French actor Benjamin Voisin was in Geneva to answer our questions.
20min/François Melillo
Revealed in “Summer 85”, by François Ozon, in 2020, Benjamin Voisin saw his career take off two years later by winning the César for Most Promising Actor, thanks to his role in “Lost Illusions”. The 28-year-old French actor is now starring in the film “Playing with Fire”, where he plays a young far-right activist, the opposite of the values of his father played by Vincent Lindon.
What made you want to act in this film?
At first I really liked the script. The directors, Delphine and Muriel Coulin, had adapted the novel “Ce que il peut de nuit” with great modesty. I found this story very interesting and consistent with today’s world. It was also a luxury to play with Stefan Crepon who plays my brother in the film. He was at the classes with me and it was great, because we had already worked a lot together. Then, being able to meet Vincent Lindon was also very motivating.
Was it impressive to play with Vincent Lindon?
No, because I’m not that driven by fear, either in life or in my artistic career. It’s more like excitement. I really wanted to meet this man who seemed to me to have very precise ideas about life, very politicized. And actually, he’s not that politicized. These are his choices of films that speak for him and these are the ones he really loves and wants to defend. His acting is very controlled, very sure of himself, we see that he is a step above. We are not with the actor who is good and who doesn’t know why. He worked hard on his science for hours. And he understood what he had to give. So it’s very inspiring for a young actor.
Do you have anything in common with your character, Fus, who becomes a far-right activist?
-Yes. About the incomprehension of the world in which we live, the fact of being beaten by so many things, money, this world which is more and more capitalist. The inequalities are more and more violent, the fact of not understanding why we have to work 39 hours a week. I have a particular feeling for those who earn 1,300 euros per month and who cannot even pay their debts. So I understand my character on these points. The only difference between him and me is that he gives in to violence. I find it interesting to wonder why he becomes violent and I don’t. On the other hand, I will never vote for a party that talks about exclusion or nationalism.
Have you always wanted to become an actor?
I have always loved reading, words, imagination. After my baccalaureate, I tried lots of jobs like baking, accounting, roofing. My dad is a theater teacher, so I tried theater for a week. That’s when I told myself that I could entertain people after work by talking to them about poetry, dreams, love. So I was first motivated by words, then by cinema with the idea of working on your facial features to communicate emotions and then money. We get paid very well as an actor. So I can solve this problem.
Do you want to become famous?
No not at all. I have also refused many offers. I could have made films with 5 million spectators. But I prefer to be in my little corner where I feel good. My priority is to flourish artistically. I only see disadvantages in fame.
Unlike many artists, you don’t have an Instagram account.
Indeed. I was told it wouldn’t work for me if I didn’t have Instagram. But I could be very happy on a farm on the other side of the world, without any problem. The first goal of life is to enjoy it. I had an Instagram account for a year and a half, but I spent four hours a day on it. I no longer spent this time in sport, in literature or in discovering others.
