Throughout her nearly 30-year career, Marie-Joanne Boucher has endured the ups and downs of the profession. In quiet times, she used her creativity by giving us recipe books. This fall, two of her projects will take shape: we will see her in the series Sorcières, which she created with two friends, and her piece Projet Polytechnique will be performed at the TNM in November.
Marie-Joanne, what is the origin of Witchesthis new and most fascinating annual series that we will see at the beginning of the school year?
It’s a project that Céline Bonnier, Noémie O’Farrell and I, the three sisters of the series, took on. We wanted to work together. These three sisters have been living apart for 30 years after a tragedy occurred in the town where they lived. They have the same father, but not the same mother. When the commune was dissolved, everyone left on their own. When we find a live baby on the commune grounds, it is a reminder of the tragedy that occurred 30 years earlier. Because of this event, these three women will come together again.
Was it a long-term project?
Yes, we imagined it and worked on it for three years. We created Witches during the pandemic, so the project was born on Zoom. It is a series with 26 episodes. It is a great privilege to penetrate people’s hearts every week. I noticed it while working on TV series, from Virginie to Providence. The young people grew up with Virginie. Claudie was her favorite character. I am touched. I had to contact Léa Clermont-Dion. She replied to my email and said I was the Claudie of her childhood… It’s touching for me, who admire her today.
Céline, Noémie and you seem to be on friendly terms…
Yes. I have been very close to Céline for a long time because my partner is her nephew. I am part of the Bonnier family by marriage and it is an extraordinary family! I love them like members of my own family. My children are called Bonnier. I have been with my partner for 18 years. Céline and I have wanted to work together for a long time, but it never happened.
They also have a big theater project this fall that will probably get people talking…
Yes, I will be taking part in the play Projet Polytechnique, the text of which I wrote, which will be presented at the TNM in November. On December 6, 2018, I posted a photo of my boy in memory of the victims of the murder. He was 12 years old. I feel the responsibility of raising a boy… Actor Jean-Marc Dalphond thanked me for remembering the victims. He said he got wrinkles every year, while his cousin wasn’t so lucky… When I read about Anne-Marie Edward, I learned that her aunt was very active in gun control. I suggested to Jean-Marc that we do a show inspired by her. He had been thinking about doing a show on this topic for 20 years without knowing which path to take. Every year he posts the girls’ names on Twitter and this year he received hate comments… There are nine of us on stage. It’s a beautiful show that I’m proud of. It is very difficult, but there is light.
Have you questioned your career over the years?
I did it recently. Older actresses always told me that as we get older we are less naive, have more responsibility and are more nervous… and it’s true. Not to mention that you always have to start over again. I have friends who are my age and have other jobs. I’m doing well. These are great years. You are thinking about retirement. For my part, not only do I not want to retire, but I also work in a job where there is no security. We always have something to prove. At the same time it is a drug. We can list all the good sides: it keeps you alive, it keeps you young, but there are still bad sides. Sometimes I think I could have been a lawyer…
Photo: Bruno Petrozza / TVA Pu
How did you overcome the slow phases?
I didn’t stop during quiet times, but I wasn’t always on top of things. I am hyperactive in life. When I had no roles, I kept the flame alive. I made cookbooks. It allowed me to assemble a team, set direction and lead a project to success. It gave me the confidence to carry out the Polytechique et Sorcières project. I appreciate these projects, especially because I was the one who initiated them. With “Witches” we want to see women their age on screen. My character is 44 years old. I want to look 44 years old. I want to see wrinkles.
The profession has evolved a lot, if only because it leaves more room for women in their 40s, 50s and even 60s…
Yes, I think there is really good progress in this area. The series, produced elsewhere than the United States, allowed us to see something other than the American model. I get to play a lot more interesting characters than I did in my early twenties! Each of us has our own cast.
Which one is yours?
For my part, when casting, I always had a good-looking girl next door. I don’t want to pretend to be someone else. There are many actresses who are role models. I think what has changed a lot over time is that a beautiful girl used to have to be stupid. Now she has the right to be beautiful and brilliant and listened to at the same time. We have the right to be everything at the same time. Getting shots shouldn’t even be taboo anymore. It’s a personal choice and that doesn’t mean we’re superficial. At the end of the day we just want to be happy…
Photo: Paul Ducharme / TVA Pub
You have two children. What are they like?
They are fine. I have a 15 year old son and a 9 year old daughter. We arrived from San Francisco where we spent 10 days with family. It was very pleasant. My son is growing up, he is at home less. I’m a real mother hen. Even though it is a wonderful job, when I get older I just want to sit down and eat with my whole family, the children, their spouses and the grandchildren. For me that is success in life. With the pandemic, many of us have understood that what really matters is the people around us…
Discover the new series Witches from Monday, September 11th, 8 p.m., on TVA.
The room Polytechnic project will be shown on TNM from November 14th.