Nowadays, Hugo Dubé embodies the lovable and at the same time disturbing Joël in the series Good Morning Chuck (or The Art of Harm Reduction). He met him during the screening of the series and told us about the filming, which was sadly marked by the death of his mother, and about his character, for whom he gave everything.
• Also read: Janette Bertrand looks back on her twins’ severe perinatal bereavement
Hugo, what can we say about your character in the series? Good morning Chuck?
His name is Joël McIntyre and he is a chronic drug addict. This is his seventh therapy at the center. He’s a character that needs love. Sometimes this creates some pretty funny moments. In some scenes he is touching and can also unsettle you. I’ve been in this job for 35 years and to be honest, this role is one of the greatest gifts of my life.
This series is about addictions… Have you ever had one?
NO. I’ve never been addicted to anything. I touch wood! On the other hand, I think it’s a necessary issue that we still don’t deal with enough. It’s important to talk about it because people have more and more addictions in life. If it’s not gambling, it’s alcohol or certain drugs. This series is not a documentary about addiction, but rather a way to open a dialogue and reach people. It was a special and difficult shoot for me. I also lost my mother during this time.
• Also read: Popular moderator drives “Good Morning Chuck”.
your mother died?
yes in january It was really difficult to continue filming after such a shock. This ordeal put my character in gray areas. I watch the episodes and I know what moments were filmed after my mother died. It’s imprinted on my face. Due to this ordeal and the severity of my character, I came out of this shoot at the end of my strength. I sought refuge by the sea to recharge my batteries. I had to hold on to my character after this shoot. This universe, everything I was experiencing, along with the difficulty of filming, triggered an abundance in me. It was really difficult to get the boat back to port after that. When you’re playing such a troubled character, the brain doesn’t differentiate between real emotions and those you’re playing. In fact, I was floored after this shoot. It took me a good two months to recover. But this character is great and I have no regrets.
How is the grieving going after a few months?
We just put it in the ground. I think now my grief will begin. This year was my first Mother’s Day without her and it was very difficult. My mother was in top form until recently. One night I received a phone call telling me that she had just been admitted to the hospital. I ran to her bed to see her, took her in my arms and stayed close to her as long as possible. My Huguette died at the age of 91. She was a lovely woman, a beautiful person who loved to laugh. I liked being with my mother. My father was an anesthesiologist and death was very present in the discussions at home. From the age of four I knew that one day I would die. My father taught me the beauty and fragility of life. He even took me to surgical visits at the hospital. He was passionate about medicine and would always tell me and my brothers how lucky we were to be healthy. My father introduced me to death and life. One day he went to work and died on the way while I was shooting on the set of Ramdam.
• Also read: Micheline Lanctôt blames the healthcare system for her spouse’s untimely death
Have you ever thought about following in your father’s footsteps and becoming a doctor?
I would have liked to do that, but I didn’t have the patience to complete the 26 years of study that such a job entails. My father, Gaétan Dubé, was a lover of the body
He was human and had an answer for everything when it came to human biology. My father impressed me. My mother was ready to die because the fear of death was not passed on to us at home. It’s a goal we all have. I’m not afraid of dying, but I know I can enjoy life.
You have 35 years of professional experience. Is the job the way you initially imagined it?
I’m amazed at my stamina and at being able to still do this job after so long, in a world that’s eating up very quickly. I’m proud to be able to do this. The job is not at all what I imagined. Even if I had known, I would have done something completely different because it’s becoming more and more demanding and political. There are now far too many stakeholders in our profession. What I like is exactly that between “Action!” and “Cut!” Hardly anyone can intervene. It happens between the director, the cameraman and the actors. It’s the only thing that hasn’t changed in 35 years. We must return to the simplicity of things.
We talk about sustainability. Is that also the case in your life together?
Yes, I knew after two weeks that I was with the woman of my life. I met my Denise when she came into the dressing room after a show. She was with my brother. I remember wearing little leopard panties that were part of my stage costume and being fascinated by her. I felt like I was seeing such a transparent person for the first time in my life. I sent her a love letter and we never left. Two weeks later we lived together. It was absolute love at first sight. We had two children together.
how old are your sons
They are 31 and 29 years old. My youngest, Hugues-Antoine, is a mechanical engineer and the eldest, Louis-Bernard, works in finance and is completing his Masters in tax law. I am glad that you have a different job than mine. I hoped it was.
In conclusion: what will your summer look like?
I’ll be at ladies night for much of the summer. I’ll give a few talks here and there. I have some great roles coming up that I can’t talk about right now. There may also be a second season of Good Morning Chuck.
Good Morning Chuck (or The Art of Harm Reduction) is already available on Crave.
ladies night East on tour through Quebec.