In the Netflix’s hit series Lupin, French Actress Ludivine Sagnier (Swimming Pool, A Secret) plays Claire, Assane’s long suffering ex-wife, and mother to their son Raoul. She is the anchor to an otherwise otherworldly character. She is our surrogate into his world of cunning and crime. In many ways, one of the reasons this series works so well is because of the rapport between Claire and Assane. In this Goggler exclusive, we sat down with Sagnier to find out just what she thought about their dynamic.
Umapagan Ampikaipakan: Watching this, I felt that what makes Lupin such an interesting character is actually in his relationship with Claire. You are like the Lois Lane to his Superman, in that you you ground him, you make him human and relatable. I wanted your take on that and why that’s so important for the series.
Ludivine Sagnier: Well, I never thought about Lois Lane, but I understand what you mean. It’s true that Lupin is like a superhero disguised as a regular random person, and it’s true that Claire is is kind of an anchor to him. He has no boundaries in terms of illegal activities. He can rob a necklace at the Louvre, he can hack the computer at a bank. But Claire is like the final boss from a video game. He can’t cheat with her. And I really enjoyed this position.
Claire is also here to show how having a son is who vulnerable is challenging. Because in terms of raising a child, you can be a superhero, but if you’re not a good dad, it’s not worth living. And having both those characters in Lupin is why we connect to the character. We have someone to identify with.
UA: I think you’re right, it’s harder to connect to someone like Sherlock Holmes, or James Bond, or the Scarlet Pimpernel, because they don’t have anyone in their life that they truly love.
LS: Definitely. Definitely.
UA: I think that one of the things that explains the appeal of the show globally, has to do with Paris and how the city is a character in the show. Could you talk to me about the depiction of Paris? I think a lot of the time, the Paris we see in movies and TV is nothing more than that idealized city of lights, love, and romance.
LS: Yes, I totally agree! And I was going to say exact the same thing. Usually, when I see how Paris is depicted in American shows, for example, I just see the postcards that people sell on the sidewalk. But it’s not the Paris I know. And in this particular show, for example, the place where where they meet when Claire tells Lupin that she’s pregnant, isn’t really a famous bridge. It’s not on the Seine. It’s kind of isolated from the rest of the bridges in Paris. It’s like 10 minutes from where I live. It’s a place I’ve never seen in a movie.
We also go into the suburbs. We go to the flea market where Benjamin Ferrell has his his shop…
UA: … the antique shop…
LS: Yes, it’s in the flea market of St-Ouen. No one never shows it, and it’s very popular in Paris, but it’s not the touristy Paris that we are used to seeing.
And now, especially because of the pandemic, people were stuck and locked down, and they wanted to travel. They wanted to go out. And that’s maybe also a reason why the show was so successful. You suddenly had the feeling that you are in the middle of Paris, of walking in the streets, but not being in a postcard.
UA: Absolutely. We’re still in lockdown over here in Kuala Lumpur, and let me tell you, those last five episodes were a very necessary escape. So, thank you. Here’s hoping for more Lupin. For Season 2, 3, and 4.
LS: I hope so too. Thank you.
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