- Nathalie Spilmont, Hors-la-loi (Outlaws!), France, 1984. Inspired by Coppola’a Outsiders, realisteur Robin Davis wanted unknowns. He told his casting director Dominque Besnehard: Find me a new James Dean and Natalie Wood. Fifteen of them! With four assistants for the first time, he put ads in papers and film magazines and combed through colleges, schools, gyms, night clubs, streets and suburbs. They found 300 kids, but too young for such a violent movie ruled the Youth Commission – so did Charlotte’s parents. She debuted instead in Véa Belmont’s Rouge baiser while Davis’ movie flopped, forcing him to serve the rest of his career in TV.
- Vanessa Paradis, Noce blanche, France, 1988. She worked for months with auteur Jean-Claude Brisseau on the script and the character – a teenage student falling for her 30 years older philosophy prof. And told him: “Old, sick, wrinkled, thin, fat, I don’t care. I’ll love you for any and everyway you are.” Brisseau was not so brave. He dropped Charlotte (“betrayed me!”) fast when she revealed – in confidence – that she had AIDS. Televison rescued her career with a ten year series, Les Cordier, juge et flic. She wrote three books on her life. The first, L’amour dans le sang (Love in the Blood), was the initial project of the company of her friend and constant supporter, Dominque Besnehard. (Who else fought for her TV gig?). They played themselves in it.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 2