Anne-Élisabeth Bossé has just started filming the second season of Indéfendable. “The Long Tunnel!” as she says with a laugh, adding that she loves her character on the show. A role just as dear to his heart — not on TV or in the movies, but in real life — as spokesperson for the Quebec Federation of Alzheimer’s Societies (FQSA). For the popular actress, it came naturally. “It brings me out of my swoon over my father’s illness.”
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It’s his way of reacting. Anne-Élisabeth speaks with respect, reserve and a lot of humility about this situation affecting her – her father has an early form of Alzheimer’s disease. On the other hand, when it comes to explaining the demands, co-signing open letters, and being a strong voice to make a difference, it gets heard. She recently co-signed an open letter calling on the government to set up a fund for Alzheimer’s disease. She is determined and angry at times, and also wishes that we would give more support to caregivers and focus on early detection of the disease. For whoever plays Marie-Anne Desjardins in Indefensible on the small screen, this commitment is her way of doing her part.
Anne-Elisabeth, how are you?
I feel very good. Right now I’m very excited to start filming Indefensible again. I was on vacation for a few months. In mid-November we finished filming Season 1 and now we’re back on track for 160 days of filming! So the long tunnel of season 2 is here now! (laughs)
Photo: Patrick Seguin / TVA Pu
A daily one is very engaging, even intense. Did you have time to get some rest?
Yes, really. I’ve done a few trips, I’ve been to the south and also to Italy. I’ve been to Rome, Florence and Venice, but I visited different cities there. I have a friend who is in Bologna, I had also rented an apartment, I did Modena, Verona… I took advantage and it cost me that. I needed vacation. I don’t know if my day-to-day colleagues benefited as much as I did or if they chained projects together, but for my part I needed a real break. I wouldn’t have been able to get into a movie or anything because I was really tired. But I am strengthened for the next season!
You recently co-signed an open letter calling for the establishment of a fund for Alzheimer’s disease. It was like a cry from the heart asking for quick action. You have, through circumstances, become a spokesman who makes the difference…
Being directly affected by the disease because my father has it, I had to feel like I could do something even though I have no power over the disease. It brings me out of my impotence to take on this role. With the writing, I have the impression that we are bringing more concrete means to bring about change. So I took on this role that I never thought I would take on.
You have a busy schedule at the moment. Are you surprised by your involvement in this role?
Of course it wasn’t planned. We don’t want that. But deep down I’m glad that my notoriety can be used to make people aware of this disease. In reality, it is concretely the federation that works; I am the mouthpiece, the tip of the iceberg. Also in my family I am not the one who cares the most about my father as I am in active life, in my thirties, I work a lot. So my way of helping is to use my reputation. In my family, the really heavy work is done by my mother-in-law, my father’s wife. I pass on the message and share my personal story to touch people. This is how I see my role.
Do you still consider yourself a natural caregiver?
My father is at home now. I can’t say I’m a caregiver because he’s cared for. But his reference person was primarily his wife. She really kept my father at home as long as possible.
It’s hard being a caregiver. And it is precisely for them that you ask for support in the letter…
Yes, a lot falls on the shoulders of loved ones. We encourage people to leave their sick loved ones at home for as long as possible, but at the same time we don’t necessarily have a lot of support or resources. So yes, we keep them at home for as long as possible, but we should also give loved ones more resources for this process.
Dominik Goin
When the disease invades a family, sometimes different bonds are formed, even when the situation is difficult, as a form of solidarity is established. Do you have the impression that something has changed at this level?
