The dog-actor from “Anatomy of a Fall” will this time be the star of a short program broadcast on France Télévisions. Comedian Raphaël Mezrahi will provide the voice of the animal. Palm dog 2023, Messi returns to the Croisette, equipped with microphone and camera to collect the words of stars, after his success at the Oscars.
Would we say that the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival (Alpes-Maritimes) had a tough time? In any case, the 2024 red carpet will be the scene of a rather… unusual show. Messi, the star dog of the film “Anatomy of a Fall” (Palme d’Or 2023), will be at the head of a TV program.
>> Find out everything on the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
Equipped with a microphone and a miniature camera “hidden in a collar under her hair“, he will go to meet the stars for interviews. Two other cameras”will film it normally“, specifies Tim Newman, the creator of the format, -.
Last year, Messi won the Palm dog in Cannes… The start of a crazy story for him. When the trophy necklace was presented… Another dog was in its place to preserve the star’s health!
Snoop from the film Anatomy of a Fall by Justine Triet won the 2023 Palm Dog prize.
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© Pauline Thurier / France Télévisions
A short interview (the format will last one minute), conducted by Messi posed on “a nice armchair” and which will aim to take the stars interviewed off the beaten track.
The promotion of the film will be done at the beginning [de la vidéo, NDLR] then Messi will ask a question that has nothing to do with it. Messi will not have a collar or a bow tie. We won’t disguise it.
Behind Messi’s face, it is the comedian Raphaël Mezrahi who will lend his voice to the famous Eight year old Border Collie. “I will be on all fours behind Messi“, details the man who, in the past, trapped celebrities by posing as a novice journalist. “It is my voice, via Messi, which will ask the questions. Well, this is a bit complicated, but it will be very clear afterwards!“
“Messi will be able to ask different questions because a dog dares anything!“, continues Tim Newman. “I thought of Raphaël Mezrahi for the voice because he respects animals.
“People told me: ‘Messi would be better off resting in his garden’, but he knows his garden by heart. He loves people, the world“, assures Laura Martin, his coach and his mistress. Dog trainer for individuals, she fell into cinema to coach animals pets and ensure their well-being on set.
“Raphaël Mezrahi is an animal rights activist“, specifies Tim Newman. “And the fees he will receive for the show will be donated to the animals.“
In addition, a message against abandoning pets on the road to vacation will punctuate each sticker.
Our colleagues atAFP attended the microphone tests and camera of Messi, delighted to be the center of attention of eight people in his living room, then in the surrounding countryside. “Messi is a mutt (actor who does too much, Editor’s note), clearly, Yes !“, laughs Laura Martin, 37 years old.
The dog specialist would never have thought that “everything would go this far” with Messi. The dog accompanied him everywhere, but was never taken: “‘too beautiful, takes up too much space’, I was told“.”As far“, it’s Los Angeles. “Anatomy of a Fall” won the Oscar for best scenario.
And the Border Collie blew up social media during a nominees’ luncheon with viral selfies taken by actors Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper and singer Billie Eilish… With applause:
Since then, Messi “received”, as Laura Martin says, “a scenario American”. But she won’t say more.
Who will be the first stars to accept the invitation from “George Clooney of Dogs”, as Tim Newman describes it? The creator of the program has in any case released a few names, without however confirming whether the meeting was confirmed.
Meryl Streep (“we are in full negotiations with her agent, but she loves the idea”), Raphaël Quenard, Laetitia Dosch, Albane, Vincent Lindon and Willem Dafoe.
Last star approached: Emma Stone, to whom “Messi sent him a personalized message“. For this, against pieces of sausage, the dog took different poses – sitting, paw on nose, standing – frozen, barking in front of the camera – in order to convince the actress of “La La Land”, but also the American TV host Jimmy Kimmel, to come and respond to his barking.
“Television today needs originality“, concludes Tim Newman. “It will last just a minute, but this program will be a real difference during this year’s Cannes Film Festival.“
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Messi’s star interviews will be broadcast on France 2 (Monday to Friday at 1:40 p.m., after the 1 p.m. news), France 3 (Monday to Thursday at 8:10 p.m.), Culturebox and TV5 Monde, from May 16. A best-of will be broadcast on the social network TikTok.
