Mélanie Laurent and Guillaume Canet transformed into Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI for ‘The Flood

Mélanie Laurent takes on the role of Marie Antoinette, with Guillaume Canet as her husband, Louis XVI, in the Italian director Gianluca Jodice’s Le Déluge (The Flood). The film made its grand debut at the 77th edition of the Locarno Film Festival on Wednesday night, captivating an audience of 8,000 in the Swiss town’s Piazza Grande.

The following day, Laurent, Canet, and Jodice gathered with the press to discuss their cinematic exploration of 1792, a tumultuous year when the royal couple and their children were arrested and imprisoned in a Parisian chateau, awaiting their grim fate.

The Hollywood Reporter’s Locarno review lauded the film as “an intriguing palace drama chronicling the last days of France’s ultimate royal couple,” praising the “nuanced performances” of both Laurent and Canet, which bring depth to these historical figures.

In the press meeting, Laurent, known for her roles in Inglourious Basterds, Now You See Me, and 6 Underground, reflected on her process of inhabiting Marie Antoinette. She delved into Stefan Zweig’s biography, Marie Antoinette: The Portrait of an Average Woman, to understand the complexities behind the queen’s public persona. “It was essential to see her beyond the cold caricatures often depicted,” Laurent shared.

“All those clichés of her just being cold, all those depictions usually stop when they’re arrested. We started the film there, where she begins to truly understand her role as a mother, confronts the men in her life, and grapples with the impending doom. It’s in these final moments that she becomes more lucid, more human, and profoundly terrified for the first time.”

Guillaume Canet, who has starred in films like Ad Vitam, The Beach, and Out of Season, spoke about how he approached the character of Louis XVI, beginning with the rich script by Jodice and co-writer Filippo Gravino. “As a Frenchman, I discovered many things through the script that I hadn’t known before,” Canet revealed. “I delved into the book by Jean-Baptiste Cléry, the king’s former valet, which painted Louis XVI as shy, struggling in social settings, and almost childlike in his interactions. This insight helped me grasp why the revolution might have been inevitable. His father knew he lacked the strength to lead France as previous kings had.”

The duo’s chemistry on screen was cultivated through multiple readings of the script. “We didn’t over-rehearse before shooting,” Canet noted. “It was about playing our parts naturally and relying on the trust between us as actors.”

The physical transformations for their roles were equally demanding. Laurent detailed the challenge of wearing a corset, which enforced a rigid posture essential for portraying the regal aspect of Marie Antoinette. “Over time, as her character’s life unravels, I was allowed to shift my physicality, which was liberating,” she explained. “I ended the film with just 10 minutes of makeup, which was a relief.”

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Canet’s transformation into Louis XVI required hours of makeup and prosthetics each day. “At first, seeing myself in the mirror was daunting,” he admitted. “I feared the mask would hinder my ability to express emotions. But eventually, I realized it helped me embody the king’s restrained, almost impassive demeanor.”

As both actors also have experience behind the camera, they reflected on how this dual perspective enriches their craft. Laurent emphasized the importance of understanding the filmmaking process from various angles. “When you know what an actor needs, it changes how you direct them,” she said. “I’ve recently taken on more technical roles, like framing, and it’s opened up a new world for me. I think everyone should switch jobs for a few days to really understand what goes into filmmaking.”

Canet echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the value of wearing multiple hats in the industry. “There’s a unique learning curve when you experience both sides of the camera,” he remarked. “Though I know I’ve been difficult at times, it’s taught me patience and empathy for everyone involved in the creative process.”

The conversation then turned to work-life balance, a topic both stars approached with candor. Canet confessed to being a workaholic, struggling to disconnect from his craft. “I can’t take breaks. I don’t know how to vacation properly. It’s an obsession, but spending time with family is essential to staying creative,” he admitted.

Laurent, too, finds solace in her work. “I despise vacations,” she declared. “For me, storytelling is a way to cope with the harsh realities of life. I write strong female characters because I want them to have the last word, to create narratives where love and hope triumph. It’s my way of making sense of a world that often feels bleak.”

Both stars also addressed the pressures of fame and the scrutiny of social media. Canet discussed the misconceptions people have about his life, especially with his partner, Marion Cotillard. “Social media has created a distorted image of who we are and how we live,” he said.

Laurent offered a simple solution: “No social media.” She shared that she stopped reading about herself over a decade ago and now lives in a blissful bubble, free from the noise and negativity that often accompanies public life.