Patrick Bruel accuses Daniel Auteuil of stealing his role in the mega production with 5 César awards.
Patrick Bruel, recently in the news following his indictment and statements reported by Paris Match claiming that “those who filed complaints lied” and that “everyone is trying to destroy him,” sees a long-standing professional memory resurfacing: a key role in French cinema that he says he lost at the last minute, that of Henri de Navarre in La Reine Margot.
SUMMARY
This confession dates back to an interview given to Républicain Lorrain in January 2012, where the artist talked about the film projects that had made him dream and those he had never obtained. In this interview, Patrick Bruel stated that he had long harbored a “bitterness” about a prestigious role that was ultimately given to another actor.
The memory remains vivid: Bruel claims he was initially considered to play Henri de Navarre in Patrice Chéreau‘s adaptation of Alexandre Dumas‘s novel, released in 1994. He reports that he already had the right appearance and felt ready for this historical character.
The role of Henri de Navarre goes to Daniel Auteuil
According to the statements reported by the artist, the role was ultimately assigned to Daniel Auteuil. Bruel emphasizes that, although Auteuil was older than the historical character at the time, he enjoyed a solid status within French cinema, especially after winning the César for Best Actor for Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources.
The production of La Reine Margot was backed by Claude Berri, an influential producer, which, according to Bruel, played a significant role in the casting decision. At the time, Bruel was still primarily identified as a “music star,” despite several experiences in film, notably in Toutes peines confondues and Profil bas.
The film features a prestigious cast surrounding Isabelle Adjani and Daniel Auteuil, including Jean-Hugues Anglade, Vincent Perez, Virna Lisi, Dominique Blanc, Pascal Greggory, and Jean-Claude Brialy. The shoot, spread over more than six months between France and Portugal, involved a European co-production and a budget estimated at nearly 140 million francs.
Publicly and critically, La Reine Margot achieved significant success: over two million viewers in theaters, the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival 1994, as well as the Best Actress award given to Virna Lisi. The film also won five César awards, including Best Actress for Isabelle Adjani, and received an Oscar nomination for Best Costume Design.
In his recollection of that time, Patrick Bruel asserts that “they behaved poorly” towards him and repeats that he considered himself perfectly fit for the role, citing the example of his appearance and preparation. He still associates this missed opportunity with one of the great successes of French cinema in the 1990s.
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