Vincent Cassel had never starred in a TV series before agreeing to play in Connection, a six-part spy thriller that lands on Apple TV+ on Friday. Why did he give in? “Because it’s not TV,” replies the French actor.
In interview Zoom from Paris, Vincent Cassel seems in great shape. Letting his enthusiasm speed up his flow of words, the famous comedian candidly explains why he has always been “reluctant” to move from the big screen to the small screen. His prejudices had something to do with it. “Television had connotations”, admits the star of feature films hate (1995), The Crimson Rivers (2000) and Irreversible (2002). The large sums of money enjoyed by the seventh art, compared to the television medium, also justified his decision.
This last argument is however no longer valid today, since according to the French press, each episode of Connection would have benefited from an envelope of 5 to 10 million euros, or between 7 million and 14 million Canadian dollars. “We are talking about a budget equivalent to that of a huge film,” says Vincent Cassel. Visually, that means that there are a lot of things, that we spent time writing…
“And then, from a purely technological point of view, for a long time, TV was shots a bit like [notre discussion Zoom], he continues. That is to say that we had to see people up close because we only saw slab on a cathode-ray screen. As soon as we did a wide shot, we lost all the details. Today, the situation has changed. Anyone can have an OLED screen for 300 euros [430 $]. »
Apple’s strength
Imagined and written by Virginie Brac (gears), the miniseries Connection tells the story of two secret agents – and explosive former lovers camped by Cassel and Eva Green (Casino Royale) – who must unite to counter cyberattacks that threaten England and the future of humanity.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY APPLE TV+
Vincent Cassel and Eva Green in Connection
The 56-year-old describes his character as “an international mercenary”. “He’s a former soldier. As he was very good, the secret services contacted him and sent him on a mission somewhere… But it didn’t go very well and his government let him down, as if he didn’t exist more. And today, because he felt abandoned, he is capable of anything. »
In the current state of affairs in France, Connection could never have hatched without Apple TV+, believes Vincent Cassel. Even Canal+, a private pay channel that has produced several prestigious series, does not have enough money to finance such a production.
In effect, Connection throws it away visually. Endowed with a hyper licked realization signed Stephen Hopkins (24 hour clock, Lost in Space), the series filmed partly in London includes several spectacular action sequences, visual effects and aerial shots. “It’s Apple’s strike force,” says Vincent Cassel. It’s another way of doing it. Even me, as an actor of the 1990s, all of a sudden, I realize that this is another way of making, broadcasting and promoting a series. »
Greater freedom
Vincent Cassel started ogling television when “stuff of incredible quality” landed on it. He quotes the American series breaking Bad And Westworldin which he carved out a place for himself in 2020.
“All of a sudden, I was like, ‘Fuck, this is amazing, the freedom of time they have, which we don’t have in the cinema!’ Because in the cinema, very often, you shouldn’t say “fuck”, you shouldn’t say “God”, you shouldn’t do this, you shouldn’t do that, you shouldn’t show a nipple, it’s PG 13… We depend on the entries [au box-office]… The first screening determines the course of a film. »
Is Vincent Cassel worried about the future of cinema? “I have never been nostalgic”, answers the winner of the César for best actor for The death instinct And The public enemy noh 1 in 2009.
The important thing for me is that we tell interesting stories and that they are accessible, that is to say that we can see them. The size of the screen doesn’t matter to me. I discovered Elephant Man on iPad and I still cried!
Vincent Cassel
Her Year Eva Green
Vincent Cassel did not launch into Connection eyes closed. The one you can see at the cinema in Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom demanded to have the title of executive producer to “have [son] say” on all creative decisions, including the choice of the main actress, which was imposed from the outset.
“Eva Green had always fascinated me,” reveals the actor. I had tried to have it on other projects, but it had never worked. When she agreed to Connection, I was like crazy! I think she’s one of the rare actresses who continues to have this elegance, this mystery, this strength of interpretation. I’m a very, very, very big fan of her. »
PHOTO CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Vincent Cassel and Eva Green at the premiere of Connection in Paris
Vincent Cassel’s wish was granted twice rather than once since, after Connectionthe pair ended up on the film adaptation of three musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, which will be released in two parts later in 2023. Cassel plays Athos there, while Eva Green plays Milady. “This is another extremely complex and intense story. This year is my Eva Green year! »
The first episode of Connection lands on Apple TV+ on Friday.