Pierre Niney is embarking on a new challenge with the latest film adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo, directed by Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de La Patellière.
For Pierre Niney, playing Edmond Dantès, the central character of this legendary revenge saga, represents much more than a simple role: “I had the chance to discover this book when I was fifteen or sixteen years old and it was the first book that I read, not out of punishment, but out of pure pleasure of turning my light back on at night and having the ‘feeling like you’re traveling completely’.
A character between shadow and light
“It’s a really important role for me.”confides Pierre Niney. Playing the role of Edmond Dantès, a young 20-year-old sailor, is not that simple, because he is a complex character: “Monte Cristo himself stages his life. He creates masks, he creates avatars, he creates characters to better take revenge.”
During the production of the film, physical and emotional preparation was crucial, as evidenced by the poignant scene where Edmond Dantès escapes from the dungeon. Pierre Niney reveals that he was pushed to his limits, practicing freediving with a world champion to achieve this sequence in long shot, a technical feat which added an additional dimension to his commitment to the role: “L‘idea was to sink in with this bag and try to get out. Let it be as claustrophobic as possible and as distressing as possible for the viewer.”
For Pierre Niney, this project represents an exceptional cinematic experience: “It’s the most visual film I’ve been able to make, which will perhaps be the most generous film in terms of adventure, breath and image of my career.”
Pierre Niney actor The Count of Monte Cristo
