2001

SOPHIE MARCEAU A PERSONAL VISION

She's said to be capricious, rebellious, sophisticated. Just what you'd expect of a star. Plus she's a natural beauty. What you see of her is real, without any of the usual movie-star artifice. Arriving some ten minutes late to our appointment, she offered an apology. At first our conversation glided over the surface banalities of life then, as we grew used to each other, it became increasingly personal. For Sophie Marceau the world of cinema "gives the appearance, often deceptive, of being what's most important in life, to the point of overshadowing life's truest values." Entirely comfortable with herself, she holds that understanding who you are always involves interaction with others. "Giving five minutes of your time to someone who holds out her hand to you, or who opens her heart to you, gives meaning to your day."

Her smile is sincere, not the kind of smile you're likely to encounter on the face of some Hollywood starlet. As she throws her head back, a spray of golden brown hair falls over her slender shoulders. Her movement is elegant, and as I watch her, I'm reminded of what Philippe Noiret once said of her: "Sophie Marceau belongs to that class of actresses we call great. She'll have to be careful not to get eaten up by cinema's big bad wolves." This was said some twenty years ago when Claude Pinoteau's "La Boum" came out - though it seems like just yesterday. And Sophie Marceau has managed to keep those "wolves" well under control and out of her way. "I want to be the only person responsible for myself, my choices, my mistakes."

This strong cry for independence just as she began reaping the rewards of her early success was what kept her on the right track. Though still a minor, she weflt immediately from her adolescent role in "La Boum" to more sophisticated roles in "Amour Braque" by Zulawski and then "Police" by Pialat. These two daring directors helped her grow up and out of the teen-age image she so perfectly embodied for her adoring French audience in "La Boum." "Everyone told me, 'Sophie, you're crazy. Stay with what you're good at. You don't realize what you're doing.' But let me tell you, I matured immensely over those two years, more than I would ever have if I had kept on doing the 'Boom thing'. You know, Boum 2, Boum 3... I certainly don't have any regrets about that!"

Her relationship with Zulawski was, from the very beginning, one of perfect artistic osmosis. They've made four films together "with equal pleasure. Andrzej really listens. He loves his work and his actors passionately. He's a perfectionist and demands a total commitment from his actors because he's out to make the best film he can possibly make. He doesn't hold back. And his respect for others equals his talent. It's immense." These may sound like the words of a woman in love. In fact, they are. But Sophie is lucid about herself and her partner. She's not one to let her passion lead her astray. And she knows what she owes Andrzej Zulawski. "His sensitivity and intelligence have helped me develop my personality. There's no doubt about that. Living with a man who helps you surpass yourself, who brings out the best in you is an extraordinary experience. I matured twice as quickly thanks to him. And yet his personality hasn't stifled me in the least. I have my own philosophical, spiritual and political beliefs. In our relationship we are definitely on equal footing. Neither of us tries to dominate the other."
And then Vincent, their son, came along. "Becoming a father late in life is immensely rewarding. It's not like having a child at twenty-five when you're still setting up your life. Andrzej absolutely adores children. So you can imagine how completely adoring he is of our own child!"

Sophie knows how to take a step back and focus on what's essential in her life. "Getting sidetracked by the unimportant details of life is something I watch out for and avoid at all costs. Vincent is only five and needs a lot of guidance. It's our job to teach him the meaning of real values and how to apprehend the world and even arm himself for protection. That's no small job. But in the long run, it'll pay off. Watching him grow up and come into his own is so rewarding." Always running against the clock and trying not to spread herself too thin, Sophie takes special care to keep her family life clear of public view not only for protection but so that they can enjoy being together alone in private.

As for jewelry, the French beauty is a firm believer in sentimental value: "it all depends on my mood and the circumstances. I'm much more attached to the ring my grandmother passed down to me than I would be to a river of diamonds, no matter how expensive." Sophie admits to falling in love with this "ethnic" Chaumet necklace in white gold with diamonds. Its multiple layers of strands cover the neck, much like the necklaces worn by women of certain Native American tribes.

As a public figure, Sophie Marceau tries to remain accessible. "I like meeting people although I'm a bit reticent when it comes to crowds. They can be totally overwhelming and uncontrollable." She feels the need to take breaks from time to time just to think about herself and the meaning of life. "I love the freedom of walking along country roads and dressing down." Nature is essential to her. "It offers up its infinite charms. I love to feel the wind whip my face and raindrops fall on my head while I move forward, down the trail without any other aim than to follow the path for miles. Away from the stress of Paris that pollutes your heart and spirit. Now that's happiness!" Precious, essential. A kind of happiness that Sophie Marceau finds in her homes. "I love houses. I'm my own decorator and handywoman- a talent that cornes from my father. I believe that your house is a kind of extension of who you are. After you die, the house still carries some part of your spirit. I like how this happens, how the house stays among the living and keeps you among the living as well." Sophie Marceau takes us down her private road, sharing those riches she carries inside her - her love, her family, her secret garden. And she embraces all the luxuries of this earth.

by Christian Chatillon