Exclusive“Things have changed a bit,” admits Omar Sai of his later life. Lupine. It’s the laughter. “My parents know what I’m doing now.”
This is how the actor and his family like it. Low key. The French move to Los Angeles ten years ago was partly driven by a desire for greater anonymity. In his home country, Sai is a superstar. There was no need for drama to pick up the kids from school in America. “It’s still different being in Los Angeles,” she says, despite her growing popularity. “Even if everything has changed a bit, there is even less attention here than in France. boy from Lupine “Not a big deal in Los Angeles.”
Indeed, “since the child Lupine“Great things are happening all over the world. Since then Sy has been an established comedian in France untouchable In 2011 he was caught in a global storm. The film grossed a staggering $ 426 million at the box office and remains to this day the greatest French film of all time. Sai became the first black man to win the Cesar Award, and the film was stripped of US remake rights.
Sai went on to star in successful American roles, including X-Men: days of past future past, Jurassic world Franchising e Transformers: The Last Knight. French credits included Samba Y chocolate. In the latter, the actor gives one of the most impressive performances to date as Rafael Padilla, the first black circus performer in Paris.
But it was her Jerry on Netflix Lupine Last year, he changed his career once again. Inspired by Maurice LeBlanc’s tales about the criminal Arsen Lupen, Sai plays the knight thief Asan Diop, who seeks revenge for the injustice his rich family did to his father.
The series was viewed by 70 million families during its first month, making it the most viewed non-English-language series on Netflix at the time. Saim and Shaw earned Golden Globe nominations. Shortly after his release, the actor became the first French talent to sign a multi-year contract with Netflix.
Sai is in Los Angeles with his family during a hiatus between the third season of filming. Lupine In Paris. The bored actor is quite reserved when asked about next season: “I can’t really give anything, but we’ll be back with the same energy and fun,” he says. If it was your decision, Lupine It would go on indefinitely. “I want to do it for the rest of my life. I wish we could. But it will depend on what story we can tell and where the character can go. If we have the right scenario, we will continue “.
There was talk of spin-offs recently in an interview on Deadline with Gaumont executives Sidon Dumas and Christophe Riandes, the show’s French producers. “I read this about the spin-offs on your site,” Sai says cheerfully. “For me it was a surprise. I can’t wait to know more about him.”
Sy is a real thug. Investigator. His travels are atypical for French and European actors, which makes his story even more special. He was born in a working-class West African suburb of Paris to a family of West African parents. He was one of eight children in the family. His mother worked as a maid, while his father worked in an auto parts factory after moving from Buckley to France in 1962. The family was Muslim.
The suburbs of Paris, or Banlie As they are called in France, they are known for their austerity, but also for their different and closely related themes. They are one of the favorite subjects of French filmmakers, clearly imprinted on glorious films such as the hein And more recently by Ladj Ly The Miserables.
“I’ve always been interested in people and places,” Sai said of what his roots have given him. “As an actor, as soon as I learn something, I want to share it with you. I grew up in a society where there are many different people from all over the world. My neighborhood was full of people from different backgrounds. You always learn something. Perhaps this was one of the effects that helped me become an actor. Learning and sharing. “
As it turned out, Sai wasn’t the only extraordinary talent in Trapeze at the time. His childhood friends included former French and Madrid footballer Nicolás Anelka and popular Franco-Moroccan actor and comedian Jamel Debussy.
Sai, who enjoyed drawing and imitating from a young age, began appearing on the debut radio show before joining the cabaret as part of the popular double act. omar and freddy With Fred Testot. However, it was untouchable This changed his world. The film was a defining moment not only for Sis, but also for the French and European industry. Never has a black French actor surpassed world success. To this day it remains a rare achievement across Europe.
“I have a feeling I still have,” the actor said of the experience. “It was something that changed everything not only for me, but also for people like me. I am very grateful for this film because it has changed a lot by bringing more black actors into the industry. The movie I just made [Father & Soldier]In the skin, which debuted, arose in the wake untouchable. “The success of the film allowed me to tackle a variety of topics as a black actor.”
