Interview withBÉRÉNICE BÉJOPeppy Miller- 36 -
Do you remember the first time Michel Hazanaviciustalked to you about want<strong>in</strong>g to make a silent movie?It was at a party for the first “OSS”: he told Jeanand me that he’d been dream<strong>in</strong>g of mak<strong>in</strong>g a silentmovie for ten years. We thought it was madnessand never imag<strong>in</strong>ed such a project could ever beachieved. But after the success of both “OSS” films,Michel thought that this would perhaps be theright time to try to get the project started. Once adirector has had successes he’s taken more seriouslyand becomes more credible. But it was a long roadbefore the project could go all the way to the end;just a few weeks before we started shoot<strong>in</strong>g, Micheland I would always use the conditional: “If we go toL.A…” “If we beg<strong>in</strong> film<strong>in</strong>g...”You have to be crazy, passionate about c<strong>in</strong>emalike Thomas Langmann, to agree to throw yourself- <strong>in</strong> the age of 3D and special effects - <strong>in</strong>to a silent,black and white project! Before Michel met him,he had met quite a few <strong>in</strong>terested people, but noone really prepared to throw himself <strong>in</strong>to this.When did he talk to you about the character of PeppyMiller, this young starlet who becomes a star that he<strong>in</strong>tended you to play?He hesitated between two stories for a long timethen one day, he told me he’d found the right one;he was go<strong>in</strong>g to tell the story of the silent movie starwho doesn’t believe <strong>in</strong> the talkies when they arriveand, <strong>in</strong>stead of go<strong>in</strong>g with the times and jump<strong>in</strong>g onbandwagon, stays beh<strong>in</strong>d. And suddenly everyth<strong>in</strong>gcollapses for him. He added: “There will be a girlwho will appear here and there. It will only be a smallpart but I’d really like you to do it.” There also was alittle dog <strong>in</strong> the story and I would joke: “Even the doghas a bigger part than me!” Later, Michel told me:“It’s strange when you write, you create characters, astory, but at a given po<strong>in</strong>t they become stronger thanthe hand that writes them.” The story of this silentmovie star has thus become a love story between himand this young extra. And that’s how, from versionto version, Peppy Miller gradually became more andmore important! It was very mov<strong>in</strong>g because she’s atruly remarkable character....Why?When you do improv you’re taught neverto say no and take everyth<strong>in</strong>g that is offered toyou, accept it and play with it. Peppy applies thisrule, she uses all available means...When shef<strong>in</strong>ds herself by chance on the red carpet nextto George Valent<strong>in</strong> and photographers starttak<strong>in</strong>g pictures of her she th<strong>in</strong>ks it’s funnyand starts play<strong>in</strong>g with the situation. She isnot <strong>in</strong> any way calculat<strong>in</strong>g; she has fun witheveryth<strong>in</strong>g… Stars often have that quality.They’re not where they are by co<strong>in</strong>cidence, theyhave enormous self-confidence, they grab what’savailable to them, that’s how they climb the ladderand become stars. Peppy had this amaz<strong>in</strong>g quality,she took everyth<strong>in</strong>g that life threw at her, she wasconfident <strong>in</strong> herself, <strong>in</strong> her fate…It’s uncanny; you talk about her as if she reallyexisted...Yes, I know. She’s a character I’ve known s<strong>in</strong>ce shewas born, I saw her grow - I haven’t missed a s<strong>in</strong>glestage <strong>in</strong> how the project came <strong>in</strong>to be<strong>in</strong>g. I nourishedher so much that I made her m<strong>in</strong>e. Peppy was goodfor me. Michel sees her, I th<strong>in</strong>k, as a guardian angelwatch<strong>in</strong>g over George Valent<strong>in</strong>. To me she is like a- 37 -
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