“It was fucking me a monstrous scales”: 14 years ago, Benoît Poelvoorde was impressed by this actress in this comedy who did not really make an impression

Signed Anne Fontaine (Coco before Chanel), the sweet-bit and bitter satire of 2011 my worst nightmare brings together on the screen several figures of French cinema, including Isabelle Huppert, André Dussollier, Virginie Efira and Benoît Poelvoorde. The latter has since entrusted a significant experience during filming, between admiration and anxiety (via Télé Loisirs).

My worst nightmare immerses us in the tidy life of Agathe (Isabelle Huppert), cultivated bourgeois and a bit snobbone, who shares his Parisian daily life with François (André Dussollier), his companion and father of his son. The beautiful balance of this little world shatters when a colorful character, Patrick (interpreted by Benoît Poelvoorde), arrives: unemployed, filter without filter and totally unpredictable, he is also the father of a classmate of their son.

The film tackles, with assumed lightness, social contrasts and the stews that result from it. If criticism remains shared – some salute its humor and subtlety, others point to a lack of depth -,, My worst nightmare does not leave indifferent, collecting an average note of 3 out of 5 on our site in particular.

A destabilizing tête

But behind the camera, the experience was striking to Benoît Poelvoordeespecially because of his collaboration with Isabelle Huppert. The Belgian actor has never hidden his admiration for the actress, whom she considered almost inaccessible.

“” “At the very beginning, when Anne told me that she absolutely wanted to shoot a film with Isabelle and I did not believe it. I was causing me a monstrous scare“He said in the film's press kit.

Pathe

Their first meeting was made around a dinner: “With Isabelle, we met for the first time at a dinner organized by my agent. […] During this dinner, we were sitting next to each other. We didn't talk. She is very shy and I am a great 'tracer'. And then things have advanced, the filming dates clarified.»

And yet, from the start of filming precisely, the alchemy operated and despite its initial doubts, Benoît Poelvoorde ended up relaxing: “I admit: I was paralyzed by fear. But in fact everything was incredibly simplicity.»

Since then, the two actors even found themselves in Blanche as snow (2019), a film also directed by Anne Fontaine.

To see them together on the screen, my worst nightmare and white as snow are to be found in VOD.