In fiction, the mother-in-law “always plays the role of the villain who comes to break up the family or the couple,” observes screenwriter Francesca Gauthier. Tired of this image, she wanted to make the in-laws “the superheroes, for once”.
When she was 25, Francesca Gauthier fell in love with a man 12 years her senior… and at the same time became a stepmother.
His story is the source of inspiration for the web series Stepmotheroffered for several weeks on Extra de Tou.tv, which she co-wrote with the lover in question, Julien Pelletier, and the actress Marie-Soleil Dion.
Thus was born the character of Frédérique, Fredou, played by Camille Felton, who will also celebrate her 25the birthday this year.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
During a photo shoot, Camille Felton and Francesca Gauthier threw a few bowling balls like the characters from Stepmother.
In each episode of this refreshing comedy, Fred joins Christophe (Sacha Charles) and Geneviève (Myriam Fournier), two other in-laws, in a bowling alley to discuss the ups and downs of this sometimes thankless role and to let off steam in making a few throws. Why this place? In the first minutes of the series, the trio gets kicked out of a support group for in-laws.
Between reality and fiction
How would Camille Felton describe her character? “She is a very resourceful woman, a ray of sunshine. She undertakes many projects. On the other hand, sometimes, she gets caught at her own game, because she puts a lot on her shoulders. […] She wants the people she loves to be happy. »
“Fred can be very intense too,” continues the actress who admits to sharing this personality trait with her character.
Pour célébrer le 4e anniversaire de son beau-fils Arnaud (Luka Ruel-Watt), Fred se lance, par exemple, dans la préparation d’une fête qu’elle souhaite grandiose. Son intensité est également manifeste lorsqu’elle emménage chez son amoureux Jules (Philippe-Audrey Larrue-St-Jacques) et qu’il est hors de question de conserver son sofa « qui a l’air d’avoir vécu la Seconde Guerre mondiale ». Deux exemples tirés de la vraie vie de Francesca Gauthier, admet la scénariste en décrivant avec un certain dégoût le fameux « vieux divan en cuir brun ».
Cependant, tout le scénario ne découle pas de la réalité. Lorsqu’elle a rencontré son beau-fils Jacob, qui a aujourd’hui 8 ans, il n’était qu’un bébé, contrairement au personnage du petit Arnaud, âgé de 4 ans.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE
Francesca Gauthier
« On a un peu démonisé l’ex [interprétée par Catherine Chabot]. We made him a character we love to hate. It’s certain that in real life, it’s more nuanced than that,” continues the screenwriter.
Francesca Gauthier also did not attend a support group to help her in her new role as stepmother. “I really would have liked that, though. […] I would have liked to find that support. Find people who look like me, because I don’t have any in-laws around me. »
“At first, the reality is that it’s difficult,” she continues. No matter the age of the child, it is not always easy to establish a bond with them. In the web series, we see this through the character of Geneviève, newly installed with her partner, who is struggling to win the heart of her daughter-in-law Rosa (Kiara Gaudin). The 8-year-old girl makes him see it in all colors, especially when she throws the contents of the moving boxes out the window.
A place for in-laws
Despite the hiccups that inevitably arise – as in any family – the series also shows all the love that in-laws have for their in-laws. “It’s stronger than her. She ends up becoming attached to this little human that she sees every day,” summarizes Camille Felton, about the relationship between Fred and Arnaud.
In the province, approximately 16% of families are blended, according to 2021 data from the Institut de la tourisme du Québec. What message does the team Stepmother did she want to put forward through the web series? Francesca Gauthier would like us to make “a real place” for in-laws. “They don’t ask for anything more, basically. It will help the family dynamic, even for the biological parent who is not with their child every other week. […] We are looking for our place, but people have to give us that place too. I think that a stepparent is just a great ally in a family,” argues the screenwriter.
The web series Stepmother is available on Tou.tv
Who are Camille Felton and Francesca Gauthier?
Camille Felton began her acting career at the age of 8 in various commercials.
In recent years, we have been able to see it in the cinema (Slush heart, Matthias & Maxime) and on television (Indefensible, Pearls, Fragments, Big Brother celebrities).
She will be part of the distribution ofA free man, by Frédérick Pelletier, which will be filmed in the summer.
Francesca Gauthier is a screenwriter. She was part of the documentary team The weight of appearancewith Phil Roy.
She is currently head of recruitment for the new version of the show Storefront.