“I wanted to break an unhealthy barrier”: the Toulouse of the Tuche defends itself after the criticisms on its online acting school

“An online acting school”: this is how Anyone presents itself, created by the Toulouse actor Théo Fernandez, who plays corner in corner in Tuche. At the beginning of 2023, it opened a free platform to make cinema castings more accessible, even to beginners. After a few months, the formula works badly, then Anyone takes a new face. Actor game training is now offered, at around 1500 euros.

Read also:
The Italian Castelnaudary Italian Film Festival seduces with an increase in three days

Participants are one year old to complete, at their own pace, different modules: body work, sincerity, transmission of emotions … All by filming themselves at home and sending the videos to one of the mentors (the actors Théo Augier and Aurore Groutier, among others), which makes them a distance return. The shooting of a demo band, in the school studio in Paris, is also planned.

Strong criticism on social networks

But for a few weeks, Anyone has been under fire from criticism. A young actor, Eliot Coupsy, denounced the concept on social networks: “There is no world where it is possible to do this job by remaining cloistered at home. No school can guarantee 100 % that you will live from this job. It discredits us.” His video, seen more than 75,000 times, has aroused many reactions. “Thank you for talking about it, it’s anything”, “I got scammed”, “it’s Bullshit” … criticize some in comments.

Read also:
INTERVIEW. “Seeing the characters of Asterix move, it was magic”: Alain Chabat confides in the Netflix series which arrives on April 30

“I would not have imagined that learning in this way was possible, recognizes Théo Fernandez. But it is the case: the students improve. It is true that a physical part is still lacking. But we created a dialogue module: they use Discord [plateforme de messagerie instantanée, NDR] pour Make a Visio and work for two. “

“With Anyone, I wanted to democratize acting and break this unhealthy barrier: must necessarily go to Paris to get started, and leave work, studies, family. Since its creation, some, which have completed the course, have passed castings and turned,” he said, without being able to give specific figures.

“I did not receive any salary thanks to Anyone”

Loïce, 27, has undergone training at home. “The advice is relevant and useful,” she says. “But in the end, we recover few contacts and visibility, we find ourselves quite alone. There are hiccups, but it is also because the environment is selective.” Others are more satisfied: “I multiply good experiences, nuance Sacha, current student. I had never approached cinema, so it’s super interesting, and above all much cheaper than elsewhere.”

Read also:
Théo Fernandez: “In Léo Matteï I have a lot of freedom to play”

last month, Théo Fernandez announced the launch of a wild casting tour, throughout France, aboard a truck. In a promotional video, he said he was spotted in the street. However, this is false. Moreover, the Association of Casting Directors (Arda) has pointed out its words.

Read also:
The 12 noon strokes: “Weird this feeling of going back to class …” We tell you behind the scenes of the casting of the show

“It was not clever on my part, admits the Toulouse actor. I had to add the passage explaining that it was just for the advertising storytelling, but I forgot.” I apologize. “

“Their only objective is to make them talk about them and make money,” said Eliot COUSY in his video. “I have never received a salary thanks to the school since its creation, defends Théo Fernandez. I am intermittent of the show, registered with Pôle Emploi.”