Nassim Lyes causes a sensation in Sous la Seine, the action thriller that maintains its number 1 spot on Netflix. The actor and screenwriter has a bright future ahead of him in the French film industry, as well as on the other side of the Atlantic, and owes his success to an impeccable track record in action films (Farang by Xavier Gens) and comedies (Nouveaux riches by Julien Royal). An artist whose talent is matched only by the energy he radiates.
Désirée de Lamarzelle: Since watching Sous la Seine we're afraid of what might happen in the Seine during the Olympics!
Nassim Lyes: “It's true that we were able to add a little stress to the Olympic Games (Laughs). But I think that in the days to come, people will be more afraid of legislative elections than sharks!”
Désirée de Lamarzelle: This film is a resounding success in France but also internationally. What effects will that have on your career?
N.L.: “I have always trusted my destiny, but this success does open new doors for me. Other professionals know who I am now. Especially in the United States, where I dream of working, so I am very happy. Even though I had already taken on international roles in The Spy series by Sacha Baron Cohen and Julia for HBO Max, this visibility should speed things up even more.”
Désirée de Lamarzelle: You’ve been labeled as an action movie actor, even though you've done a lot of comedies.
N.L.: “In action comedies like Farang or more recently, All Time High, with my co-screenwriter, Julien Royal, I flaunt that label a bit. I don't deny it, on the contrary, I happen to love it and I have the technical background to do it well. But I don't want to limit myself to one genre because I am interested in everything. If the script is good and I feel comfortable with the role, I am the happiest actor.“
Désirée de Lamarzelle: Is doing an action movie a must in order to break through in the United States?
N.L.: “Yes, it is currently the easiest door for me to open in the United States. But more generally, what I really like in movies like Sous la Seine is that you entertain and appeal to a wider audience. And, it was the first time that my family, who lives in the South of France (Nîmes,) called to congratulate me! They’d all seen it.”
Désirée de Lamarzelle: How do you get a lead role alongside Bérénice Bejo when you are a young actor?
N.L.: “I’m not that young. I had the incredible opportunity to start my career at 20, with a main role alongside Jean-Hugues Anglade and Gilles Lellouche in the film Blind Valley by Tristan Aurouet, in 2010. If the movie was not as successful as expected, it led me to get an agent and to continue working with supporting roles (Lascars, etc.). I think I never gave up. Today, I am enjoying the extraordinary success of Sous la Seine. It's the first time I've played a cop: up until now, I've been playing the guy who gets chased (Laughs).”
Désirée de Lamarzelle: Is this an opportunity to break stereotypes maybe?
N.L.: “Yes, of course. I told myself that for my career, I had to stop playing thugs so as not to perpetuate that image. I turned down quite a few roles."
Désirée de Lamarzelle: People are also talking about you as the new heartthrob of female viewers.
N.L.: It's very nice and flattering, even though my heart has been taken for eight years now. But I also put that down to the uniform, whose power of seduction I underestimated!
Désirée de Lamarzelle: You say you never gave up. Is that the advice you would give to young actors?
N.L.: There are slow periods. I advise them to keep believing in themselves because no one else will do it for them. I've always cultivated “personal” projects, like with Julien Royal and his web series, En passant pécho, which helped me get through those times. Money shouldn't be your primary motivation, otherwise you might end up accepting projects that take you in a different direction and stigmatize you in the film industry.
Désirée de Lamarzelle: Is there a role you've always dreamed of playing?
N.L.: Yes, Christian Bale in The Machinist. The actor's physical performance is absolutely crazy. I really enjoy working with my body. These are acting techniques that are taught more in Anglo-Saxon countries. I would also have loved to play Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) in Fight Club. It's a cult film.
Désirée de Lamarzelle: You are also known for your professionalism and your capacity for hard work.
N.L.: It may sound silly, but you have to work hard, be patient, and know how to question yourself after every role, every film. All these values were passed on to me by my mother. She is an incredible role model. She was a bus driver who raised four boys on her own while going back to school. She got her high school diploma (with honors) at 40 and went on to earn a master's degree in psychoanalysis and philosophy. I strongly believe in the power of self-belief and sending that energy out into the world!
Désirée de Lamarzelle: Where do you see yourself in twenty years?
N.L.: I see myself making my films. I would like to talk about my family history. For now, I'm staying focused on my acting career, which I want to divide between the United States and France, which I could never leave. I see myself happy with my family.
Cover photo: Photo: Ulysse Carbajal / Styling: Meggy Sabb / Production: Thomas Heisser Jane shirt in ecru, MOUTY Beige wool flared suit pants, LOUIS VUITTON Ocean Biretrograde Automatic 42 mm watch. 18-karat rose gold. Openwork dial, hour markers, retrograde counters and central ring in 18-carat gold, luminescent hands, emerald appliqué in 18-carat gold. Brown leather strap, HARRY WINSTON
Article written by Désirée de Lamarzelle to be found in issue n°8 of OniriQ Magazine.
