Laurent Grégoire Talks Marion Cotillard, Changes In The Industry & And How To Create A Successful Acting Career — Thessaloniki Film Festival

10.11.2022 - 16:21 / deadline.com

French agent Laurent Grégoire led a freewheeling masterclass at the Thessaloniki Film Festival in Greece Thursday, where he dug into the tricky negotiations he has overseen as the advisor to some of the industry’s biggest names, including the story behind Marion Cotillard’s 2008 Oscar win for La Vie en Rose.

Grégoire, who is the co-founder of the Adéquat agency and represents French talents like Marion Cotillard and Omar Sy, told the audience that the producers of La Vie en Rose — which follows the life story of the iconic French singer Édith Piaf — had originally wanted one of his other clients, Audrey Tautou, to star in the film.

At the time, Tautou was at the height of her fame following the success of her 2001 comedy Amélie. Grégoire said he set up a meeting between Tautou and the film’s producers. The meeting, however, quickly went sour when Tautou was informed of the film’s premise and responded: “Who is going to be interested in a film about Édith Piaf?”

Grégoire said the producers immediately lost interest in casting Tautou, so he suggested Marion Cotillard for the role, but they were reluctant and only decided to meet and ultimately cast her after he put up a strong case for Cotillard.

“So you see what the role of an agent can be. What a strategic role they can play,” he concluded.

Cotillard became the first French actress to win an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for a French-language performance for her role in the film.

Grégoire also spoke extensively about his relationship with his clients as well as acting as an art form, saying that he believes that time in the theatre is an essential part of shaping a successful acting practice.

“I don’t think you can be successful without a career in