Prometheus on TF1: “Elias will grow over the episodes” reveals Samy Seghir

Who is Prometheus really? Where is she from ? And how is she related to the murder that occurred not far from where she was found? These are the questions that animate the heroes and viewers of the new fantastic series from TF1 with Odile Vuillemin, Fantine Harduin, Marie-Josée Croze and Thomas Jouannet.

And to carry out the investigation, Elise, played by Camille Lou, is supported by Elias, a young police inspector played by the actor Samy Seghir, who has come a long way from Michou d’Auber and his mother Neuilly, and who recently made a name for himself in the series They Were 10, Syndrome E and Sentinels.

While TF1 is broadcasting episodes 3 and 4 of Prometheus this evening, Samy Seghir confided in our microphone about what he liked about this series like no other, which mixes polar and fantastic, of his collaboration with Camille Lou, about what awaits his character in the rest of the series. And returned for us to his previous filming experiences, in particular with Pascal Laugier.

AlloCiné: What seduced you in the screenplay of Prometheus and in the role of Elias?

Samy Seghir: I think I wanted to play a cop. It seems to me that this is the first time that I play a police officer on screen, I liked this idea. And then the duo of cops in the series works well. I didn’t know Camille Lou, but even when it was written, this male-female duo seemed interesting to me to play, because they both have their own problems.

And it became even more interesting on set because we got to know each other with Camille. It immediately stuck between us. She made me discover the region, because she lived not very far from where we were filming, so it was great.

The fantastic side of the plot, which we still see too little in France, was it also a motivation for you?

Yes really. This bet to go all out in the fantastic, personally, I’ve never seen that in France. And I find that very strong. The authors managed to mix an investigation, in which my character is a little more present, and real elements of fantasy. Already on paper, it made you want to.

And do you have the feeling that it was time that the fantastic was no longer reserved for Anglo-Saxons and that France was no longer afraid to venture into it, even if we know that it is often a question of means? ?

Yes, it was time. But while filming Prometheus, I didn’t have the impression that we had colossal means, I hope the production won’t mind me saying that (laughs). It is above all know-how in fact, and there was some on the set with Christophe Campos, who directed me very well.

I was a little apprehensive about the investigation side, I was afraid that it would be repetitive, that we would mainly be there to report on the progress of the case and repeat facts that we had already seen, but in fact not at all . I didn’t have that impression on the shoot and I hope it will be felt on screen.

In the first episodes, Elise and Elias form a close-knit duo, they move in the same direction to understand how Prometheus is linked to the murder of Léa Vasseur. But tensions will begin to appear between them over the episodes. How would you tease what awaits your character in the rest of the series?

Elias will grow over the episodes, both in his relationship with Elise and in the investigation. He sees that his colleague is a little too personal, compared to his sister, and that she does not listen to her colleagues very much.

Prometheus’ powers give rise to a few special effects and stunts. Do you regret that Elias did not have a face to face a little muscular with Prometheus to be able to do stunts?

A little (laughs). But on one of the first days of filming, Fantine had an accident, and that shifted the whole work plan. So I tell myself that if I was confronted with this kind of problem I would be very panicked (laughs). There’s a fantastic part to doing special effects, green screen sequences, stunts, it’s always thrilling and exciting. I did stunts on other projects but there I knew that was not the score I had to play with Elias.

The end of the series is rather open, and we know that the authors want a season 2. Are you ready to re-enlist?

Yes, without hesitation.

T. Langro / UGC / TF1

Last year, we saw you in Syndrome E on TF1, which did not work as much as we might have wished given the quality of the series. How do you analyze this semi-failure? Do you think the series was perhaps too dark, too extreme for the TF1 audience?

I didn’t analyze it as a failure because I knew it was one of the first major projects by the director, Laure de Butler, who had put her heart into it. And when I saw the finished product I said to myself that it was really canon for a French series. Filming in Canada, in Morocco, we rarely see that in French series. And there was a real thriller atmosphere and a bit of a fantasy.

But, unfortunately, chess does happen. We can put all our heart into it, all the money we want, if it’s not the right time, we can’t do anything about it.

You were led by Pascal Laugier in They were 10. What memories do you keep of this shoot and this collaboration with him?

It’s still a good experience. I didn’t know Pascal, and I think it must have been complicated for him to manage ten actors on a set every day. You have to like the actors (laughs). But it was a great experience, we shot in Guadeloupe, we stayed four months there.

And I found it interesting to revisit Agatha Christie in slasher mode, which I had read at school. And it was great for me to play with Samuel Le Bihan, Romane Bohringer, Manon Azem. Pascal really brought his touch, his universe. He gave me a lot of references on the set. Slasher, horror is really his thing.

A season 2 of Sentinels will begin filming in April. Are you going to step back into the role of Djibril?

Yes, we are going to shoot this season 2 from September. And the subject will normally be Ukraine. I don’t have a lot of info at the moment, I haven’t read anything. In principle, I think we’ll find the same group of characters, but I don’t know if everyone will join.

Do you have any other projects you can tell us about?

I shot in Meurtres sur la Côte Fleurie for France 3, with Nicolas Gob. It was very cool. I still play a cop in this TV movie, but it’s a different type of cop, it’s different from Prometheus.

You had a big success at the cinema with Neuilly sa mère in 2008. Do you want to return to pure comedy?

Why not. There are a lot of comedies that are emerging in France, but I haven’t had a lot of proposals in this genre to be honest. So why not, I’m open to anything anyway.