After
Designated Guilty
and a nomination for the Golden Globes, the actor returns to French cinema with
Don Juan,
an atypical variation by Serge Bozon on the mythical character.
In the title role of this musical comedy presented at Cannes Première during the festival, Tahar Rahim sings of his love for Virginie Efira, incarnation of the ideal woman that the desperate hero cannot forget.
Meeting with the actor, who has just finished filming
Napoleon,
by Ridley Scott, with Joaquin Phoenix.
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Miss Figaro.
–
Don Juan
is a unique project.
Did you hesitate before accepting?
Tahar Rahim.
– No, because I was immediately seduced by Serge's modern take on this myth and, through him, on the relationship between men and women and the profession of actor.
But the musical was indeed a challenge: rather comfortable with my body, I was not afraid of dancing, singing on the other hand was new.
That said, the more complicated things seem to me, the more stimulating it is.
I had to take a lot of lessons because the songs were picked up on set.
In video, "Don Juan", the trailer
According to some actors, singing is the most immodest exercise there is...
Quite right: it's a direct exposure to ridicule.
You don't become Frank Sinatra in a few weeks.
But it is already less difficult to jump into the void in front of someone you trust, as with Virginie.
“
The actors are eccentric, playful, immodest.
Do you feel concerned by this line from the film?
Playing is the very essence of the profession: rediscovering a childhood pleasure.
Eccentric, no doubt I am in my desire to explore other universes.
But I prefer the term "
generous
" to "
immodest
" because without generosity, we create obstacles to evolution, collaboration and creation.
Full screen
Virginie Efira and Tahar Rahim in the film
Don Juan.
Les Films Pelléas/Jean-Louis Fernandez
Your character says never to act in life. And you?
When we were younger, we invented characters with my friends.
Now I can't, because the game is intrinsically tied to the truth of a character.
No game on the red carpets either?
There are codes there that impose a form of reserve.
So I had a hard time embracing glamor in my early days.
Today, I understand that it is necessary to perpetuate the dream, without of course lapsing into self-satisfaction.
When I was younger, and without comparing myself to these giants, I admired Steve McQueen, Jean-Paul Belmondo and Sean Connery so much.
Without any arrogance, they gave the impression that the world belonged to them.
With Leïla, we were protected by our destinies: we had great roles quickly and at the same time, without one of the two being outdone.
Tahar Rahim
The fear of being the actor of a role, also approached in the film, has it already won you over?
I multiplied the universes in order to avoid labels.
And being the actor of a role is not always pejorative, as for John Wayne, the incarnation of the lonely cowboy.
And he took it further than any other will ever do.
Don Juan loves the same woman here all his life. A conception that you share?
Yes, because I live it.
The film evokes the competition within a couple of actors...
I saw it with others, but with Leïla (Bekhti,
his wife, editor's note)
, we were protected by our destinies: we had beautiful roles quickly and at the same time, without one of the two being outdone.
It's even an advantage to do the same job: the love and sincerity that bind us allow us to be very fair spectators to each other.
And we always encourage each other.
Jealousy is not in our DNA.
Don Juan,
by Serge Bozon, with Tahar Rahim, Virginie Efira, Alain Chamfort… Released May 23