It happened at IGA Stadium in Jarry Park last summer. After a game by Félix Auger-Aliassime, Éric Bruneau took the dark corridor leading to Center Court to emerge in full sun in front of 12,000 spectators. “It was like winning Rêves d’enfants,” says the actor.
Posted at 7:00 am
Éric Bruneau’s idea was perfectly timed and most importantly filmed. With the support of Eugène Lapierre, then director of the Omnium Banque Nationale, the production company KOTV had obtained approval from the International Men’s Circuit (ATP) to shoot scenes for Virage – Double Fault, a new feature film series about the universe of tennis Noovo will present on Tuesday.
A big fan of Roger Federer’s favorite sport, the actor and co-writer of the drama savored the moment. “Those are the joys of acting: it allows us to experience things we would never normally experience. It was exceptional! »
Éric Bruneau repeated the experience a few weeks later when the tournament was over, in front of 1,000 extras, just to allow director Rafaël Ouellet (Arsenault & Fils) to capture other game sequences without being rushed by the impending arrival of a Nick Kyrgios. “Playing in front of people is different,” says Eric Bruneau. I was tense for the first half hour. After that I relaxed. »
The actor, who signs the lyrics of Virage with Louis Morissette (The Fata Morgana) and Marie-Hélène Lebeau-Taschereau (Family Counseling), trained for 18 months with the help of professionals like Sylvain Bruneau , ex-coach of Bianca Andreescu to make sure he’s believable in front of the lens, something Hollywood blockbusters sometimes escape. (You don’t need to be an expert to know that Kirsten Dunst probably never picked up a racquet until she started filming Wimbledon in 2003.)
“I’ve played tennis before, but I was a garage league player, a little crooked. »
PHOTO ÈVE B. LAVOIE PROVIDED BY NOOVO
Éric Bruneau on the court at Virage – double fault
Despite his good level of play, Éric Bruneau, on the advice of Marc Messier, decided to keep the services of an understudy (Washi Gervais). It must be said that Messier is well versed in sports literature, having starred in every season of Lance et compte.
His suggestion turned out to be good.
We shot tennis 14 hours a day for 9 days. I will be 40 years old. It was too strenuous for me physically. At some point my body got tired.
Eric Bruneau
The neglected
In Virage – Double Fault, Éric Bruneau defends the role of Charles, a terrified tennis player who never managed to achieve impressive enough results to please his mother (Sylvie Léonard). While contemplating retiring, he meets his former coach (Louis Morissette) and decides to try to reach the top of the leaderboard.
“I didn’t want to tell the story of a world champion because we always make films about it,” explains the screenwriter. I wanted to talk about an outsider who sees his expiration date coming and tries one last push. »
“It’s a series that talks about tennis, but what I really wanted to say is the transmission. Scorsese once said Raging Bull is not a boxing film; it was a film about his own addiction. In Virage, tennis is an excuse to talk about family relationships, parental pressures… Every time we watch a tennis match, the family is always present. She is often the one who pays the coach. It creates some really interesting dramatic tension. »
Fall in love with your job again
Éric Bruneau continues to hit balls from Virage – double faults. He took our call at the Midtown Sanctuary, a tennis club in Montreal. While waiting to gain a foothold, he continued to write new episodes of Before the crash, which could be filmed later this year when Radio-Canada renews its order. The opposite would be surprising: Last fall, the first season of the existential thriller he signed with his wife Kim Lévesque-Lizotte was a critical and audience success (873,000 viewers on average, according to Numéris).
“I tend to be humble, but people ask me about it every day. It’s really exciting to see how much the series has touched people. In the beginning we talked a lot about the world of finance, but for us it was an excuse to talk about human relationships, about domination/domination, the perverse effects of the capitalist system and so on. »
PHOTO SERGE GAUVIN PROVIDED BY RADIO-CANADA
Émile Proulx-Cloutier, Benoit Drouin-Germain, Éric Bruneau and Mani Soleymanlou in Before the Crash
The adventure Before the crash allowed Éric Bruneau to fall in love with his job again.
“As an actor you are very dependent on the wishes of others. That’s why there are many actors who are stupid! I don’t want to wait to be chosen or not to let others decide. I want to develop projects, give ideas, but also play. It’s a lot of work, but I want to keep doing both. »
I like this work very much. I think we produce good series, good films. We are fortunate to have such a rich industry. We still have to take care of it.
Eric Bruneau
No quizzes
The year 2023 promises to be beautiful for Eric Bruneau. In addition to the possible sequel to Before the Crash, his schedule includes filming a mystery film planned for the summer. He could also be called on to travel, as Xavier Dolan’s first series, The Night Where Laurier Gaudreault Woke Up, in which he stars alongside Patrick Hivon, Julie Le Breton and Magalie Lépine-Blondeau, was screened at the Festival de Sundance in the United States, which will be held later in January. Club illico’s offer will then land on Canal+ in France.
“The same year I was writing with my girlfriend, I was working with mind-blowing creators… It sounds cheesy, but it’s true. I shot with Xavier Dolan and Stéphane Lapointe [Avant le crash] and Rafael Ouellet. And every time the cast was great: Émile [Proulx-Cloutier]Karen [Vanasse]mani [Soleymanlou]Benoît [Drouin-Germain]Sylvia [Léonard]Ludwig [Morissette]… I am lucky. »
PHOTO SUPPLIED BY CLUB ILLICO
Éric Bruneau in The Night Laurier Gaudreault woke up
Despite his ubiquitous presence on the airwaves (he also has a role in Sugar on Prime Video), Éric Bruneau is (really) not afraid of overexposure.
“I’ve thought about it, but you know, there are actors who are on TV every day and who are on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram every day. And my plans are so different…”
“But I’m aware [du danger]. It is certain that I will not animate a quiz. »
Turn – double faults, on Noovo, starting Tuesday at 8 p.m.