MONTREAL — Le règne de la beauté’s actors, on working with Denys Arcand:
Éric Bruneau (Luc): “Denys didn’t say much (about my character). He said, ‘Play a moment in life when you’re afraid of yourself,’ in reference to Lindsay and my ability to manage the guilt of my character, and his demons.”
Melanie Merkosky (Lindsay): “Working with Denys was such a wonderful experience. He really permits you to bring your whole self to the role. He doesn’t over-direct. I learned a lot about trust, that what I was bringing was going to be OK.”
Mathieu Quesnel (Nicolas): “Denys is a bag of jokes. He’s a really rich person, who can speak on various subjects, on multiple levels. I like that there is humour in this film. It could have just been tragic.”
Marie-Josée Croze (Isabelle): “I really like Denys’s films. They’re very inspiring and intelligent. When I first read the dialogue, I immediately plunge into the character I’m going to play. (Arcand and I) don’t talk about the film. We talk about life; we laugh a lot. We have a friendly relationship. Denys brings a good mood to the set. His confidence makes me happy to be there. He knows how to work with ensembles. … No actor can refuse to work for Denys Arcand. You get to recite good dialogue, in a protected environment, with no censorship.”
