Do you have any memories of the loft?
Victor Poirier. Yes, I did the program back then. I must have been 10 or 11 years old, I was small, a little grumpy, not very good in my sneakers. And I saw the whole of France fantasizing about Jean-Edouard. It’s funny to play him today.
What did you like about the challenge of this series?
Unlike today’s reality TV, the show was a true marker of its time. From the company director to the fruit and vegetable seller at the market, everyone was talking about nothing but that. I see this program as an incredible pop culture moment and it’s crazy for an actor to be able to replay this kind of event. It’s a pretty incredible gift, I really didn’t hesitate for a single second when I was told about the project.
How was the pool scene shot?
Were there any physical changes to play Jean-Edouard?
Much less than for Marie Colomb who plays Loana. I wore contact lenses and I have a huge tattoo that had to be hidden every morning because Jean-Edouard spent his time in a tank top!
What was your experience of filming the famous swimming pool scene?
We didn’t really talk about it, Marie and I, but we were both a little apprehensive because we had only known each other for 10 days. We started by speaking with an intimacy coordinator who was on set with us. On the day of the scene, people who were not essential left the set. Before we started filming, we spoke with Marie. We said things to each other: what do we do, what do we not do, how do we do it… We really worked on trust and listening. I think things went well. And what was nice was that the team didn’t make a big deal out of it. Louis Farge, the director, said: “Okay, friends, we’re going to shoot this scene. You kiss, kiss, and then you sleep together.”. He played down the moment. It was actually quite light and not heavy at all.
Did Victor Poirier meet Jean-Edouard Lipa?
Have you met Jean-Edouard?
Absolutely not. Strangely, it never crossed my mind. I didn’t even ask myself the question. Maybe when he sees the series, he will want to write to me. In my case, I didn’t feel the need to talk to him to succeed in understanding or interpreting him.
Could you have done reality TV?
No ! I am very happy to play Jean-Édouard and to pretend to participate in the Loftbut I am also very happy to go home in the evening. And then reality TV has changed a lot in recent years… At the time, the candidates were naive, they didn’t know what they were doing. Concerning the swimming pool scene, I am convinced that they were a thousand miles from imagining that the whole of France was going to see them making love. They had no idea how this program would impact their lives. They entered the Loft as anonymous people and came out stars. It was enough to drive you crazy…
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