Do you miss your job as an actress? In which series currently on screen would you like to star? —Sonia Favreau
Yes, I miss it. But at the same time, no, because the idea stresses me out. As soon as I think about the game, it stresses me out because I feel like I lost my reflexes. The effort would be greater compared to animation. I would have to do a little more to make people forget the public figure that we have seen a lot. Which series would I like to star in? It’s difficult. I would say Raspberry time. To play with Sandrine Bisson, who I love. And then, because it looks a lot like my childhood, in the countryside, agricultural life, simple family [Mélanie Maynard a grandi à L’Ange-Gardien, en Montérégie]. I would see myself better in something more rural than urban.
What is your fondest childhood memory? — Louise Mercury
I think it’s the ball games. The event in the village was when a gang of ball players from another village showed up. We were more focused on our own little world at the time. It’s rare that we leave our village. Often, it ended at home, because my father is a great unifier. The excitement of the ball tournament once a summer was really my big highlight. But also baseball, in general. When I went to bed, I could hear the matches from my room because the window was open. This kind of village life was embodied and took place around the baseball field. These are beautiful memories.
Society is sometimes very harsh on women who age on screen. Does this concern you? — Manon Thibodeau
Isabelle Brossard recently came to the set of Children of TV. She left the TV industry for a while, then she played roles again more recently. She was shocked when she saw herself, because it’s true that inside, we’re still the same age. There’s not a switch in our brain that says, “OK, I have an old brain now.” » Being able to tame my aging image myself concerns me more than what society thinks.
Then, in my opinion, it’s not society. It’s dirty talk on social media. I’m on the front page of 7 days this week and the title is: “The beginning of my fifties is not ordinary”. Underneath the web post, all the comments were like “I thought she was 60!” » or “With her Photoshop, she could say she’s in her twenties”.
There are always comments about the age of women, it’s terrible. I find it sad that we don’t have more solidarity. For all women, it’s hard to watch yourself age. It’s even harder when you’ve chosen a public profession – great harm to us, it’s up to us to choose something else. But can we be merciful and gentle?
Is your sense of repartee always seen as a strength by those around you? — Elisabeth-Lynda Grenier
No. I guess that’s why I’m not live [rires]. I think it was more of a professional strength than a personal one. Because on a personal level, I offended people. I said things, for example to my daughter, that she didn’t need to hear.
I just did interviews with Patrice L’Écuyer and Guy Jodoin. Both, in their pre-interviews, said: “Mélanie has no filter. She says whatever comes to mind. » It may have caused me problems, and probably more than I think. I probably hurt people without meaning to, without thinking it was hurtful. I grew up in a family where you had to defend yourself and you had to respond quickly if you didn’t want to become the laughing stock at the table. Probably it developed a bad side too.
What advice would you give to a mother in raising her daughter? —Lucie Cantin
I think one of the pieces of advice I would give is to step back, to only be there when she is the one who needs it and not the other way around. Not to become dependent on her role as mother to her daughter. We define ourselves a lot as mothers. We look for our value in the eyes of our children sometimes.
I think the greatest gift we can give her is to help her develop on her own. To stay present, but only when she needs it. Not to impose your help or advice.
The 23e season of Sweety salty will be broadcast from Monday, weekdays at 6:30 p.m., on TVA. The questions and answers have been abbreviated and condensed for clarity and conciseness.