by Helen Barlow
A former high school English teacher who lived in the UK for five years as a teenager, French actress Camille Cottin, 47, is understandably, fluent in English. After she gained international attention as the steely leading agent, Andrea, in the hit French series Call My Agent!, she tried her hand in English-language projects, 2016’s Allied starring Brad Pitt, 2021’s Stillwater alongside Matt Damon, the series Killing Eve (2020-2022) and had small roles in Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci (2021), Kenneth Branagh’s A Haunting in Venice (2023) and Guy Nattiv’s Golda (2023).
Promoting the French film Out of Love at last year’s Karlovy Vary Film Festival, we ask why she hasn’t continued with English-language movies, and she put it down to the writers’ strike. “Everything was postponed, but I hope I can work in English again, because it’s such a joy.”
Still, she never would have imagined that she would re-unite with Pitt for The Riders, based on Tim Winton’s 1994 novel, which follows an Australian man who embarks on a hunt around Europe for his missing wife, together with his daughter. Cottin’s participation in the film was announced in February, though her role is unknown and it’s not known if Pitt is playing an Australian.
The film is already shooting and pics have already emerged of Pitt sporting brown hair and a moustache, together with his on-screen daughter, Australia’s Coco Greenstone (Crazy Fun Park) on the island of Hydra in Greece. Germany’s Edward Berger (Conclave, All Quiet on the Western Front) is directing, while Pitt and Ridley Scott are among the producers, and Julianne Nicholson also stars.
But back to Out of Love, directed by Nathan Ambrosioni, now 25, who won a directing prize as well as the FIPRESCI award in Karlovy Vary. The film follows the lesbian career woman Jeanne (Cottin), who never wanted children but must take care of her young niece and nephew when her younger sister Suzanne (Juliette Armanet) disappears after her husband’s death. The reluctant Jeanne is helped by her ex, Nicole (Monia Chokri), who had wanted kids and it was the reason that they split.
It’s interesting that Cottin, who has two kids, a son Leon Gabriel, 16, and daughter Anna Paloma, 10, with her partner architect Benjamin Mahon de Monaghan, is again playing a gay character as she had on Call My Agent! With Out of Love, it’s no coincidence that Ambrosioni, who Cottin had already worked with on 2023’s Toni (about a single mother with five kids), is gay.
“Nathan [above, with Cottin] said that it was very important for him to have a queer, feminine dimension in his movies, that he could not do a movie without having this dimension, because it’s fundamental for him,” Cottin says. “I’m very happy about that and to be able to collaborate with him.”
Has she ever been approached to be a part of gay activism? “Oh yeah, I am,” she responds with enthusiasm. “For the last Pride in Paris I was thrilled that the president of LGBTQIA+ asked me to read a text about the victims of AIDS and transphobia and it was a long text! A lot of the funds in France have been cut regarding AIDS research.”
Does it create anxiety having children and playing Jeanne in Out of Love? “Yes, I think so. But even if I was doing another job, bringing up children would be something that’s very challenging and full of questioning. As for the job, the fact that you’re going away is not helping. But this film was shot in Paris, as were my previous films and it was also something that helped me in choosing. Still, I have friends who every day at 4.30 are outside in front of the school to pick up their kids and they have problems too.”
We tell her how she works well with the children in the film and that Manoa Varvat, who plays 9-year-old Gaspard, is impressive. “He’s amazing and he’s so different from the character. He’s actually very extroverted and joyful and he has lots of energy. He was making jokes, so it’s very striking to see how he interprets this.”
Could she relate to these children because of her own situation as a mother in terms of looking after them and being around them? “I tend to be protective with people in general,” she replies. “I like children, but even my friends or people I love, I like them to feel that I’m here for them and I stand for them. So, it was hard to cut with that aspect of my personality and be distant in the film.
“Nevertheless, I like the fact that Jeanne would rather say nothing than talk bullshit, because she doesn’t want to tell them that their mum is coming back. The situation is so huge and catastrophic and tragic that you cannot heal that pain. So, at first, she’s not even trying and she doesn’t pretend she’s going to do it. Then when she tries, she just rushes, dives into the pragmatic side of the situation. She clings to practical things, school, administration, the legal situation, trying to find her sister, but the soul, the feelings she’s not getting there. She’s trapped. When she has this anxiety crisis and she lays down, it’s because she has no more space. Suddenly, something just falls on her, the children are here, her life will never be the same, and there’s nothing she can do about it.”
Also adept at humour, the versatile actress has appeared in some funny ads, most recently for Tiffany & Co., where she announces, looking glamorous, “Monsieur is at home with the kids”. She also appeared with George Clooney in a Nespresso ad. “It was funny, George is a lovely person,” Cottin says. “He’s very warm and makes you feel at ease. He asks you questions, he tells you stories and is very joyful. He has a very positive, enthusiastic energy, and he cares for everyone around him. It was lovely working with him.”
Since we spoke, Clooney ventured to Paris to appear in a cameo in the upcoming Call My Agent! movie. It may not be a coincidence, given Cottin is the star. At the time of our interview, long before the film went into production, she admits, “I think there is desire from the creative team to make a last instalment. The series was like 10 years ago, so the question I ask myself is, ‘how am I going to bring her back? Where am I now? I’m not the same person. I’m the same, but not really the same either. So, what can I bring to her? What has she been doing those last five years? Where was she?’ That’s interesting to do.”
Netflix France confirmed on December 4 that the movie had wrapped. The logline is: “Five years after the ASK agency closed, Andrea wants to become a director. But when she loses her lead actor just days before shooting starts, she has to bring her old team back together, sparking old friendships — and rivalries.” While the main cast will return, Clooney has said that both he and Eva Longoria have cameos.
Cottin has long had an Australian agent, Sian Smyth. “She’s the only Australian I have in my life,” Cottin admits. “So, I cannot compare. I cannot make generalities about Australian people, but I can say that she has the most exquisite personality in that she’s sunny, she’s bright, she’s clever, she’s direct, and she’s dedicated and honest. So, if this is what defines your people, congratulations!”
Cottin has never visited Australia. “Maybe because it’s a very long trip, but to be perfectly honest, one of my biggest fantasies is to rent a van and travel around New Zealand with my family, because of the nature. I hope I can do it someday.” The actress has spoken a lot about her love of getting away into nature. “Nature is what really relieves me from multiple anxieties,” she says.
On the film front, Cottin is coming in a French big screen version of Les Miserables. She plays Madame Thenardier who is married to Benjamin Lavernhe in the film. The pair cast quite a presence at last week’s Cesar awards (the French Oscars) where she was President to Lavernhe’s zany Master of Ceremonies, who marvelled honouree Jim Carrey with his Carrey impersonation.
The irrepressible Cottin delivered a sarcastic monologue about the future of French cinema, mocking those calling for French filmmakers to make more profitable movies.
“As of today, any director whose film draws fewer than 500,000 admissions will have to publicly apologise and go back to school – business school – to relearn their craft,” she said. Regarding arthouse films she added, “Of course we’ll keep making those, but as short films. Ten minutes max. And let’s avoid niche topics like women, queer people, immigrants, nature or peace. It’s boring.”
She went on to note how French cinema is very much alive, but that it’s alive and fragile. “In fact, I’d even say it’s alive because it’s fragile. You have to make many films for a few wonders to emerge. You have to train many people to strive for excellence. And it’s precisely because art is fragile that we must protect it.”
Out of Love screens across Australia at the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival from March 5. Click here for screening details.
