Vanessa Paradis on Working With Woody Allen, Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo, Mulls Making a Musical ‘Before I Get Arthritis’
Actor and singer Vanessa Paradis, a household name in France, captivated audiences with candid and charismatic reflections on her multifaceted career during a masterclass at the Lumière Film Festival in Lyon.
When asked about working alongside French cinema legends Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo in Patrice Leconte’s 1998 action comedy “Half a Chance,” she didn’t beat about the bush.
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“Jean-Paul Belmondo was always surrounded by people; there was a lot of laughter while Alain Delon was alone – just him and his dogs,” she recalled. “But when the two of them got together, you could tell they were very fond of each other. They were happy to make this film together.”
Paradis acknowledged the unique privilege of collaborating with such iconic figures. “I knew how lucky I was back then, but today I realize it even more,” she said, adding with a grin, “I got to spend four months with them, have them fight over me.”
“Half a Chance” follows a young woman who, after discovering one of two men could be her father – both former criminals – seeks their help when she becomes embroiled in a dangerous conflict with the Russian mafia.
Unlike Marilyn Monroe, one of her all-time idols, Paradis chose not to pursue a career in Hollywood, where she lived for several years with her former partner Johnny Depp and their children. Her first English-speaking role came in 2013 when she played an Orthodox Jewish widow in John Turturro’s indie comedy “Fading Gigolo,” starring Woody Allen and Sharon Stone.
“It was my first time filming in English, and my main partner was Woody Allen. He improvises constantly. At one point, he asked, ‘Do you mind?’ and I said, ‘No…’ I mean, it’s Woody Allen!'” she laughed. “But it was tough to get a word in.”
She recounted her first day on set, which came with unexpected challenges, playing a ‘lice lady’ – a woman who removes nits from kids’ hair.
“So there I was with my comb and this child who had really frizzy hair – I was terrified of hurting him – and then there was Woody improvising, and on top of it, I had to wear a turban – quite a lot to handle for a first day!” she said with a throaty laugh, charming the Lyon audience.
Despite these hurdles, Paradis said the production felt more like working on a French film than a large-scale Hollywood project.
When asked about her favorite movie, she replied without missing a beat: “‘Singing in the Rain.’ It’s such a joyful film, but I still cry every time I see it. I get goosebumps. I love it. I know it by heart.”
During her conversation with French film journalist Virginie Apiou, Paradis touched on the breadth of her career, which spans comedy, drama, and beyond, but has never included a musical. “It’s always been a dream of mine; I don’t know why I haven’t done a musical yet. I have sung in some films, but to sing, dance and act in a film would be amazing! I must hurry up before I get arthritis,” she joked.
Paradis was also keen to discuss her role in the 2011 drama “Café de Flore,” by Québécois director Jean-Marc Vallée, where she played a single mother raising a son with Down syndrome.
Vallée, whose “Dallas Buyers Club” earned Mathew McConaughey an Oscar for best actor, passed away in 2021. Paradis fondly remembered how he helped shape her performance.
“The role required a certain authority and masculinity that I struggled to tap into,” she explained. “Working with Jean-Marc on the script, I started imitating his deep voice – without the Québécois accent, and that allowed me to shed some of the softness [in my voice]. He also dyed my hair dark and insisted on no make-up to make the character more intense.”
Always open to new challenges, Paradis ventured into stage acting in 2021 with “Maman,” a play written for her by her husband, actor and director Samuel Benchetrit, who also starred in and directed the production.
As for what’s next, Paradis is currently working on her eighth album due out in 2025.
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