Sai has found his range not only on screen. The actor increasingly uses his platform to denounce public injustice. Two years ago he intervened forcefully after the murder of George Floyd, whose death echoed the controversial case of Adam Traore in France four years ago, when he wrote a spirited opinion for the French magazine L’Obs. He pleaded:
Wake up. Arm yourself with courage, be vigilant, do not let another four years pass without responsibility. The death of a man with disproportionate and excessive force must be punished.
George Floyd and Adam Traore had one thing in common: they were both black and big. Their lives turned to horror within hours. თვის For anything. I’m 1.92 (6’2 ″), I’m black, I’m like them. Can the same thing happen to me? Will this happen to my children tomorrow? Your children? This nameless fear, this unwarranted fear that swells up in our lives, has to go away. The feeling I devoured from the inside out when I grew up watching police stops.
Two years after Floyd’s murder and six years after Traore’s murder, who knows how many changes have been made to the battlefield of social justice?
“It’s hard to say.” 2020 was a time when there was no room for denial, which is a big change, “he said.” I hope the change is happening, even if we still have a level of It is not a question of opposing or supporting the police, but of how we will work together to achieve justice. I remain optimistic. “
Does this optimism apply to the French film scene? Sai is one of the few black actors to have won the highest French film award, the César. The number of talented French films or TV series remains low and, as in most European countries, black executives are painfully ignored in production, sales and distribution companies. “We’re still working on it,” Sai says. “It is not easy. There is pragmatism towards quotas, but in France there is a certain philosophy that we adhere to. We are working on it, but it takes time. We know we are far behind, but the process continues. I am the case . Everything is changing, but we need more time to reach a balance and we need to move forward in capacity building. “
How and when such opportunities are created remains a serious problem in the entertainment and culture industries. Film festivals are an important part of this conversation, more than the skin. The Riviera Festival remains the most respected film festival in the world, but in recent years the event has also been criticized for its lack of diversity in its composition.
There is a positive change in this edition in the record competition of five women and many films by directors of North African origin. There are a number of films featuring black, North African and Middle Eastern actors. Yet only one of the 70 films in the official selection is by a film noir director. These are depressing statistics for which there are deeply ingrained structural and social reasons. But some also argue that the world’s largest platforms have a responsibility to drive change.
“The skin is The “A place for movies,” Sai said. “There is no other place like skin. Open your mind. We are all responsible for generating change, but the skin must lead by example, of course. We have to find the right balance. Watch the movie Laji (The Miserables) that took place there. We must understand that this is not always possible and at the same time it is has To do this, it is mandatory. If it’s not the skin, no one will. “
Sy will be on the Croisette with a new film this year! father and soldier, on how France recruited men from its former colony of Senegal to fight in the French trenches during World War I. The project was a long-standing passion project for Sy and director Mathieu Vadepied, who was the cinematographer. untouchable.
“He speaks after father and soldier “More than 10 years ago and we’ve been talking about it ever since,” said the actor, who maintains strong ties to Senegal. “We are both proud of these French soldiers who are part of our history. There is much talk of the French “Les Poilu” (French infantry) who fought in Verdun during the First World War, but we know little about the Senegalese “Trailer”. I was French before my father came to France and it is important to remember that many of our ancestors share the same history. “At a time when the right is gaining more power in France, I want to remind people of our history, to better understand our past and build a better future.”
As a person and actor, Sai is impressive in almost every way. How many may be left on the bouquet list, I wonder?
“The production is on the list, because there are so many stories to tell. The best way to reveal underrepresented stories and new talent is to be a producer; To return opportunities. One day I want to direct, but I’m not ready yet; I want to work with older directors. This is the best way for me to learn as an actor. I want to be a star in an American movie. I’m starting now, I’m far from finished “.
The actor has never been in such demand. Netflix is a crime comedy killing Released in May, Sai recently starred with Carrie Washington in the Lionsgate action movie. power of shadows.
After wearing the cap to play bishop X-Men: days of past future pastCould it be another superhero movie? “Რ Sure. I’m always like a kid on set. I am very happy I did father and soldierHistorical work and in a year I will be on set with Kerry and (director) Joe Carnahan. power of shadows. This is my great destiny as an actor: to be able to learn and study new things and places “.
Source: Deadline
