In 1976, following a difficult childhood marked by the death of her dad – drowned when she was only 2 years old – Dominique Lavanant joined the Splendid troupe for the café-theater play Cupids, shells and crustaceans. She quickly got noticed and was hired for several films like The cakes De Pont-Aven alongside Jean-Pierre Marielle, The Bronzed or Inspector Burr with Coluche. In 1988, the actress was 44 years old and was one of the main actresses of the series Palace. A success very quickly unavoidable on the small screen in which Dominique Lavanant plays a leading role. But the rise to fame will suddenly stop for the actress because of … a man who broke her heart.
A terrible heartache
Jean-Michel Ribes, the creator of the series, told the magazine Point how does the actress who plays Christiane in The Bronzés go skiing – now angry with the troop of the Splendid – missed what could have been the role of his life due to heartache. “We started to shoot Lady Palace with Dominique Lavanant. Then one day she starts to cry all the time. She was going through a terrible heartache. Finally she gives up playing“, he confided. Disappointed to no longer be able to count on Dominique Lavanant, the director will then call on another young woman whom he had spotted during previous shootings: Valérie Lemercier.
She got immediate fame
He explained: “I had spotted in the small roles of figuration a formidable girl whom I had made turn in a small telefilm. To be part of the cast, she sent me a picture of her making a face cut by a small torn ribbon with her name and phone. I said to producer Christian Fechner: ‘You have to try with this girl.’ He didn’t want to at first, but Valérie Lemercier eventually became Lady Palace. She was rather reserved, but completely streaked inside. She had immediate fame. And his talent allowed him to continue far after.“A fate that could have been that of Dominique Lavanant?