If the mysterious series Witches What causes concern and distrust among viewers tends to have the opposite effect for Léopold Lafontaine. Young Alistair's interpreter, who suffers from anxiety, says he finds balance in the game.
“The work takes the burden off my shoulders. It feels good, it makes me think about other things,” explains the 13-year-old actor.
The fact that his character in the series is an introverted and lonely boy also requires restraint from him, who describes himself as an extrovert in everyday life.
The biggest challenge that comes with this first television role? Understand the motivations and inner torment of Alistair Labonté, this lonely little boy, son of Beth (Marie-Joanne Boucher), who suffers from anorexia.
“I have never met anyone who has struggled with an eating problem like this. I did a little research on people with anorexia to find out the symptoms and how it gets worse. It helped me understand why he was like that and what he was going through,” explains Léopold Lafontaine.
Conversations with his acting coach also allowed him to figure out how to approach the character of Alistair in the TVA series. “He’s a character who has big scenes. Since I'm very anxious in life, the fact that he's so different from me helps me differentiate my character from myself,” says the Montreal actor, who attends secondary school.
Courtesy of Yan Turcotte
An artistic side as a legacy
Playing hard, crying and throwing tantrums (because Alistair collapses at the end) comes easily to the young man who is fidgety in everyday life. In addition to acting, he sings and dances hip-hop and a little ballet.
We were able to experience his talent as a singer and dancer in the musicals “The Addams Family”, “The Sound of Music” and in the multidisciplinary show “Until We Die” by Brigitte Poupart. He also appeared in two music videos directed by his mother, singer-songwriter Marie-Pierre Arthur. For his part, his father is François Lafontaine, member of the Karkwa group.
“I didn’t actually take any singing lessons. I got that from my parents, the artistic side. They took me on tour and I learned a lot. “I’ve always loved being on the road, being backstage and seeing how everything works,” says the young artist, who believes that dance “brings out the villain.”
His dream? Keep playing and try your luck in the United States.
“I would like to find an agent in the United States while keeping the one I have here. I want to try many things. Make series and films there and here. I’ll always want to come back to Quebec, that’s for sure,” he says.
The second season of Witches was just confirmed by TVA. We will be able to see Léopold Lafontaine again in the show The Addams Family which will be featured in Quebec in December and soon in a short film.
Marie-Pierre Arthur and her son Léopold Photo agency QMI, Toma Iczkovits