How did you become involved with "8 Women"?
I've known the director François Ozon for a long time and he sent me the script. As soon as I read it, I wanted to do it. What impresses me about François' films is that they are so different. This one is a weird mixture of music, comedy, and murder-mystery. It's also completely stylised - it's an homage to American Technicolor movies from the 50s.
How would you describe your character Suzon?
She seems to be the archetypal perfect young girl. She's well-educated and studies in England. She is tender and nice with everybody. Then you realise that she's not what she seems, in the way that none of the women in the film are.
Did it feel strange acting alongside so many famous female actresses?
It felt weird to have the chance to work with so many women of different generations. But I was so happy when I learnt that people like Catherine Deneuve and Isabelle Huppert were doing the movie. I'd dreamed of these actresses when I was a girl. François respected everybody's personality. You never had the feeling that you had to fight to be in a shot, or that somebody was trying to be the biggest star.
Was it claustrophobic acting on just one set?
Actually, it was like doing a play in Paris, where you have the same location, the same costumes, and the same hairdresser. Usually most characters I play are quite realistic. In "8 Women" everything is artificial - the colours, the lighting, the dresses, and the hairstyles - and François wanted our performances to be theatrical.
Were you nervous about singing your own song in the film?
I was excited! François didn't expect us to be perfect because we're not professional singers. My song in the movie "Mon Amour, Mon Ami" is like a monologue, in which Suzon is saying so many things about who she is.
Why do you think "8 Women" has been so popular in France?
It's been popular not just in France, but in Italy and Germany. It really surprises people. I think it's a good movie and you have a good time watching it. One moment you're laughing, the next you're scared.
