Vetoes (France 2) – Clovis Cornillac: "I have something very animalistic"

Your dog Orson follows you everywhere: so your affinity with the animals in the movie is not fake!

Clovis Cornillac: That’s for sure. I have something very animalistic about me. There is a different way of communicating with animals that I feel comfortable with.

Son, did you want to be a veterinarian?

No, because I knew I didn’t have the intellectual capacity to do this kind of work that required a lot of work. When I watched the Daktari series, I identified more with Clarence the lion!

Exactly, how can one be a reliable veto when one is a child of Daktari?

In Morvan, where we filmed, I followed Maxime, a young country veterinarian, on his tours. I am a real sponge. I try not to betray when I finally invent my character. Country veterinarians who watched the movie told us that they recognized themselves in the movie. This is good.

You have an affair with your on-screen wife, Lilou Fogli. Was it difficult or natural?

It was easy, we are used to working together. It’s like he’s playing with another actress on set. What matters is what you have to play. And the movie doesn’t center us. Director Julie Manoukian (daughter of musician-presenter André, editor’s note) asked if it would bother me to play with my wife. I am very pleased

Are you from the city or do you need nature?

I need him. Even more with age. But I’m not very provincial, which can quickly anger me and make me melancholy. I love going there but I couldn’t live there. I need some harsh and violent nature: high mountains or the wind blowing sea.

Laetitia Barlerin, vetoed Télé 7 Jours, participated in the writing of the film. Did you meet him?

Not on set but we did a few country towns together. She’s hilarious, she’s a character: she “rocks” as a girl!

Vets: Sunday 19 February at 21:10 in France 2

Julien Barcilon’s interview in 2019