French actress Cypriane Gardin, 26, has asked her Instagram followers for financial help after running out of unemployment benefits following the end of the hit TF1 series HPI.
Gardin played Théa, the daughter of Morgane, portrayed by Audrey Fleurot, across the show's five seasons. The final episode aired in September 2025. In a video posted on Thursday, August 6, Gardin said she had thought carefully before filming and posting it.
"They're going to cut off my electricity"
Gardin appealed to what she called the kindness and generosity of her followers. She said she had just found out officially that she had reached the end of her France Travail unemployment benefits and could no longer receive any payments. She said she had requested an extension of her benefits, which had not yet been approved, and that she had no income while her request was being reviewed, not even enough to qualify for the RSA welfare payment.
She went on to describe her situation as critical, saying three people depend on her income and that she has bills to pay, including an overdue electricity bill that risks being cut off. Gardin said she had been struggling to find acting work for six months, adding that she does not get the chance to work much and that she misses it greatly.
Near the end of the video, she voiced doubts about asking for help, saying she hoped it was not inappropriate of her, even though she felt it was, and that she did not feel entitled to ask. She then shared a link to an online fundraiser.
5,431 euros raised
Some followers left supportive messages in response to her video, with comments telling her to stay strong for herself and her loved ones, praising her talent and predicting she would come back stronger. Others described their contributions as symbolic gestures of support during a difficult time.
Gardin's appeal also drew sharp criticism online. Some commenters argued there was no shame in cleaning, working in fast food, at markets or during grape harvests to make ends meet, while others said it was striking that people who choose careers like acting then come back complaining. The backlash grew into a wave of online harassment, and Gardin has since had to disable comments on her Instagram post to protect herself.
As of 11 a.m. on Sunday, August 9, the fundraiser had collected a total of 5,431 euros from 153 separate contributions, an average of 35.5 euros per contributor.
