INTERVIEW: CHARLOTTE LE BON TALKS ABOUT FILMING “YVES SAINT LAURENT” MOVIE AND WHAT IT TAKES TO PLAY A FASHION MUSE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canadian actress Charlotte Le Bon is taking the fashion world by storm starring as one of fashion’s greatest muses in the movie Yves Saint Laurent—a true look at one of fashion’s greatest designers.

 

Canadian actress Charlotte Le Bon (The Hundred-Foot Journey) is making her mark on Hollywood starring in the touching biopic Yves Saint Laurent, starring Pierre Niney, which highlights how the iconic fashion designer made his way as one of fashions top designers.

The film follows a young Yves Saint Laurent (played by Pierre Niney), who, at just 21years old, took over the house of Christian Dior and subsequently made a quick ascent in the fashion world with his own business, the Yves Saint Laurent Company, along with Pierre Bergé (Guillaume Gallienne), which would rapidly become one of the biggest luxury powerhouses on the planet.

(Read an interview with Pierre Niney here)

Playing Saint Laurent’s muse, Victoire Doutreleau, in the movie, Le Bon talks about what it was like  working on the film, the challenges of playing a model, and what she learned about the private life of  Saint Laurent.

What was it about the project that caught your attention?

I was thrilled and a bit surprised, too. Then I felt honored, considering the stunning cast and the magnitude of the film. Obviously, I was a bit afraid I may not be up to the job, especially with all those talented people around throughout the shoot.

What did you like about the script?

I was deeply moved by it. Most importantly, I found out about Victoire, whom I’d never heard about, even though Saint-Laurent’s muses, like Loulou de la Falaise and Betty, are pretty famous. But I’d never heard Victoire Doutreleau’s name before and when I felt like looking her up online, I hardly found anything. It seemed odd to me and this is what I liked. So I did my homework to gather as much info as I could about the woman.

How did you relate to your character?

I read the biography she wrote named Et Dior créa Victoire. The fact of the matter is, her real name was Jeanne and she was Christian Dior’s muse before she became Saint Laurent’s. It was actually Dior who renamed her Victoire. There’s also a book about the days when she was a child model back in the 50s and 60s, just before the House of Saint Laurent was started. It was really important for me to read that book because I modeled for eight years, even though it has become an altogether different profession these days.

What is your take on the character? Is she a muse or Pierre Bergé’s rival for Yves’ affections?

She was a muse but Yves set her apart from other women. As I’m not sure what she looked like exactly, I’ve tried to portray her as honestly as I could, even if I wish I had met her for real. Actually, she was Pierre’s rival to some extent because Pierre was very possessive and Victoire got a lot of Yves’ attention, which Pierre could hardly stand. Saint Laurent and Victoire behaved like young people and had a very innocent relationship, which eluded Pierre and therefore irritated him. Don’t forget that Victoire and Yves knew each other from before – they’d met at Dior’s and were close friends even before Pierre showed up. So Pierre decided to seduce her, not only because he enjoyed seducing a woman but probably for more insidious reasons.

What was the most challenging for you?

The part where I keep modeling. I’ve been there before and I hated the job! Looking merely decorative is not that interesting, is it? Fashion shows are challenging because they’re really stressful for models – you’re exposed to everybody’s gaze and judgment.

What kind of research did you do about Saint Laurent?

I watched documentaries and read a lot of interviews – you realize that Saint Laurent’s genius is just plain obvious! What I found really moving about him was his kindness. He was profoundly kind to the people he worked with. Although he was a genius through and through, he was a very nice guy. That’s how I understood why he got so close to Victoire and what made him so endearing. You wanted to be around him.

How was it working opposite Pierre Niney and Guillaume Gallienne?

They’re just great! I was really anxious to play alongside them because they are no less than two stunning actors from the Comédie Française. They keep working all the time and both have an amazing sense of pace! No wonder I freaked out – I’ve been acting for only two and a half years and this is only my 6th or 7th movie. But they’re both lovely and kind. We had a great time.

 

 

Yves Saint Laurent open August 15 in select theatres.