Biographical film about Guy Lafleur | Finding the right ‘Guy’ will be a ‘huge’ challenge

After asking our readers which actor they would like to see Guy Lafleur play in the film that will be dedicated to him, the names came flying like pucks in front of a net. Producer Christian Larouche, himself curious about the results, wanted to take a look at it, while speaking about the delicate art of unearthing the rare pearls capable of reviving Quebec’s sacred monsters.

Sylvain Sarrazin
The Press

Who would thrill the public by taking on the role of the Blond Demon? The hearts of readers The Press clearly leans towards Luc Picard, also scriptwriter of the film in preparation. To a lesser extent, the actors Sébastien Delorme and Maxime Le Flaguais are also acclaimed.

Names that certainly leave you dreaming, but the producer Christian Larouche must unfortunately bring us back to earth, because the choice will be marked by crucial criteria, including age.

“The public does not have these elements in hand, but the film will begin with Guy at the age of pee-wee, at the As de Québec at 18-19 years old, then at the end of his career at 35-40 years old maximum. We will not go higher than that, ”he confided in an interview with The Press, thus dismissing Luc Picard from the outset – even with a lot of make-up! “He will surely play another role in the film”, he consoles us, while confiding that he has seen among the readers’ suggestions “interesting names”, with the appropriate age, such as those of Henri Picard – the son by Luc – or by Antoine Olivier Pilon.

“There is a huge degree of difficulty, because you have to remember that Guy was 6ft 2in tall and had blond hair, although it works out. For the lining too, it will be difficult to find, because Guy was playing without a helmet, ”slips the producer. And speaking of gliding, skating skills will be an important asset, and will be honed by intensive training, especially since the skates of the period were very different from those of today.

A click for a delicate choice

Since the announcement of the preparation of the biographical film in the wake of the death of Lafleur, Christian Larouche and Luc Picard feel the pressure mounting, knowing that the choice of the main role, fundamental, will be scrutinized by millions of pairs of eyes.

An exercise in which the producer is broken, having already tackled castings to unearth the cinematographic incarnations of sacred monsters of Quebec, like Louis Cyr or Gerry Boulet, while continuing to actively seek a Gilles Villeneuve and a Diane Dufresne for films biographical (biopics) imminent. How do we go about flushing out these rare pearls?

“It’s so essential, finding the right person is THE challenge. Above all, we will look for a good actor. For this kind of film, everything rests on his shoulders, he has to have charisma,” explains Mr. Larouche. Then, a big parade takes place, waiting for a click. The producer remembers the auditions for Gerry, where a veritable procession of actors was sifted through, complying with a curious ritual: in turn, they were wearing a top-of-the-range wig (at almost $15,000!) reproducing the musician’s mane, which served as Excalibur. “It’s funny, we knew that Mario Saint-Amand looked a bit like Gerry, but we didn’t think it would be him, we thought he was too old for the role. But when he put on the wig, everything changed. It was him, ”says Christian Larouche.

With his team and the directors, he will watch for the same kind of trigger for the essential roles of this trio of biographical films in preparation. “When you look at it, you know it, you feel it. We hope to get there the same way when we go get our Guy Lafleur or our Diane Dufresne, ”he tables.