have something to tell you.” writer Jacques] Prévert, [poet/novelist/ reunion of a Chinese writer and an be bliss and to have a connection with know how to describe it, that is my In the music world, it is the same 2007 playwright Jean] Cocteau and [actress] American painter and a French singer. myself and other people. (yodelice); courte Plays Edith Piaf in La Vie s problem when it comes to fashion. It’s thing for me. Who am I to ask people to . We don’t have this I don’t know if that exists, actually, but ge hard for me to have a point of view on listen to me? And . . . step by step, I am en Rose, a role for which h); everett collection (t ma

s she wins an Oscar, the reunion of different arts and differ- I think it sounds interesting. It’s really // What’s a perfect day for you in Paris? my style, if I have one. I like to mix finding my place, and little by little, I César, a BAFTA Award and

(big fi a Golden Globe. ent artists who gather together. For different. s things. And I can wear many different am realizing that I really have some- example, I don’t know if you’ve heard MC: It would be a good lunch, because things and feel myself, but sometimes I thing to share and something to say. picture about La Colombe d’Or, which is this // Speaking of French singers, your most we have good food here—it’s cliché, but a feel like wearing the very finest things bi edux (congo); getty i m R // very famous restaurant in the south of memorable role is Edith Piaf in La Vie en it’s true. I would have lunch in some A/ and sometimes I feel [like] myself in Do you prefer acting in small intimate

RE 2003 France, in Saint-Paul de Vence. It was Rose. If you could go back and speak to little restaurant in the Marais—it’s hard something that is very edgy and films or big Hollywood productions? Stars in her first ento/ a place where painters and writers, her, what would you say? to think of just one—and then go to a m sometimes I feel [like] myself in some- American film, ci ny (nine); colu

a , as well actors, singers, musicians would see museum. I love the Musée Rodin, with p thing that is kind of rock and roll. Nas MC: Oh, I love both. I’m so grateful that m

a as the French film, each other and would share moments MC: Wow. If I had that chance, I all the Camille Claudels. And I love the rt I have the possibility to travel into so a Love Me if You tein co ); M

s Dare. Later she together, and I feel that we don’t have wouldn’t think about what I would tell Musée d’Orsay; I used to spend a lot of s // You’re not just an actor; you’ve many universes, and that is what really ri ein a would become

w 1998 this anymore. But that said, Paris is still her, I would just wait and see. I would time there when I was a teenager. I also (p also performed with the French band makes that job marvelous for me. I love s romantically Appears in her first ic y of very inspiring and very creative. probably be very intimidated, because love the Palais de Tokyo. But it depends s Yodelice. What’s the draw of being traveling in this world, I love travel- involved with her significant film role ass

even though I’ve never met her, obvi- on my mood, because the is cl onstage with the band? ing in the human soul, I love traveling costar, Guillaume as Lilly Bertineau in s Canet. . Later stars in

// I wonder how much the Internet has ously I know that she is strong and she fascinating, too. Part of the day would e); courte in different periods of time and going s two sequels. 1990s changed how artists collaborate and had a very, very strong point of view definitely be in a museum. And then a MC: I’ve always wanted to sing—music fromInception to Midnight in Paris to a Studies ony picture congregate? of people immediately. So I would just good dinner at night, of course. s is very important in my life. I have French movie. It makes my life and my drama at the vie en ro y a s Conservatoire hope that she would like me. the chance to know many musicians, job magical, really. So, I wouldn’t say I d’Art Dramatique MC: Yeah, maybe they gather in a // You grew up as the daughter of actors. and it is something I’ve always wanted prefer one or the other. It is the rich- in Orléans, different way. But I kind of like this // That is a very human response. With How has that shaped your approach to to take further—the experience of ness of our job that makes me think I France, where , right: courte

s she was raised. old-fashioned table with wine and your success over the past several years, acting? Is there any particular advice really doing something: writing songs, will always have sparkles in my eyes everett collection (l ideas being thrown around. Yeah, you how do you stay grounded? you’ve taken from your parents? photo writing music. I studied piano when I and in my heart. //

74 June 2011 deltaskymag.com deltaskymag.com June 2011 75