Face of love, athletic physique, Guillaume Labbé panics the small screen. This Wednesday evening, the former Stade Français hope puts his charisma at the service of Vincent Picard, an endearing history-geo teacher, main character of "The School of Life" broadcast on France 2. We immediately sympathize for the young man he embodies, overflowing with love and enthusiasm, about to be a dad for the first time. Except that nothing goes as planned. To keep his head above water, not to sink, Vincent Picard invests himself with his students. We wanted to know more about this atypical actor.
The former rugby player arrives at the editorial office by Vélib ', gives his cell phone number to reception, takes a coffee without sugar. At 38, Guillaume Labbé breathes calm and simplicity. He has just chained “Plan coeur” (Netflix), “Trauma” (13th Street), “I promise you” (TF1). Previously, he imagined a one-man-show, which he played "the time to realize that it was not for me" and worked on the script for "Parents manual". Everything looks easy for him. When told, the actor laughs. He's not the type to count on his lucky star. “I received a simple Judeo-Christian education: you have to work, you have to shit. "
Education, transmission, filiation, that speaks to him.
“I have wanted children since I was very young,” he says.
He will, that's for sure.
And will make them happy.
It evokes the image of an arrow and a bow.
“The child is an arrow.
You try to aim as well as possible, to give it a boost.
Afterwards, the wind, the hazards, it escapes you ... "
"Curious, but quite timid"
His school of life?
Rugby.
“I have good memories of teachers, at school, but none marked me like a Vincent Picard.
At the stadium, he learns respect for the group and the hierarchy.
“We all fight together, there is no possible individualism.
On the ground, the young man also discovers that one can earn money while having fun.
More or less what he does today, playing the sticky exes, the amnesic cops or the hyper-invested teachers.
Guillaume Labbé gave up rugby after several injuries./LP/Arnaud Journois
Moreover, these two passions grew at the same time.
“I must have been 21 or 22 when I realized I wanted to do theater.
Before, I wanted to be a shrink, to work in human resources.
"After two years in eco-management (" in real life, sport and billiards "), Guillaume Labbé flew to the United States, where he took acting lessons.
Rugby caught up with him in New York: he played professionally… “until I got injured and discovered the American system.
Never again in my life do I yell because I'm late in the emergency room in France!
"
On his return, the jersey remains in the locker room.
Impossible to take the risk of injuring himself - he still broke his nose, his ribs and had to have surgery on his shoulder - nor to compromise a play or a shoot.
Today, the planets seem to align for Guillaume Labbé.
However, "I still have this dream where I do not have my baccalaureate," he laughs.
I am curious but quite timid.
I need to train myself, to be reassured.
I don't feel legitimate, it's catastrophic!
I need to have the theory so that I can then deviate from it.
"
EDITOR'S RATING: 3.5 / 5
“The School of Life”
, French series directed by Elsa Bennet, Hippolyte Dard, Slimane-Baptiste Berhoun (2020), with Guillaume Labbé, Bruno Sanches… Episodes 1 and 2/6 (2 x 52 minutes).
