From LA MÔME to THE ARTIST, when an Oscar changes the lives of actors | myCANAL

It is a statuette that counts much more than others. It may be unfair but that’s the way it is. February 24, 2008 changed the life and career of Marion Cotillard just as the night of February 11, 2012 transformed that of Jean Dujardin. On the one hand, the interpreter of “La Môme”, the biopic of Edith Piaf directed by Olivier Dahan, saw the great Forrest Whitaker open the envelope and call his name. Faced with, in particular Cate Blanchett, and four years later, Mr. “The Artist” stands up when Natalie Portman calls his name on stage. His future friend George Clooney, the handsome Brad Pitt, and Gary Oldman remain seated in the hall of the Hollywood & Highland Theater in Los Angeles and watch him climb the steps and then launch an “I love your country!” to the room, which bursts into laughter.

Canal + Grand Ecran had the good idea of ​​bringing together these two masterpieces for which the actress and the actor transformed themselves and were rewarded among the toughest competition in the world. Above all, this change does not stop at what will perhaps remain as the most beautiful night of their lives, on the contrary it continues well beyond. Just look at the filmography of Marion Cotillard to be convinced, the film which succeeds “La Môme” is directed by a certain Michael Mann, “Dillinger” in which Johnny Depp, the interpreter of the gangster, falls in love with she. The sequel is of the same barrel. The actress plays opposite Mr. Oscar himself, Daniel Day-Lewis, in “Nine” by Rob Marshall, a tribute to Fellini. She continues with the complex “Inception” (2010) by English master Christopher Nolan alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. In 2012, she fell in love with the superhero Batman in “The Dark Knight Rises”, in other words she chained the biggest roles in the biggest films possible with the biggest male stars. She has simply changed in dimension and belongs to the “A-list”, the group of the most popular comedians. Of course, such visibility also has its downside, because of a sigh during her death in the Batman, she becomes a meme and is mocked around the world. Even today, she continues to be divided between great French roles as in “Annette” by Leos Carax (2021), “Mal de pierre” by Nicole Garcia (2016) and American such as “The Immigrant” by James Gray (2013 ). But when the Graham Norton Show, England’s most popular television show, invites him, the presenter asks him to sing “I regret nothing” and the other stars present Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy have their eyes shining.

On the side of Jean Dujardin, after having pulled off a breathtaking number in a silent black and white film, the door of the American studios also opened. Three years after “The Artist”, we find him in “The Wolf of Wall Street” by Martin Scorcese where he plays a crooked banker opposite Leonardo Di Caprio and Jonah Hill. He continues with “The Monuments Men” by his comrade George Clooney with Bill Murray and Matt Damon but the American adventure has, so far, stopped there. However, Dujardin has become a world star, well helped by advertising for Nespresso, but above all he has gained total freedom in his choice of films, alternating major roles in “La French” by Cedric Jimenez and appearances as a hunter. panda in “Clear History” (2020). We also see him taking pleasure in daring to have fun with Quentin Dupieux in “Le Daim”. In a word, he does what he wants. For Dujardin Oscar will have rhymed with independence and that is priceless.