She had the lead female role of a bad mouthing, double crossing prostitute opposite Dan Bronchinson, the lead actor. The film had its Premiere in the 22nd Raindance Film Festival 2014 to a nearly houseful audience. It was an immense pleasure to meet the Director along with the cast at the Film Premiere, but Elsa was missing and her absence was very much felt because she was the only female in the film with a very effective role. Atlast, here I am asking her a number of questions.
Elsa Madeleine by Cris Noe
The London Tree: Hi Elsa, it is an immense pleasure to get in contact with you. Please tell me about yourself, and how did you get into acting?
Elsa Madeleine: Thanks, it’s very nice to be with you. I started doing Theatre when I was a teenager, and after my graduation I got into classical training in what we call in France a Conservatory, which is a Theatre or a School where we must pass an entrance examination. I started working in my hometown for a few years, and then I moved to Paris where I got in to doing movies.
The London Tree: When was your first appearance in a film?
Elsa Madeliene: My first appearance was a short one in the film ‘Je Suis Venu Vous Dire’ by Director Pierre-Henry Salfati in 2010. After that I got a part in Director Juan Pittaluga’s film ‘Debutant’.
Dealer
The London Tree: Recently you worked in Director Jean Luc Herbulot’s film ‘Dealer’, which was shown in the 22nd Raindance Film Fesival 2014. How did Jean Luc discover you?
Elsa Madeleine: A friend of mine working on the film told me that Jean Luc was looking for an actress for the role of a character named ‘Chris’. I met Jean Luc who explained to me my character and told me about the movie that he was working on. The role sounded very interesting and that made me want to do the movie, so I gave an audition and he liked it.
Elsa Madeleine in ‘Dealer’
The London Tree: It is at times hard to get into a given character in a film and in ‘Dealer’; you play the part of a prostitute. How did you prepare for your character?
Elsa Madeleine: When Jean Luc explained to me about the character ‘Chris’, who is a prostitute, I realized that it is completely opposite to who I really am. She is not shy, takes drugs and keeps screaming all the time, and she needs to do that in order to survive in a world dominated by men which is full of violence. Her personality is of a fighter which I liked, but at the same time she has a very lighter side to her which makes her look attractive.
The London Tree: So did that make it fun for you to do the role and was it very challenging?
Elsa Madeleine: Yes it was a lot of fun and quite challenging for me because I had to act crazy and shout at other people all the time, which to be honest I cannot do in real life. To go through the challenge that I had of doing this character I went deeper into it by observing the prostitutes working on the internet and the environment they live in. I also had a lot of scenes in which I had to get used to being half naked and act like it is normal, which is not really a very easy thing to do in front of the camera. It brought out the wild side in me.
The London Tree: How was the experience with working under Director Jean Luc Herbulot?
Elsa Madeleine: I did a lot of rehearsals with my co-actors, and when the movie was being shot, Jean Luc was very precise on what he wanted from us. He made us say the dialogues the way he wanted them, even if it was the ‘street language’. It was a very well written script and we had to respect each line. Jean Luc is a hard worker, and he made us do the same and brought the best out of us.
Elsa Madeleine by Béatrice Cruveiller
The London Tree: Do you wish to work in more Independent films like ‘Dealer’ in the future, or do you want to get into mainstream films?
Elsa Madeleine: I don’t think it matters to do an Independent or a mainstream film. It is not really my way of approaching a film. What I consider most important is the script and what the director wants to achieve. I base my work on meeting with people, and focus on directors whose work touches me. But anyways, I will always love independent films because there is a lot of freedom in it. You can play a role the way you want and bring out your crazy side in it. On the financial side the Independent films go through a very hard time, but they are a source of bringing out new directors, actors and fresh ideas for movies which is something that cannot be achieved if you are controlled by a big company.
The London Tree: which actor/actress do you look upto as a role model and why?
Elsa Madeleine: I love so many actors so it’s hard to say, but in France I admire Isabelle Huppert a lot. I really like the choices that she made in doing films which were strong, and the way she took her career. She is amazing on stage too. Other than her I like Tilda Swinton. She’s done very nice films and has chosen them very cleverly. She has a very strong and sensitive personality which makes her stand out.
Elsa Madeleine by Laurent Becot Ruiz
The London Tree: What else do you do other than being an actress?
Elsa Madeleine: I like listening to music and playing my piano and guitar. I also write plays and poems and songs which I sing. Travelling is also something that I love doing.
The London Tree: In the end I just want to know, are there any projects that you are currently working on?
Elsa Madeleine: Yes. I am doing a movie called ‘Voyoucratie’ directed by Fabrice Garçon and Kévin Ossona also known as FGKO; and Then there is a play ‘Les Paradis Perdu’ (The Lost Paradise) in which I’m working at the moment.
It felt very nice talking to you Elsa. Thank you for your time and I hope all the best for your future career. Keep up the good work.
To know more about Elsa, Click the following:
Elsa Madeleine
Agence: Bureau Georges Lambert
AlloCine
Elsa Madeleine – IMDB
Tags: featured, France, Interviews
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