Mathilde Seigner in “Such a long night”: “The controversy no longer amuses me”

After sat, she did not want to redo a series. But she changed her mind. Mathilde Seigner is on the bill ofsuch a long night, the French remake of the British production Criminal Justice. Excited by the fiction already available on Salto and which arrives this Thursday on TF1, the actress has agreed to slip into the skin of Isabelle, a whimsical and borderline lawyer, who will defend Sami (Sayyid El Alami, a real revelation), an uneventful college student accused of murdering a young woman he spent the night with. A tailor-made role for Mathilde Seigner who is still just as cash even if she has calmed down (a little).

What attracted you to such a long night ?

It was a whole: the story, the theme, the fact that it takes place in Marseille. I also wanted to work with the director Jérémie Minui, the son of Nicole Calfan and François Valéry whom I knew as a child. And then I thought it was great to play a rock’n’roll and “endearing” lawyer, like the majority of the characters I’m offered by the way. But I still find that it has very interesting facets.

Lawyer, is it a profession that you would have liked to exercise?

Not at all. Even if it looks like the profession of an actor, because a lawyer puts himself in the scene during the pleadings, I would not have liked. It would have worn me out I think. On the other hand, I would have loved to be a cop. Divisional Commissioner, that would have freaked me out, because I’m fascinated by serial killers and cranks.

“I don’t want to be stuck with the truth”, says Isabelle, your character. Is truth relative?

Isabelle doesn’t want to be stuck with the truth because in reality, we never really know her. Justice struggles with a truth that is sometimes relative. In cases of murder or rape, it is often one word against another, even if in times like today, it is more the man who is wrong.

The fiction takes place in a context of feminicide. While claiming his innocence, Sami is automatically accused…

Yes, but it’s also because he’s North African. Sami comes from a super integrated family with good parents, he’s not a scum, and yet he suffers from prejudice. And that’s what’s interesting by the way, because suddenly, the viewer is constantly tossed about. But it is true that the fiction addresses a real topical subject, as we can see with the accusations of rape which are multiplying.

Sayyid el Alami is a stunning comedian. Was it interesting to play with him?

Yes it was. He was very cute, but very focused especially during the shooting. He’s a kid, he was under pressure, so I left him in his world. What he was playing was so complex that I didn’t dare distract him, whereas in general I tend to mess around on set.

What motivates you today for a role?

Right now, not much. Besides, I’m going to take a break because I need to rediscover the desire to want, as our friend Johnny Hallyday said. I have to admit that I’m very bored now on set. And then I’ve been working like crazy for 34 years and I simply want to live. That said, I really liked the kind of co-production I was able to have with Fabien Onteniente in the TV movie we shot together, Children of the Righteous. I realized that I quite liked it.

The realization, it would perhaps remotivate you?

Probably yes, why not? When one is an actor, one is rather passive. We suffer from the nullity of a director, his bad taste, his lack of talent also sometimes. And we are constantly scrutinized, judged and criticized. When a film is bad, it is easier to blame the actress than the director. It’s violent to live. So when you get to my age and you get some unpleasant thoughts in your face, well, you don’t want to anymore.

A few years ago you said in She : “I behave in public as if I were in my bathroom”. Is this still the case?

Oh no ! I would love to say what I think, but I don’t anymore. I hold myself back. Besides, the public is very angry with me, people tell me in the street. But with social networks today, it is no longer possible. Why am I going to bother saying what I think and then hanging myself for 15 days? Before the controversy it amused me. But today it’s over. We can’t say anything more, otherwise we burn ourselves out. In fact, we live in very boring times.