The musical Annette is now available on Amazon Prime Video. Directed by Leos Carax and co-written by Ron & Russell Mael from the band Sparks, film stars Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard and Simon Helberg.
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“Los Angeles, today. Henry (Adam Driver) is a stand-up comedian with a keen sense of humor who falls in love with Ann (Marion Cotillard), a world-famous opera singer, ”says the official synopsis. “In the spotlight, they make a passionate and glamorous couple. With the birth of her first child, Annette, a mysterious little girl with an extraordinary fate, her life is turned upside down. “
ComingSoon editor-in-chief Tyler Treese spoke with Annette Star Marion Cotillard on the live performance of the songs during the film, the challenges involved and working with Sparks.
Tyler Treese: As a musician, I was very curious, how exciting was it to work with Sparks?
Marion Cotillard: Sparks, I have to say I didn’t really know their music but when I was a kid they had this song with a very famous French brand that I loved. I heard this song called “Singing in the Shower Tonight” over and over again. So I was very excited to meet them.
I loved everything about the origin of the project, the story, they wanted to work with Leos Carax and they had a story before this one that Leos didn’t respond to and when they came up Annette, the connection was there. Leos really had the feeling that he could really tell this story and put himself completely into this film. That’s why I was so excited to work with amazingly deep, intense artists like Sparks and Leos Carax.
I saw that the music wasn’t pre-recorded, but made live. How difficult was it for you to act the way you normally would while singing these songs?
Very challenging, but at the same time very exciting. In a classic musical, you record the songs in the studio and then synchronize on the set with your own voice. Everything was live here. So it’s a different preparation because normally when singing, your whole body is only involved in singing. You don’t do it [any] Plot. You don’t swim, you don’t smoke a cigarette, you don’t run, you don’t spin. We did all of this while singing.
What was interesting was the authenticity and the closeness it brings to the audience. Because sometimes we were out of breath, which can’t happen while singing. When you’re supposed to sing, you can’t be out of breath, but it was very interesting. All these accidents, all these moments when you are not able to sing in the sound can be tweaked, but then something very interesting emerges. This is what Leos Carax was looking for. The balance between singing and emotion and all of the action and life that it brings to the scenes.
