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French belle takes up arms as a war commando
By Xu Wei |
May 3, 2009, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
FRENCH actress Sophie Marceau (pictured right) has captivating beauty and mysterious charm. Brown-haired with melancholic eyes, she is lauded as one of France's most beautiful women and her star shines brightly.
She dropped into Shanghai this week to promote her latest film "Female Agents,?a US$50 million action-packed wartime spy thriller based on real World War II events.
Marceau plays the leader of a five-woman French commando squad whose husband is killed by the Nazis. The group sets off to occupied France in 1944 on a mission to protect the secret of the D-Day invasion.
Compared with her former elegant screen roles, her character is a hardened sniper clad in military uniform and she displays amazing proficiency with firearms. And her charisma stays intact.
Director Jean-Paul Salome, known for his period drama "Arsene Lupin?collaborated with Marceau in 2001's "Belphegor: Phantom of the Louvre,?and they further develop the screen relationship here to expand her acting range in a role different to others.
Marceau's career started when she was only 14 years old and she rose quickly to teenage fame in her debut in the comedy romance "La Boum?and its sequel.
She has starred in more than 30 films, both commercial and art-house, including "Braveheart,?"Beyond the Clouds,?"Firelight,?"Fanfan,?"Anna Karenina?and a 007 film "The World Is Not Enough.?
Marceau spent only one day in Shanghai on a tight schedule that included the movie's press conference and a red carpet appearance at Shanghai Film Art Center.
For the media she wore an exquisite dress with lovely small floral prints. She said hello to people in Shanghai with her typical sweet smile and thanked all Chinese fans for their generous and long-term support.Q: What kind of preparation did you make for the role in such a historical film?
A: In addition to studying background material, I spent much time developing my weapons skills. My character is a marksman and needed to appear adept with guns. But the weapons from that period were very heavy and not easy to handle.
Q: If you had lived during the wartime era, could you have been a female agent?
A: War is never a pleasant experience. It can immediately remove you from a life of peace and happiness, and I am lucky that I had no experience of it. But if I was transported back to those days, I would do what the character did to protect my compatriots. It'd be a wonderful feeling to be a heroine who could save the lives of many.
Q: You are best known for your romantic parts. What made you take on such a tough commando role?
A: It's my work. I am an actress. I have done many movies and I'm happy to shift from one genre to another genre. That's life, you know. You laugh, and you cry. To me it's boring to do the same part day after day.
Q: Does this film have a special meaning for your career and what are your next movies?
A: For me the movie is a gift. I hope that people can see a different me on the silver screen. I will never stop doing film characters with different personalities.
The movie is adapted from true World War II events with a universal appeal and a big aspect is that it turns the spotlight on women who faced war with wisdom, teamwork and courage.
And I am working on new film projects in France and hope they will appeal to Chinese audiences in the future.
Q: How do you define a good actress? Does beauty play a significant role in success?
A: Many people expect an actress to be charming and perfect. But in my opinion, she doesn't have to be that beautiful.
Instead, she should have deep understanding of the character and develop a natural acting style to convey the independence, freedom and emotions of a woman.
Q: You have been to Shanghai several times. What's your impression about the city?
A: I love Shanghai. It is a dynamic and colorful city where you can find many distinctive shops and buildings.
It's a pity that this time I don't have time to wander all the alleys and streets.
She dropped into Shanghai this week to promote her latest film "Female Agents,?a US$50 million action-packed wartime spy thriller based on real World War II events.
Marceau plays the leader of a five-woman French commando squad whose husband is killed by the Nazis. The group sets off to occupied France in 1944 on a mission to protect the secret of the D-Day invasion.
Compared with her former elegant screen roles, her character is a hardened sniper clad in military uniform and she displays amazing proficiency with firearms. And her charisma stays intact.
Director Jean-Paul Salome, known for his period drama "Arsene Lupin?collaborated with Marceau in 2001's "Belphegor: Phantom of the Louvre,?and they further develop the screen relationship here to expand her acting range in a role different to others.
Marceau's career started when she was only 14 years old and she rose quickly to teenage fame in her debut in the comedy romance "La Boum?and its sequel.
She has starred in more than 30 films, both commercial and art-house, including "Braveheart,?"Beyond the Clouds,?"Firelight,?"Fanfan,?"Anna Karenina?and a 007 film "The World Is Not Enough.?
Marceau spent only one day in Shanghai on a tight schedule that included the movie's press conference and a red carpet appearance at Shanghai Film Art Center.
For the media she wore an exquisite dress with lovely small floral prints. She said hello to people in Shanghai with her typical sweet smile and thanked all Chinese fans for their generous and long-term support.Q: What kind of preparation did you make for the role in such a historical film?
A: In addition to studying background material, I spent much time developing my weapons skills. My character is a marksman and needed to appear adept with guns. But the weapons from that period were very heavy and not easy to handle.
Q: If you had lived during the wartime era, could you have been a female agent?
A: War is never a pleasant experience. It can immediately remove you from a life of peace and happiness, and I am lucky that I had no experience of it. But if I was transported back to those days, I would do what the character did to protect my compatriots. It'd be a wonderful feeling to be a heroine who could save the lives of many.
Q: You are best known for your romantic parts. What made you take on such a tough commando role?
A: It's my work. I am an actress. I have done many movies and I'm happy to shift from one genre to another genre. That's life, you know. You laugh, and you cry. To me it's boring to do the same part day after day.
Q: Does this film have a special meaning for your career and what are your next movies?
A: For me the movie is a gift. I hope that people can see a different me on the silver screen. I will never stop doing film characters with different personalities.
The movie is adapted from true World War II events with a universal appeal and a big aspect is that it turns the spotlight on women who faced war with wisdom, teamwork and courage.
And I am working on new film projects in France and hope they will appeal to Chinese audiences in the future.
Q: How do you define a good actress? Does beauty play a significant role in success?
A: Many people expect an actress to be charming and perfect. But in my opinion, she doesn't have to be that beautiful.
Instead, she should have deep understanding of the character and develop a natural acting style to convey the independence, freedom and emotions of a woman.
Q: You have been to Shanghai several times. What's your impression about the city?
A: I love Shanghai. It is a dynamic and colorful city where you can find many distinctive shops and buildings.
It's a pity that this time I don't have time to wander all the alleys and streets.
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