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Interview by Joëlle Gayot and Clément Ghys
Published today at 5:30 am (Paris)Subscribers only
InterviewIn an interview with Le Monde, the acclaimed French actress discusses her approach to acting and the importance of the 'first gesture' in theater. She also reflects on some of the most significant memories from her film career, shaped by many long-standing collaborations.
Isabelle Huppert was sitting in one of the courtyards of the Hôtel Lutetia, in Paris's 6th arrondissement. She was given a warning: "The idea for this interview is to talk only about work, nothing else." "Wonderful!" Because Isabelle Huppert works. All the time. In a delightful 2018 episode of the series Dix pour cent (Call My Agent!) she spends a single evening filming both a movie about Catherine de Médicis (1519-1589) and an American comedy with Ben Stiller, while also dropping by Radio France to give an interview. "It was a bit exaggerated, for comic effect," she said with a smile. Certainly. But the actress is undeniably extraordinary.
Beginning in the 1970s, she launched a film career that has seen her collaborate with directors as varied as Michael Cimino (1939-2016), Claude Chabrol (1930-2010), Michael Haneke, Hong Sang-soo and Paul Verhoeven. On stage, she's worked with Claude Régy (1923-2019), Luc Bondy (1948-2015), Bob Wilson (1941-2025) and Krzysztof Warlikowski. Named by The New York Times as the greatest actress of the 21st century, honored with two César awards, two acting prizes at the Cannes Film Festival and a Golden Globe, she stands as a singular figure: global celebrity yet uncompromising in her artistic rigor. Her choices have become a body of work in their own right. Asked how she defines herself, she replied: "I like the title of my latest film with Hong Sang-soo, A Traveler's Needs."
How does a role come to life?
First, there is a script, dialogue and a director. All these elements come together to make the role emerge. Then comes a moment, as the desire takes shape, when the role separates from the context that surrounded it to assert itself. The writing and the directing no longer matter. The role is there. I see it. It draws nearer and overwhelms me. It is like an apparition. You have to believe in it.
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