Yes. Unfortunately for better and for worse. Because there are people who are overwhelmed by illness and can disappoint us. But there are also people who surprise us and who contribute more than we imagined. There really is a before and an after. As in any difficult situation, it means that we stick together, work as a team and are in action. On the other hand, the disease also raises all sorts of questions, it brings people back to their own death, to the loss of autonomy. It’s not neutral, what… But we can turn to the light. There is also good news to share.
like what
The letter mentions a drug that exists in the United States and is likely to be approved here soon. Instead of finding ourselves in the same situation as Covid, instead of building the plane in full flight, we could foresee the blow. It is a drug that is given by injection and these injections are more effective in the first stage of the disease. The message I want to convey to people is to look for a diagnosis, even if it’s scary. Because the sooner you receive your diagnosis, the sooner you can take action against the disease. Brain scanning should be democratized. More attention should be paid to our brain health. Now is the time to act.
Dominik Goin
You say it’s your way of dealing with your helplessness in the face of illness. Are you proud of this role?
To be honest, I don’t have much time to talk about it. I think my involvement dilutes my anger; it channels it. I’m trying to do something good with it.
It works out! You play that role well too. Let’s go back to Untenable. You are entering “the tunnel of 160 days of shooting”… Are you ready?
Yes, I’m happily throwing myself into this shoot. i love my character Marie-Anne harbors many human intrigues. Sure, I love playing the trial scenes and there are nice legal issues, but I especially loved what my character went through on a personal level in season one and what’s still to come. There are many women who will find themselves in mourning at the Marie-Anne funeral pyre. Even if the tempo of the series is high, we manage to transport a lot of emotions. And I manage to be connected to my partners.
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So should we become more and more attached to Marie-Anne?
I think so. The writers nevertheless made a risky bet to commit adultery between two main characters. I think it’s modern, I think it’s bold. In reality, this happens very often in the workplace. I guess it’s not just a show full of good feelings. There are also gray areas, like in real life. It’s very accepted. And it’s also very polarizing for viewers. We seem to rally behind the characters. Marie-Anne may have been classified as rather ‘not fine’, but I think that next season she will show a very human face. After all, there are no good or bad. And we will see that in the course of the intrigues.
We think you’ll enjoy this role…
Yes, it is a great gift. It’s crazy! I’ve never spoken so much about a character, I’ve never been approached so much on the street. A daily newspaper on TV, we have no idea how much it provokes reactions. We receive expressions of affection. People liked some of my roles, but this one is something completely different! I am touched. People are really very nice. It’s a privilege.
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How does your everyday life go during these months of shooting? Do you have time to do something else or is everything focused on work? Tell your loved ones you’ll see them again in six months?
I’m a person who enjoys life. In order to “play” life, you have to enjoy it. I cannot put myself into sleep mode when entering the job tunnel. I’ve never been like this. I always take a little time to relax, otherwise I’m unhappy. Of course I take my job very seriously, but we don’t save lives either. When I work, I wake up early and relieve myself of many things in my life, such as bookkeeping, etc. I relieve myself of many businesses just to arrive on set with a light and free heart. And also to have time to see and pick up my friends. I don’t like it when people say, “I’m getting into the marathon, so there’s nothing left that exists…” That’s one point of view, but it’s not mine. .
Faced with the illness of a loved one, we realize even more how important it is to enjoy life…
Yes, as much as possible. Of course there are weeks when the proportion of rest is less, but illness puts a lot into perspective. It must be said that my job is also my passion. And I don’t have many hobbies. Even though I work a lot, I don’t have a problem with that. I have no children and I really love what I do. For me, work is not a way to numb myself or run away from reality. It takes up space in my life because I have that space. When my life finally changes, I will reconsider my priorities. But it is true that there is of course a sorting. I want to be there for my father. I want to support him. I don’t want to deny. But I also want to enjoy life and make decisions based on it. What I wish for at the moment is not to experience any major upheavals. Sometimes we want something to move, but I don’t want it here at the moment. I left an island and arrived at a place I love. At this moment I would stay on my island for a bit…
We follow Anne-Élisabeth Bossé in the daily newspaper Indéfendable, whose second season returns to the TVA antenna in autumn. She plays the role of Mylène Clermont in the fourth chapter of Plan B on Tou.tv Extra.
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