The character you play is tough and dry. Do you enjoy playing a role that goes against your public image?
Lorie Pester : It’s true that she orders and directs without asking the opinion of others. To stay strong after the death of her partner, she built a shell and doesn’t want to show anyone anything. But she also has character traits that resemble me, because she is a fighter. That’s what touched me about her.
At the time of filming, you were a young mother. In the TV movie, the captain you play is eight months pregnant. Has your pregnancy experience helped you?
I definitely wouldn’t have played the same way if I hadn’t had my daughter a year and a half earlier. It was fun to put on a big belly, and I found certain gestures and sensations. Besides, my hand naturally rested on my stomach and I spontaneously remembered how to get in or out of the car, with this big belly taking up space.
How Lorie played a pregnant woman
Is this accessory uncomfortable to wear?
It is made of foam, is not very heavy but still weighs a little. It goes on easily, like a belt, but at the end of the day, my back hurts because I ended up going back to bad postures. Besides, I had to go back to see my osteopath. (Laughs)
In a rather subtle way, the story questions the ability of pregnant women to continue to practice their profession. What is your opinion?
Frankly, apart from women who encounter problems or who have to stay in bed, I don’t see why they couldn’t work, being pregnant is not an illness. Plus, I experienced it! Three months pregnant, I was cast in a TV movie and the insurance companies refused to insure me. I found this unacceptable and very unfair. On the other hand, while pregnant, I also noticed that many people don’t let you go to the front in queues. It’s mind-blowing.
In this fiction, you opposite Danièle Lebrun, who is a resident of the Comédie-Française. Is it intimidating to play with an actress who has such a reference?
It’s true that there’s a crazy cast, but, frankly, regardless of everyone’s background, everyone was super cool and the atmosphere was very good. Besides, we had a lot of laughs.
Lorie Pester accomplice with Jeremy Banster
Especially when you are put in an ambulance…
Yes, because I was supposed to be about to give birth. With Jeremy Banster, who plays Lucien, my investigation partner, we were so into it that I crushed his hand while he gave me orders. I hope there will be a blooper, because throughout the filming there were a lot of very funny shots.
The Mysteries of the Duchess: Wednesday January 1 at 9:05 p.m. on France 3
