Published at 2:10 am. Updated at 5:58 am.
It is the tone that first interested Suzanne Clément in the script for “Ailleurs si j'y suis”. For them, the film by the Belgian François Pirot is a little gem à la Woody Allen. “There is no cynicism, it is more of a bittersweet comedy. There is also a lot of tenderness, he makes fun of his characters, but not maliciously. »
In “Ailleurs si j'y suis” Suzanne Clément plays Catherine, a woman whose husband Mathieu (Jérémie Rénier) gave up everything to live… in the forest. A gesture that makes everyone around him move, but “sometimes movement is better than standing still,” believes the actress. “I recognize myself in making big decisions!” Catherine has bad problems, but she has to move; she can't take it anymore. »
Catherine sheds layers as the film progresses. Until she too finds herself in the forest and imitates the sounds of the jungle animals.
“In the end she laughs at herself and her great desires… I remember the morning we were filming three years ago. »
My father had just died. I should have laughed, but I just wanted to cry! But it doesn't matter, you have to join in, laugh and cry, it's often close.
Suzanne Clement
It was her aging parents who brought Suzanne Clément back to Quebec – her father died three years ago, her mother, who suffered from Alzheimer's, died last year. “It’s almost a gift they gave me. I had to come back here. »
speed
Buoyed by the success of Xavier Dolan's films Laurence Anyways and Mommy, the actress had actually settled on the other side of the Atlantic, which enabled her to star in numerous French productions. “These are career opportunities that don’t come along often. But I also worked very hard! » says the 54-year-old actress in a colorful interview full of life and joyful vocal outbursts.
Suzanne Clément spent a dozen years in Europe, particularly in Paris, a turbulent and lively period that she loved. “I was pampered, I enjoyed it to the fullest, it was great. Not just as an external experience, but also as an internal one. » But when you listen to her, you get the impression that she never felt completely at home there.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, THE PRESS
Suzanne Clement
Have you ever experienced this? There is something special about having an ocean between your roots and where you live. Absolutely everything is different. All you're missing is all you know. Even the air is not the same.
Suzanne Clement
And of course the accent, which she constantly changed, “even in the supermarket” in order to be ready for filming. “During filming it became second nature to me, but as I talked to Quebecers it became more fragile. »
We imagine it must make her especially happy to bite into the coronations of Doctor Emmanuelle St-Cyr, who she plays in STAT. She imitates an out of breath body including sound. “Ah yeah… it's fun!” It's really cool to find a character who moves quickly, quickly in execution and delivery. With the Quebec accent, wow! »
If the character moves quickly, the actress also moves quickly. Playing STAT is a real marathon for its lead actor. Filming for the second season, which is currently underway, will end at the end of March. However, the most intense is the first part, which lasts from July to December. “The time before Christmas is long, with only a week’s break. We end up getting on each other's nerves! Everything can get complicated if we want to…”
This year, she left immediately after…to Disney, with her 18-year-old niece. “She kept seeing me on my phone and said let it go! ” She laughs. “She's 18 and she told me to get out! It was perfect, Disney, not to worry about it. We were just amazed, we were screaming, eating, running like crazy!”
Given the phenomenal amount of texts she has to memorize, we understand that Suzanne Clément wants to clear her head. The actress shoots four days out of five; She learns her texts the rest of the time, on weekends and often in the evenings after work. That's why she hired a tutor, an “incredible person” with communicative energy.
energy
The actress signed on for a third season of STAT, but had a lot of questions beforehand. If she said yes, it's partly because she realized it was possible for other urges to slip through. “I still have four months off. » She also toured in summer 2023 with two productions that have not yet been released and is awaiting confirmation for one or two more projects that would take place in the summer.
“I also filmed a Canadian-American project on weekends in the fall. I don't know how I did it! But my brain found strategies and it worked. »
If she decided to continue, it is also because the character of Emmanuelle is interesting to portray.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
Suzanne Clément and Lou-Pascal Tremblay on the STAT set.
Emmanuelle has great strengths, but also weaknesses. Places that the author Marie-Andrée Labbé and I have discovered and that are fun to explore.
Suzanne Clement
When we see her in the series laying down on a stretcher to give a heart massage, we can't help but think that Suzanne Clément brought energy to her character. “I think Marie-Andrée is watching us and loving us. She is very open-minded and intelligent towards the actors. » For the attitude of Doctor St-Cyr, the actress was greatly inspired by a doctor she observed, by her closeness to patients, by the way she spoke to them.
The daily challenge – “It's definitely a thrill!” – which she could never have imagined in almost 30 years of work, motivates her to the highest degree.
“Sometimes it's okay, we'll do three more scenes, let's go!” I like it better than certain shots where we spend two hours setting up the lighting… I also like it in other dates and paradigms too be. »
She doesn't plan for the future. “There are things I want to do, we'll see. »A fourth season of STAT? ” No idea. » As for predictions, does she believe her boyfriend Xavier Dolan when he says he won't make any more films?
“I haven't seen him since he said that.” I wouldn't be able to make such a choice. He would have the right, but it seems to me that it is not possible. »
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