Catherine Chabot apologizes. And yet his reaction is deeply human. While recounting the adventure of “The Candidate,” the actress suddenly felt tears welling up in her eyes and blurring her vision. She pauses and places her ring fingers under her eyes to prevent overflow. Too late. A few tears were already wetting his cheeks. “Luckily we took the photos beforehand!” »
Published at 12:56 am. Updated at 7:00 a.m.
Catherine Chabot is not sad. She is moved when she thinks back to the auditions she passed to get “the role of a lifetime” offered by Alix Mongeau, a Polish candidate who causes an upset by winning her elections by Isabelle Langlois (Let Go, Rumors). ). She is touched as she recounts how her agent informed her that she had received the coveted contract.
And above all, she is touched as she recalls an interview with Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag), in which the British author, actress and producer shared that after leaving the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art she felt like she had to end her career easily and “stupidly, which she really was” to make it in the industry. The result: every time she auditioned, she was a shadow of her former self.
“When I left the conservatory, I experienced the same thing,” reveals Catherine Chabot with a lump in her throat. I am an expressive person. I'm full. But I was afraid to be completely myself. I didn't dare give up. Alix Mongeau gave me permission to break that. She allowed me to radically be the person I was as an actress. »
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
Catherine Chabot showed herself as an actress thanks to La Candidate.
For me, the candidate is much more than a character, he is much more than a series; It is the actress who comes into the world. I have grown so much.
Catherine Chabot
A role written for her
Freely inspired by the career of Ruth Ellen Brosseau, that former assistant bar manager, inexperienced in politics, who catapulted the irresistible orange wave into parliament in the 2011 federal election, the candidate paints the portrait of a single mother, nail technician, committed to learning the basics the deputy job, which she has no interest in. At least at first.
In an interview, Catherine Chabot describes the unsuspecting heroine as a “warrior”, an “extremely strong woman” with whom she – contrary to expectations given the outer packaging – has several things in common. “I'm a girl who talks. I am a girl who loves the world. I worked in a bar for five years [l’avenue du] Mont Royal. »
“This role was written for me,” she continues enthusiastically.
Alix has a way of speaking, a patter, a retort, an attitude, a drive… Like me, she sometimes talks too much. She is spontaneous, without filters… And like me, she has developed a sense of self-deprecation. This is my way of getting through the trials. It's my defense mechanism.
Catherine Chabot
For Sébastien Gagné (Nuit Blanche), who co-directs “The Candidate” with Charles-Olivier Michaud (Ru), Catherine Chabot delivers her best career performance as Alix Mongeau. Not only because she understands the special musicality of Isabelle Langlois' lyrics, but also because she expresses all the nuances and subtleties of a character that, in the hands of a less gifted actress, could have bordered on caricature.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
Sébastien Gagné, co-director of the series
“Catherine’s eyes are a little magical,” says Sébastien Gagné. When Alix takes her statement at the police station and lists all the insults she has suffered, we can read her soul through her eyes. »
Spray self-tanner
If in terms of personality Catherine Chabot had no difficulty in establishing a connection with Alix Mongeau, visually the work turned out to be more laborious. We're talking almost complete metamorphosis, with big spritzes of spray tan, false eyelashes, blow-drying, jewelry, very tight jeans (as Marie-Chantal Toupin would say), belly sweaters, cutouts, and, most of all, fake nails.
PHOTO BERTRAND CALMEAU, PROVIDED BY RADIO-CANADA
Catherine Chabot in The Candidate
“In everyday life I’m not a girlie at all,” emphasizes the 35-year-old actress. I'm the opposite of Alix. But I still felt super comfortable. I thought it was funny! There's just my boyfriend… When I got home he said, “You're really orange.” And spray tan leaves stains on the sheets. When I left for work at 4 a.m. I left a big brown stain on the bed. It wasn't sexy! »
Priority: Play
Catherine Chabot is best known to the general public as an actress with roles in “Léo”, “Hôtel” and “Liar”. But she is also a playwright. His creations include Lignes de vanish, a play performed in 2019 and adapted for the cinema in 2022 with Léane Labrèche-Dor and Mariana Mazza.
Catherine Chabot confirms that she has other writing projects in the works, but none that she's ready to announce. “Writing requires a lot of love, a lot of time and a lot of energy,” emphasizes the mother of a 2-year-old little girl. I'm burning, but today I want to play. »
Catherine Chabot claims to be well served in this regard. She has a “great project” coming in the spring, and this winter Noovo will present L'aréna, a sketch comedy she made last fall with Benoit Brière, Phil Roy, Catherine St-Laurent and Sophie Cadieux.
Catherine Chabot plays the new flame of an ice hockey player played by Valérie Tellos, who plays her political attaché in The Candidate. The arena also marks the reunion with Sébastien Gagné, the series' director. “It was a very family-friendly shoot,” says the actress. I felt confident. I felt like I had a safety net. »
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, THE PRESS
Valérie Tellos and Catherine Chabot during the filming of L'aréna last fall
Like most (if not all) of the people who have binged “The Candidate” on ICI Tou.tv Extra in recent months, Catherine Chabot wishes a sequel would become a reality, but unfortunately nothing is planned, says Radio-Canada.
“We would definitely like a second season. Because as a series it is something special. There is so much to say. There is a real story, real problems. »
ICI Télé presents La Candidate on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. from January 9th. Noovo will broadcast The Arena on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. starting January 10.