‘Patrice Chéreau’s gaze gave me wings!’
 

POSTED ON 12.10.2025

From Régis Wargnier to Claude Sautet or Patrice Chéreau, she has worked with some of the greatest filmmakers. Lyon-born actress Dominique Blanc opened up to the audience at the Pathé Bellecour during a moving masterclass. Open-hearted, humble and with a devastating sense of humour, the encounter was a perfect reflection of her personality.

© Olivier Chassignole

Her vocation

As a kid, I used to go to the Pathé cinema on Rue de la République with my brother Jean-Christophe. He was the first person to believe in me. Then my drama teacher, Janine Berdin, ignited the spark. I went to see my father and told him, ‘You know, my teacher says I could try out for the Conservatory’. He replied, ‘If that’s how you feel, you can just walk out that door’. It was a bit harsh. I was studying architecture, but I wasn't happy, so I secretly enrolled in the Cours Florent drama school. François Florent believed in me straight away. You know, I failed the Conservatory entrance exam three times! But I got my revenge: years later, when they offered me a position as a professor at the Conservatory, I said no!

Pierre Romans and Patrice Chéreau: the founding duo of the Théâtre des Amandiers

Pierre Romans was an artistic revelation: he had extraordinary sensitivity. Patrice Chéreau is a miracle. He came to see us perform a play by Chekhov, and we didn't know he was in the audience. After the play, all the actors were solicited for auditions and film offers, except me. In September, I received a message on my answering machine from Chéreau. I thought it was a joke! Then we performed Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt at the TNP Villeurbanne. I could see in Patrice's gaze that I was worthy, and that gave me wings!

Perfect harmony with  Michel Piccoli 

I never watch my own films, but when May Fools (Milou en mai) is broadcast on television, I can't resist! I love that film, and it was a wonderful shoot with Michel Piccoli. He also hired me for his short, Train de nuit, where I sang La Marseillaise, and then for his feature film La Plage noire. He said that when he was directing, he was so much happier than when he was acting. On set, he was in a state of intoxication, of joy: he was transported by grace!

© Olivier Chassignole

Meeting Leonardo DiCaprio

It was in Agnieszka Holland's film Rimbaud Verlaine, in which he plays Rimbaud. Leo was Rimbaud, that magnificent kid. When the film was released in the US, all his agents told him, ‘You're going to headline Titanic, there's no way you're going to play a homosexual!’ So the film was released on the sly. At the last Cannes Film Festival, Leo paid an extremely humble tribute to Robert De Niro. After the screening, I went to see him and he was exactly as I remembered him when we met: simple and spontaneous, which is extremely rare!

Her future plans

I just wrapped filming Jupiter by Alexandre Smia… it’s not a biopic of ‘you-know-who’ though! It’s too bad, I could have played Brigitte! The tagline is: ‘Should we launch the nuclear weapon?’ Denis Ménochet plays the President of the Republic and I play the Minister of Foreign Affairs. It's the first time I’m a minister! And then I'll be in Paris to perform Contre, based on the life and work of John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands, Tartuffe and the musical show La Ballade de Souchon.

 Propos recueillis par Laura Lépine