Tomorrow on France 3, Stéphane Plaza abandons real estate to embody the hero of “Meurtres à Figeac”. The star host of “Recherche appartement ou maison”, who also has an acting career, talks to us about this role of policeman and his projects.
AlloCiné: What did you like about the France 3 proposal and the role of Olivier in Meurtres à Figeac?
Stephane Plaza : It was already France 3, it was important. It was a little out of my way. Then, of course, I liked being part of the “Murders at…” series because I find it interesting for the places it visits and for what it tells. And then it’s a huge audience, it’s one of the most beautiful series on France 3. There were a lot of arguments that made me want to go there.
And the role was part of that, of course. I liked Olivier because he’s a character that you can think of out of the ordinary, a little silent, disturbed, in his head anyway, where there are a thousand things going on while he hardly expresses anything .
And there is an interesting progression, one wonders who this character is. Isn’t he more crazy than the others (laughs)? Doesn’t he have a split personality? I find that we were in a real role which was far from being gnangnan. Especially since there is the whole family aspect which also enriches the plot.
How does M6 react when you tell them that you are going to betray them to shoot on another channel?
They are going to watch the hearings on June 19 I think (laughs). In my contract I have the right to leave to do something else in any case, especially since I am very respectful of many things with them and I have a very good understanding with M6. So they let me go. But are they enthusiastic? That’s another story (laughs). Especially when you are going to be in one of the most popular series opposite. I had refused others but this one they knew I couldn’t say no.
The fact that, behind the hyper-effective formula of “Murders at…”, there is also this universe of ancient Egypt, was that also a motivation for you?
Yes, it’s a universe that interested me and I find it great that you can learn things by watching a thriller. It’s a somewhat special universe, which takes us elsewhere. And I think this episode is really special thanks to that too. It is unlike any other. And then we still have to say that there are four murders, we are quite strong on this opus. Sometimes it’s one or two, but this is a real serial killer we’re looking for.
Aurélien FAIDY – FTV – 3EME EYE
How did you prepare for this role of policeman?
I had to go to the police stations, see my gendarme and police friends. And then I had to learn to hold a gun. When you’re the most clumsy man in the world, imagine what it can be like (laughs). So I even did shooting sessions outside of production. Then, of course, there were people on set to advise us, but if you’re not prepared beforehand, it’s complicated.
The recipe for the “Murders in…” is obviously based on its setting, here Occitania, but also on the dynamics of a duo of investigators. How was the collaboration with Samira Lachhab?
Very well. We didn’t know each other, but I was lucky that Samira didn’t live very far from me, so we were able to work together upstream in Paris. And then I locked myself in Figeac and I didn’t move from there. It reassured everyone that I didn’t go back and forth between Paris and the Lot.
And with Samira, once on set, we built a real duo where we had everything to gain. In addition, she is an actress who walks a lot on affect, an actress full of talent who has built herself, so I was lucky to find the right pair. And we still call each other today, it’s a great meeting.
What was the hardest thing for you on this shoot?
All the scenes are complicated, because my character doesn’t speak a lot, he’s a good listener. But it’s true that the sequences where we talk about Egypt in the office of the curator of the museum, it was sometimes quite funny. I had to read the text fifteen times to understand what Julie-Anne Roth was telling me (laughs). Especially since sometimes we’re a little tired so it’s hard to stay serious in this kind of situation.
And then, the team made fun of me a lot when I arrived with my weapon. They told me I looked like an Egyptian dancing. While normally everyone should have been scared, the assistant started laughing. Maybe I was a little too flexible (laughs).
Ulrich Lebeuf – Myop – FTV
You are known for your legendary clumsiness, which can often be admired in the bloopers at the end of House for sale or Search apartment or house. Did this clumsiness follow you to Figeac?
Oh yes, she followed me well (laughs). When I got in the car they all freaked out. Fortunately it was in Figeac and there was no one there (laughs). But it’s true that I had the good idea to tell them a true story just beforehand: I had just bought a car and two and a half minutes later, three bends, and I took a springboard. Naively, I told them this story and they were like “You’re going to be driving with a lot of gear on the car, you know”. They were not very reassured. They were a little tense. My clumsiness is not legendary, it is true (laughs).
Do you have other fiction projects on television?
There is a will, whether on my side, from M6, or from France 3. But there is nothing concrete for the moment, and I imagine that the hearings of Meurtres à Figeac, on the morning of the 19th , will also be decisive in France 3’s desire to work with me again. So we’ll see.
In the meantime, I have another project with someone who is at Big Heads and maybe with Michèle Bernier too. But what is certain is that it went well with France 3 and that they are happy with the result, so we can consider other things, of course.
You have a very busy schedule, but if a channel offered you a recurring hero in a series, you might be interested?
Yes, of course, I would very much like to play in a series. My answer must freak out M6 (laughs). Of course, that could be of interest to me. Afterwards, if it’s a hero who comes back every week, it’s not possible, but a few episodes in the year it’s quite possible. Afterwards, it depends with whom, how. Because you need a great deal with the team.
A word on Everything change or move, your new show which arrives on July 1 on M6?
It’s a new concept, we just finished the first issue a few days ago. We follow a family that can’t come to an agreement, either because the apartment is too small, or because there’s humidity. One in the couple wants to move no matter what, the other doesn’t.
The goal of the game is to do real work, and not home-staging, to improve housing and propose solutions. And then Antoine Blandin, who works with me, will show them three properties. And in the end, if the couple stays, they pay for the work, which is substantial. And if they leave, I offer them the jobs. And you will see that moving is not always easy, so there is real suspense.
You are also living a great adventure at the theater with the play A Magical Couple. Laurent Ruquier, is this one of the great encounters of your career?
Yes, he is someone who is amazing because he has an armor that is not easy to pierce, a bit like me. We respect each other a lot, it has grown in power between us. And this piece is a hit. It’s full almost every night, we play until July 17 in Paris, then we’ll go on tour for 70 dates, and we’ll come back to Paris afterwards. So I obviously thank Laurent for all that.