Celebrated French actress praises Chinese audience's warm welcome

During an event at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing on April 24, Isabelle Huppert, the celebrated French actress known for her profound, complex performances, received a question from a curious fan.

"Have you ever considered launching a career in China?" she asked, prompting a big smile from Huppert.

Rather than using grandiose language to envision the future, Huppert's plan is practical: "If I ever get the chance to work in China, I think the first thing I'd do is learn more Chinese."

The French actress has recently become active in China. Her performance as Lyubov in the French production of Anton Chekhov's play The Cherry Orchard, which toured Chinese cities in April — including Nanjing in Jiangsu province, Shanghai and Beijing — received warm feedback from audiences. She also participated in a masterclass at the 15th Beijing International Film Festival.

Last December, she performed in the US playwright Tennessee Williams' play The Glass Menagerie at the NCPA.

"The audience response was incredibly enthusiastic, so I'm looking forward to returning to Beijing," Huppert says.

She notes that the language barrier creates a magical chemistry. "French and Chinese are very different languages. During the performance, we could feel the audience listening attentively to each line. I felt a very delicate, intimate connection with them."

The French production of The Cherry Orchard premiered on July 5, 2021, and was directed by Portuguese director Tiago Rodrigues as the opening show of the world-famous 75th Festival d'Avignon.

Lyubov, portrayed by Huppert, is a woman who returns to the family estate after living in Paris for years. The cherry orchard, where she and her brother grew up, is about to be sold to pay off debt.

"To be honest, I don't really focus on specific acting techniques, nor do I follow any particular method. What matters most is the free expression of myself, which is also built on thorough communication with the director and screenwriter. Each time I take on a new role, it feels like meeting a new friend. I get to know and understand her," says Huppert when asked about her acting techniques.

She also notes that before arriving in China for this tour, this version of The Cherry Orchard had already been staged in several countries. Although there were no major changes in its overall direction, the cast and crew continuously refined and reflected on the details over three years.

As a result, the performance presented to Chinese audiences is deeply infused with the accumulated experience and insights from those earlier stages.

French actor Gregoire Monsaingeon, who portrays Pishchik, a landowner constantly struggling with finances but still a comical character, says he felt the Chinese audience's passion during the tour.

"The lighthearted, humorous parts of the play transcended language barriers and were communicated and received very well," he says. "This attention from the Chinese audiences made us very happy. I hope that while watching the performance everyone focuses on Chekhov's classic work and reflects on the relationship between the characters and the world, including the relationship between us as individuals and the world."

Huppert, born in 1953 in Paris, has long been celebrated for roles that demand emotional depth and intellectual acuity. She made her screen debut in Faustine and the Beautiful Summer in 1972. By the mid-1970s, she had made more than 15 films. In 1978, she won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival for her performance in Violette Noziere, and drew critical acclaim for her performance in Elle (2016), for which she earned her first Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and her first Academy Award nomination.

"Film and theater are two completely different modes of performance, but there's no real difference to me," she says.