Idris Elba’s forgotten contribution to French cinema: “I didn’t really know who Catherine Deneuve was”
Idris Elba stands as a British icon, showcasing a diverse array of talents from acting to rapping. He firmly established his reputation as a powerhouse through standout roles in The Wire and Luther, the latter earning him a Golden Globe Award for ‘Best Actor’ for his intense portrayal of Detective John Luther.
Since then, Elba has continued to shape the landscape of cinema with his authoritative presence and compelling performances, starring in a number of projects from The Office, Hijack, Molly’s Game, Fast and Furious and Thor, showcasing a dedication to an ever-evolving and dynamic screen presence. However, Elba starred in one lesser-known film that is perhaps the most bizarre cinematic crossover of his career.
Catherine Deneuve is one of the legends of French cinema and the new wave movement, rising to fame after her haunting performance in Repulsion and then going on to work with the likes of Jacques Demy, Agnès Varda, François Truffaut and Luis Buñuel.
She is perhaps best known for her musical work in Umbrellas of Cherbourg and The Young Girls of Rochefort, as well as the controversial Belle De Jour, in which she plays a woman who grows bored of having sex with her husband and attempts to bring excitement to her life by working in a brothel.
However in 1999, Deneuve starred alongside Elba in a surprising collaboration during the production of Belle Maman, a film that follows a man called Antoine (played by Vincent Landon) about to exchange wedding vows with his pregnant fiancée before developing feelings for her Mother (played by Deneuve). Elba was still relatively new to Hollywood at the time and had just starred in Ultraviolet, a film about an unexpected epidemic that clocks in at a whopping 300 minutes.
When asked about how he came onto the project and his experiences of working on a foreign film, he said, “When I first got the job, I didn’t really know who Catherine Deneuve was. Then I learned on the job and realized how much of an icon she was. I got to work with her closely. I got to learn from her a little bit what it’s like to be a big lead actor and be respected”.
“She was so nice and so humble. It definitely broadened my horizons,” he added. “Making a foreign-language film: If I could do that, I could do anything, because I didn’t speak French. It was like a stepping stone to crafting what my career is, which isn’t one specific lane. I think that playing that character back then was an eye-opener for me. The TV stuff I did was challenging, but [‘Belle maman’] was the biggest challenge”.
Despite the challenge of this production, there’s no doubt that it contributed to Elba’s captivating screen presence and quiet self-assurance that he emanates, giving him the perfect springboard to pursue other less conventional roles and intimidating projects. The experience of working with an established actor as a newcomer is also highly invaluable, and the chance to star alongside one of the greatest French actors of all time is presumably an experience that he will never forget.
