IN THE MOOD FOR HOPE

—If the COVID–19 epidemic hadn’t got the better of cinephile event of the year, the odds are that Benjamin Voisin would have run up the steps of the Cannes Palais des Festivals four at a time, in a perfectly fitting tuxedo last May, for the world première of . In this adaptation of Balzac’s , he plays Lucien de Rubempré, an ambitious young man from the provinces who heads to Paris in search of literary fame. In the time it took for the 23–year–old to have a coffee with Xavier Giannoli, the director had inked him into hisbefore embarking on three challenging months on the set of a costume drama, swapping a George Michael bouffant for a Restoration wig. In Paris in July, over a glass of white wine and a chain of cigarettes, with his short hair and discreet tan, Benjamin Voisin displays all the elegance of a young man who knows his star is rising. Despite the current restrictions on festivals and filming, he doesn’t seem to be unduly worried. He has already signed up for three roles in 2021, ranging from a thug to an astrophysicist. “Being an actor is unique. Who else can say that ‘from 11 am to 7 pm, I’m going to be someone else!’ It’s a bit schizoid and totally crazy. I throw myself into every part I play, then get the heck out of there as soon as it’s over. It’s not a problem, just a lot of fun and a lot of work.”