ACTOR
Full Speed with Actor Yohann Chopin Interview by Tierra Jones
GHR: WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST SATISFYING ABOUT ACTING? YC: The transformation, the dis- covery of a new character, the journey to take it from a script onto the screen or a stage, to make it your own. There is always something new to learn. The feel- ing of being part of a cast in and out of the stage or a film set. The interactions you have with them. When you get along with your scene partner, creation has no end and it’s so much fun. That’s why we say “we play,” we don’t work. It works in French too, “je joue.” WHO HAS INFLUENCED YOU MOST AS AN ARTIST, AND WHY? I don’t think I can summarize all my influences and [do] them justice. The movie Elephant by Gus Van Sant had a huge impact. I physically couldn’t leave my seat. The poetry, the subtle details, the cinematography. I’m easily moved by words. I can’t tell you how many times I read Pride and Prejudice or watched the film with Keira Knightley. The works of Maupassant, Truffaut, François Ozon, Chopin or painters like Monet, Gustave Courbet or Jansson, etc. They all made me feel something strong and pushed me to surpass myself. The very first person who helped me create [as] the artist I am today is my grandmother. She is a painter
the end of season three so I could take a bigger place in season four. But, as you may know, there is no season four. The part was cut down but not completely and luckily, I still had my fun. The costumes were exquisite. I got my own horse. I was like a child at Christmas. DO YOU HAVE ANY FUNNY STORIES ABOUT WORKING ON SET OR IN THEATRE? On my very first day on the set of Versailles, for a scene, I had to gallop full speed in a forest because my character was ordered by the king to go back to Versailles from Paris. I love horses so much and the ones on the set were like Ferraris, beautiful, strong and elegant. I don’t know who was more excited for that scene, the horse or me. After the first take, the director called me so I could see what I did. He said “We are happy to have you on set, Yohann. You give a great energy, but remember you’re an evil character. You can’t smile like that. It looks like you’re flea flossing. We all had a good laugh. I needed a couple of minutes to get back on my horse and concentrate. CAN YOU SHARE ANY WORD OF WISDOM FOR ASPIRING ACTORS? It’s a tough business. Surround yourself with good people you can count on. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Rome was not made in a day! TELL US MORE ABOUT THE INCREDIBLE SET FOR THIS PHOTOSHOOT. WE HEARD IT WAS YOUR FIRST FASHION PHOTOSHOOT. I discovered Alessio Filippelli on Instagram. He is a PR manager. The set was in the green fields of a huge stable in the south of Rome. All the clothes I’m wear- ing are made by female Roman designers. It was impor- tant for me because Italy has been the place where I did my first film and this country is famous for its fashion. I wanted to honor that. I also wanted to play on that femi- nine side of me that I almost never display. I am totally fine with it in my personal life but it wasn’t reflected in the pictures you could find of me on the internet or on my socials. I have always been jealous of women that can play so much more with clothes than men. Red carpets can be very boring from a men’s perspective. Who better than women designers to help me play with that? Some artists have and are challenging that; I am counting to be one of those.
Yohann Chopin
Photo by Salvo Pavone
and a true artist at heart, but she lived in a different time where she couldn’t express herself. She gave me that spark. I am ready to turn it into a fire. TELL US ABOUT SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE ROLES TO DATE. One of my favorites was “Jaubert” in Versailles, the evil musketeer. I was so pleased to be an evil character. I had always played nice and soft characters. The way I was introduced to the part is that I had to appear towards
“ When you get along with your scene partner, creation has no end … ”
@Chopinyohann
24 | THE GEORGIA HOLLYWOOD REVIEW | FALL 2022
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