Catherine Brunet, 33, has been part of our television landscape since she was a child. She landed her first role at the age of four, in a McDonald’s commercial, and has never stopped acting since. We can notably see her in the psychological drama In Memoriam.
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Catherine, you play Judith De Léry in In Memoriam. How were you introduced to the character?
Marie-Claude Blouin and Félix Tétreault, the directors of In Memoriam, are friends. I knew they were preparing a psychological family thriller, but that was it. At one point, they told me they were thinking of me to play Judith De Léry, a young drug addict. I immediately wanted to take on the challenge.
How did you prepare for this role?
Aware that I would have several highly emotional scenes to play, I gave up alcohol before filming. I wanted to be in peak physical and mental shape to give myself entirely to the character and support the intensity of the scenes that my colleagues had to play.
Have you done any research on drug addiction?
I consulted an addiction counselor who allowed me to play addiction realistically without falling into clichés. Judith is not a “crooked” person, a heartless person. Like her brothers and sisters, she experienced trauma during her childhood, since their father was a narcissistic pervert. To overcome her wounds, she unfortunately found refuge in drugs and alcohol.
Another production, another role, totally different: you played the policewoman Geneviève Savoie in Détective Surprenant…
I never thought I would be able to play a policewoman, but Yannick Savard, the director, likes to play opposite roles. He wanted to bring out the human side of the police officers of Cap-aux-Meules, a small village where everyone knows each other. Geneviève Savoie and her colleagues have already intervened after small crimes—thefts, fights, etc.—but they have never had to deal with a murder, especially not that of a young woman who was sexually assaulted. So I focused more on playing a person full of empathy than a policewoman.
Photo : nigel quinn / nigel qui
You filmed in the Magdalen Islands. Did the distance influence your work?
Of course. Since we were there for two months, we got into the rhythm of life of the islanders. Even though it was a thriller series, it was a very relaxed shoot. Usually, when you shoot in Montreal, everyone goes home at the end of the day. In the Islands, we had dinner together, we organized evening activities. Ironically, the distance brought us closer!
Which character have you played the longest on the small screen?
I consider myself truly blessed, because there are three: Constance in Ramdam, Charlotte in Le monde de Charlotte and Un monde à part, and Catherine in Le chalet. Among these three series, Le chalet will remain memorable for me, because it represents the beginning of my adult life. On this set, I made friends for life!
Photo : Vivien Gaumand / VRAK
And how do you explain that you have created such strong bonds?
Since we were filming in the Laurentians region, we all stayed in cottages—not the one on the show, but cottages nearby. I learned a lot on that set; in a way, it was my drama school.
You started your career as a child. What was your first notable role on the small screen?
I acted in several commercials and landed small roles here and there from the age of four, but the first series in which I became known to the Quebec public was really Charlotte’s World, in which I played the title role from the age of 10 to 16.
You literally lived your adolescence on this set…
Absolutely. And since the actors saw me grow up, it created strong bonds between us. We were a real family, inviting each other to dinner during the holidays. We even went on trips together, with our families. Recently, I ran into Marie-Thérèse Fortin, who played my mother in the series, and we reminisced about lots of great memories.
Some child actors have a hard time transitioning to adult roles, but you made the transition with flying colors!
It’s thanks to Francis Leclerc, the director of Marche à l’ombre. In the script, my character, Audrey, was described as a tall blonde, an ex-military woman who worked as a criminologist in a halfway house. At the time, I was 24, but I could easily look six years younger. Francis Leclerc trusted me by offering me this role even though I didn’t have the physique for the job. Audrey allowed me to explore other facets of my acting, to go into harder, darker areas.
Photo : Pierre Crepo / SUPER EC
Finally, what are you currently playing in?
I’m in the cast of the environmental thriller Ravages. At first, I auditioned for the role of Sarah Deléan, a lawyer who investigates the actions of a large Canadian mining company. In the end, the age of the main character changed; we wanted a slightly older actress. So Caroline Dhavernas plays this lawyer. As for me, I’m the nurse of Sarah’s mother, who is seriously ill.
