This Friday, August 30, 2024 at 9:10 p.m., Canal+ broadcasts The Three Musketeers: D’ArtagnanA film for which François Civil received valuable advice from a double Olympic medalist in sport fencing.
While The Count of Monte Cristo, released in theaters on June 28, 2024, is currently a hit with the general public. Canal+ is broadcasting this Friday, August 30, 2024 at 9:10 p.m. another French blockbuster adapted from the work of Alexandre Dumas: The Three Musketeers, D’Artagnanthe first film in the diptych directed by Martin Bourboulon. In the shoes of the famous sword-wielding protagonists, we find François Civil as D’Atartagnan, Vincent Cassel as Athos, Romain Duris as Aramis and Pio Marmaï as Porthos. A film that you can also find on the platform MyCANAL. But actually, how did François Civil prepare for the role?
François Civil trained by this double Olympic fencing medalist for his role in the Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan
To fully take on the role of D’Artagnan, François Civil underwent intensive training. In the press kit of the film, the actor confides that he had to “learn fencing, fight choreography and become the best rider possible“. Of the “areas in which I was a complete novice”, he continues. To do this, he therefore received advice from a giant of sports fencing, a certain Yannick Borel: 2024 Olympic vice-champion, world champion and quadruple European champion in individual and team events, Olympic gold medalist in Rio in 2016 and quadruple world champion. Faced with such a track record, it goes without saying that François Civil was not being clever.I must admit that I haven’t won a single match!” the actor jokes.
Preparing an actor, a unique mission for Yannick Bordel
But even though his name is Yannick Borel and he is one of the greatest French fencers of his generation, this completely new task for him required some preparation. The athlete received advice from Stéphane Leroy, at the time coach of the blue fencers at the National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance (INSEP). He also “watched some movies”, even if he wanted not to “to be influenced by what had already been done.” And the recent Olympic vice-champion in individual at the 2024 Olympic Games confided at the time to our colleagues at the team : “Especially since that was what the production was looking for, they came to me for something new. I was given some directions but I was ultimately quite free. I tried to bring them the sporting side, to take them as close as possible to my sport.” Mission accomplished!
