Tribute to Benoît Allemane: a great French voice has passed away

On January 6, 2024, we learned of the death of Benoît Allemane, at the age of 82. He was known for being the French voice of Morgan Freeman, but the scope of his career goes well beyond this iconic role: he was one of the greatest French voices, playing James Earl Jones, Michael Dorn, Brian Cox , or even cartoon characters (Zeus in Herculethe grandfather in The Little Dinosaur…).

I was very attached to Benoît Allemane. He was the voice of episode 2 of our documentary series, a project with great human involvement, in which he participated with a lot of heart; but the story goes back further.

Benoît Allemane, generosity and depth in his voice

My first interaction with Benoît Allemane dates back to 2016. I was only 20 years old then, I was a student, and, as a young person passionate about science, a documentary series in particular had marked me to the point of participating in defining a part of what I wanted to do in life: Cosmos: An odyssey through the universe. This was presented by physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, whose voice is dubbed in French by Benoît Allemane. In his playing, he managed to transcribe both the deep poetry and the humor and insatiable curiosity in the writing of Cosmos.

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At the start of the 2016 school year, when the local Breton radio station Radio Laser gave me the keys to my new show, EurekaI only think of one thing: Benoît Allemane’s voice. The warmest curiosity was already my watchword: his voice being an unforgettable incarnation for me. His kindness, when I first made contact, touched me: after reading my motivations, he confided to me that he sometimes helps students, and he generously agreed to give me his voice for the credits. A few days later, he sent me the audio file that was most precious to me. His voice then accompanies me — as well as the listeners — for a whole year, every Saturday morning.

Eight years later, within the Numerama media, at the beginning of 2024, the production of our documentary series dedicated to the future was in full swing. Episode 1 completed, with the voice of the talented Adeline Chetail, we wanted to vary the actors and actresses so that each episode has its own narrative atmosphere, an artistic direction also aimed at promoting this profession in its diversity. Who next?

It was quite natural that Benoît Allemane appeared to me as the ideal actor for the episode dedicated to nothing less than an artificial sun – or the greatest scientist in the world – which I wanted to be dizzying, a bit poetic. Where we only interacted remotely in 2016, this time we meet in the studio for the recording of this documentary, in a professional context, but for a session marked by collective wonder.

In each sequence, each piece of text, Benoît Allemane gets involved because he loves science and loved doing Cosmos. He doesn’t just ask his voice, he gets involved in the subject, wonders about what an artificial sun is, asks me questions, asks how it felt there, finds the speakers great, fascinates by the images of the place, and is passionate about what such a project could change for the future. He appreciates that we say “researchers”, and also wants it to be female researchers first. And then he focuses on telling a story, on being a character as a narrator, it feels like you’re by the fire and on Jupiter, his voice vibrates on these two frequencies at the same time.

As the hour progresses in the studio, I understand again that the depth of his voice comes from his depth as an actor and as a human being. Whether in 2016 as a student or in 2024 as a professional, this same feeling imprints itself on me.

No wonder, in fact, that he was involved in the TouchePasMaVF movement against the use of AI in voice dubbing: he embodied the very notion of heart at work, which no algorithm can. produce.

From now on I will have an additional emotion every time I hear his voice pronounce this concluding sentence: “ This 42-hectare village is not just a scientific project: it demonstrates our ability to cooperate for a common goal. » Because his generosity and his passion were there until the end.