Olivier Marchal and Catherine Marchal (née Quiniou) have been a strong couple for many years. The two actors even got married in 1995 and had no less than four children together (Leah born in 1994, Zoe born in 1998, Ninon born in 2005 and Basil born in 2009). But in 2015, the two actors announced their breakup. The 63-year-old former cop and the interpreter of Claire Guinot in Here it all starts however, never divorced and have always remained on very good terms.
On the occasion of the release of his film Overdose on November 4 on Amazon Prime Video, Olivier Marchal gave a long interview to Paris Match (whose new issue hits newsstands this Thursday). The director precisely evokes his relations with his clan. “I have always taken good care of my children, the dialogue between us has never been broken, on the contrary“, he declared. A good understanding which stems from his very good relationship with his ex Catherine Marchal. “I left the apartment to Catherine and the children, I sat nearby. Zoé has left the cocoon, the family HQ, and is living her life. But we all get together for birthdays and Christmas with the children’s maternal grandparents. Sometimes we even go on vacation for a few days together, Catherine, it’s like my sister“, he let know.
His daughter Zoé at the casting of his latest film
Olivier Marchal conducted this interview with the complicity of his daughter Zoé, whom he recruited for his new film. A sharing between father and daughter which was not initially easy for the young actress of 24 years. “Before the shoot, I had enormous pressure on my shoulders. How many times did daddy tell me, ‘You better be good!’ When you play under the direction of a director who is also your father, you have even less desire to disappoint him“, she confided to our colleagues. But, once “on the set, the anguish flew away“.”Dad is so nice, so respectful of everyone“, reported Zoe, admiringly.
This is therefore a new role for Zoé who has been following in the footsteps of her famous parents for a while now. And for her game, she tries to recover the best qualities of everyone. “It’s smarter with his mother, a little more animal with me“, estimated Olivier Marchal. And for his daughter to specify: “They offered me two different approaches to this craft. My mother’s is more focused on theater and I have a visceral desire to go on stage. My father gave me a taste for writing and directing. I love his point of view, his way of filming“.
An interview to be found in full in the new issue of Paris Match.