Anaïde Rozam never really doubted what she wanted to become. But for a long time, she had to find a way to prove it. From a very early age, her mother instilled in her a love of cinema. At school, she approached drama as one might approach maths. For a long time, however, she harboured doubts. Not confident enough, not legitimate enough. For a while, she took a detour into psychology, as if to learn how to read others before embodying them. To understand emotions, mechanisms and vulnerabilities.

Then came the age of social media. A tiny screen, but a vast playing field. There, she acts, she writes, she observes. She multiplies her personas like so many silent proofs: ‘Look, I can be all of these things.’ Instagram becomes a parallel stage, a form of ongoing audition. Without ever veering into influencer territory, she forges her own path. Waiting for the right role, the right look. Film comes along, almost logically, as a continuation rather than a break. Anaïde Rozam talks about her journey.

Eve Sabbah: Who were you before you became an actress?

Anaïde Rozam: For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be an actress. Apparently, when I was very young, I wanted to be a butcher, but that idea didn’t last very long. From a very early age, my mum showed me lots of films. Classics, sometimes a bit too advanced for my age, but they shaped my perspective. I grew up immersed in this film culture. And at school, I always took theatre as an optional subject. That’s when I realised it was a place where I felt free.

When did this desire to be in films become a certainty?

A.R.: At secondary school. I was at a school where there was a proper drama programme, with nine hours of lessons a week. We worked on directing, scripts, acting… It was very demanding. It gave me the feeling that it wasn’t just a dream, but something tangible. Drama had become just as important as any other subject.

Yet you started out studying psychology. Why the detour?

A.R.: Because I lacked self-confidence. I was quite shy and needed a solid framework. Psychology taught me a great deal. It gave me the tools to understand human nature. Even today, it informs my work as an actress and even my desire to write or direct. Understanding people’s emotions and behaviours is an incredible resource for building characters.

How did social media come into your career?

A.R.: When I left drama school, I found myself with loads of time on my hands and a great desire to act. I started making videos on Instagram. At first, it didn’t work at all. But I wasn’t just making funny videos; I saw them as one big public demo reel. I wanted to show that I could play different roles and handle different situations. It was a way of continuing to hone my acting skills.

For a long time, the film industry viewed actors from social media as less ‘credible’. Did you have to prove your legitimacy?

A.R.: Yes, there was definitely a divide. Back then, every other article pitted social media against the film industry, whereas I was simply making videos to act. I never wanted to go down the traditional influencer route, because my goal was to act. I wanted it to work out for that reason. When I dropped out of my psychology degree, I had no money, just my videos, and as I refused to do collaborations, I had no choice but to wait.

I’ve got nothing against being an influencer, but I knew it could cloud people’s perception. My goal was to be an actress, and I was prepared to wait. And at the same time, seeing careers like those of Camille Lellouche or Laura Felpin showed me that it is possible. Camille Lellouche, for example, really changed the way people film themselves on Instagram. She set the tone.

You’re starring in the film Bagarre. What did this role allow you to explore in your acting?

A.R.: Bagarre is a completely mad film, very raw, but also very funny. It’s set in Marseille, with fights breaking out left, right and centre. I play a girl called Laetitia, whom the main character meets, and together they find themselves caught up in a sort of ‘fight-on-demand’ scheme.

What’s great for me is that I want to explore everything this profession has to offer. Comedy as well as tougher, more physical and more absurd roles too. This sort of project is exactly the kind of film I love watching. And it’s important to me, in the years to come, to be able to switch from one style to another. I don’t want to be pigeonholed into just one type of role. I want to try everything.

Do you enjoy playing characters who are very different from yourself?

A.R.: Yes, I love characters who are a bit mad. Not in horror films, but extreme characters, the ones who unsettle you. I’m a very lively, very emotional person who laughs loudly. And, paradoxically, I’m fascinated by much darker or more complex figures. I love films where the characters are the complete opposite of me. That’s what makes acting exciting.

You played Alexia Laroche-Joubert in the series Cultes. How do you prepare for a role inspired by a real person?

A.R.: I love imitating people. It’s something I’ve always done. When I found out I was going to play Alexia Laroche-Joubert, I watched loads of videos of her. I listened to her voice in podcasts, I observed the way she walked, looked and spoke. For me, it was almost easier than inventing a completely fictional character. I had very concrete material to draw on.

What’s essential for bringing a character to life?

A.R.: Empathy. Even if the character is very different from you, you have to understand what drives them. If you keep your distance or judge them, you can’t really bring them to life. To play someone, you have to try to understand their logic, even if you don’t share it.

How did you feel when people started recognising you?

A.R.: It was quite strange, because that recognition came before the money or the stability. People recognised me in the street thanks to the videos, but my life hadn’t changed yet.

And even today, I’ve kept the same foundations. I live in the same flat as I did during my university days. I have a supportive circle of friends and a family who are very much there for me. That stability really helps me keep my feet on the ground.

What role do you still dream of playing?

A.R.: A psychopath. I think it would be very cathartic. Performing intense scenes, exploring darker territory… It’s something that really appeals to me. If the crew is supportive, that sort of role can be a very powerful experience.

Credits:

Text & production: Eve Sabbah

Stylist: Hugo Toucas

Photography: Elie Benistant

Article written by Eve Sabbah, featured in issue 15 of Oniriq Magazine.

Translated by Bethszabee Garner