Beginners’ Mélanie Laurent on Heeding Quentin Tarantino’s Advice and Loving Cats

This weekend, Mélanie Laurent, the 28-year-old French actress known to American audiences for playing the fierce Shoshana in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, co-stars in her second American film, Mike Mills’s Beginners. Beginners, Mills’s follow-up to Thumbsucker, is the very lovely, funny story of a man (Ewan McGregor) whose father (Christopher Plummer) comes out of the closet at 75 and dies five years later, intercut with the story of the same man falling in love with Laurent’s character Anna, a French actress temporarily in L.A., shortly after his father’s death. We spoke with the accented Laurent about the movie (which co-stars a dog), roller coasters, and looking out for the right post-Basterds project.

Hi, this is Mélanie Laurent. I’m an actress.

Hi, I’m Willa. I’m a journalist. When people ask you what you do, is that what you say, “I’m an actress”?
No, I’m trying to say I’m an artist, which is different but [laughing] in France it kind of sounds pretentious.

Ha! It’s kind of pretentious in English, too.
I’m singing and directing and I’m an actress, so I don’t feel like saying, “Oh, I’m an actress, I’m a singer, I’m a director.” I don’t feel like saying that.

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Actor Mélanie Laurent on John Galliano, Lars Von Trier, & Finding Love in ‘Beginners’

In her new film, Beginners, French actor, director, and musician Mélanie Laurent plays Anna, an aspiring starlet who reluctantly falls for Ewan McGregor’s Oliver. As the two lovebirds begin their courtship, Oliver is also plagued by his elderly father Hal’s (Christopher Plummer) inoperable cancer. Hal, an openly gay man who came out of the closet at the age of 75 following his wife’s (and Oliver’s mother’s) death, ignores his mortality and spends more and more time with his young lover, frequenting gay dance clubs and hosting Harvey Milk–themed movie nights.
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Beginners is loosely based on director Mike Mills real-life relationship with his own father, but if McGregor embodies a version of Mills, Laurent is quick to dismiss the idea that she’s portraying his wife, auteur Miranda July.

“No, no, no,” she said over the phone last week. “He’s insisted that I’m absolutely not playing her. If anything, I think I represent one of his ex-girlfriends.” Laurent, who was inducted into the American mainstream in 2009 as the fiery projectionist in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, has had a busy few months, juggling her production schedule while also collaborating on tracks with singer-songwriter Damien Rice, landing a plum gig as the new face of Dior’s Hypnotic Poison fragrance, and acting as Master of Ceremonies at last month’s Cannes International Film Festival.

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Mélanie’s new film “Beginners” is finally coming out so a lot more promotional material has been released! There is a featurette, as well as a new clip featuring Mélanie. Watch the featurette below and the clip here, plus see captures from both in the gallery!

Mélanie was in a recent issue of Numéro Magazine photographed by Camilla Akrans. I’ve added some of the photoshoot to the gallery but sadly I don’t have scans of the magazine itself. If anyone is able to donate scans, it would be greatly appreciated!

Gallery Links:
Studio Photoshoots > 2011 > Session 07

Mélanie was present for a screening in New York City of her upcoming film “Beginners” along with director Mike Mills and co-star Ewan McGregor. I’ve added over 50 photos of the event to the gallery, take a look! Hopefully we’ll see Mélanie out and about more often to promote as the film’s June release date nears.

Gallery Links:
Public Appearances > 2011 > “Beginners” New York Screening – Arrivals
Public Appearances > 2011 > “Beginners” New York Screening – After Party

I’ve added screencaptures of the Closing Ceremony from Cannes to the gallery. You can find the video on Canalplus. Enjoy!

Gallery Links:
Interviews & Specials > Other Specials > 2011 Cannes Film Festival – Closing Ceremony

Mélanie was spotted today at the Nice Airport again, presumably departing the festival to head back to Paris.

Gallery Links:
Miscellaneous > Candids > Arriving at Nice Airport – 2011 Cannes Film Festival

Yesterday was the end of the Cannes Film Festival and Mélanie was at hand for the closing ceremony, as well as a closing dinner and a photocall. I’m a bit disappointed she didn’t attend any of the various premieres or galas in between opening and closing the festival, but there are still plenty of lovely photographs from yesterday! Take a look.

Gallery Links:
Public Appearances > 2011 > 2011 Cannes Film Festival – Palme d’Or Photocall
Public Appearances > 2011 > 2011 Cannes Film Festival – Closing Ceremony
Public Appearances > 2011 > 2011 Cannes Film Festival – Palme d’Or Dinner