At 53, Anthony Kavanagh is a fulfilled man who, after having lived in Paris and then in Lausanne, has returned to live on his Canadian lands which are so dear to him. With his companion, Alexandra Filliez, met in 2007 and with whom he still has great love, the comedian is the happy father of Mathis, born in 2011 and Alice, born in 2016.
Recently, on Saturday April 29, 2023, Anthony Kavanagh was the guest of journalist Rebecca Fitoussi on her show One World, One Look on Public Senate. A weekly program offering in-depth and free exchanges with personalities from all cultural backgrounds. And the one who is both comedian, actor and singer did not hesitate to talk about the difficulties he had encountered during his career simply because of the color of his skin. He frankly admits that when he was looking for a role, he was told: “I was told a black doctor doesn’t exist. Ah good ? My doctor is black, it’s magnificent…” And to further explain his point: “You have to justify your presence Anthony. How does that justify? If the character is black, it will have to be justified… And it’s not that I didn’t go knock on doors, I said to myself if they don’t come to me, Mohamed will go to the mountains (laughs from the journalist ) and then I went knocking, proposing things but each time, there was a color problem, always…”
@kavanaghanthony : “My son is going to shoot in the Clem series” @bernard_montiel spent #OneHourWith Anthony Kavanagh on #RFM ⏮ Find his full podcast interview on our website and all streaming platforms pic.twitter.com/5FHtbkbEaO
— RFM France (@RFMFrance) June 18, 2023
“Now that he’s playing in the playoffs, I’m going to keep him”
But today, the bad memories are over. After five years of absence, the Quebec singer and humorist is back on stage and in France with the “Happy” show. A one-man show where he gives us the keys to success to be happy… in his own way! And it was at the microphone of Bernard Montiel on RFM, this Sunday, June 18, 2023, that this genius jack-of-all-trades actor gave himself up, not without pride or humor, to some confidences about his little Mathis, 12 years old who will soon take his first steps in comedy!
“You told me that Mathis is going to shoot in the Clem series (on TF1, editor’s note)?!” throws the journalist at him. “Yes, he will turn in Clem, he’s going to play an orphan in one episode.”, replies Anthony Kavanagh soberly. Bernard Montiel takes it up again: “An orphan, right? I thought it was a joke… like I abandoned my son in France…” (laughs) And not devoid of humor, the actor to embark on an improvisation for the attention of his own child: “No, no, now that he’s playing in the playoffs, I’m going to keep him. ‘I give you 20% I keep 80% for myself, I’ve been feeding you for years… Do you think your Jordans are free? Huh, every six months, you repeat ‘I want Jordans because my feet are too big’… and there you go, you’re going to do Clem, it’s going to pay for your Jordans…”. A sketch in which many parents can easily project themselves… But more seriously, the facilitator asks him: “What would you like them to do with your children?”. And the artist, full of wisdom and love to respond spontaneously: “I would like them to be happy, that’s it.”
VF