- Frédéric Andréi, Diva, France, 1980. For his first feature’s hero, Jean-Jacques Beineix wanted an unknown. (That way the director gets all the praise). Dominique Besnehard, soon to be Europe’s #1 casting director, suggested Christophe(r) Lambert (a friend for life), Anconina (not so much). The also-rans were: Malavoy, Richard Berry, Jean-Paul Comart (ex-Connart), Tchéky Karyo, cartoonist Sempé’s son, Nicolas. And Pagny, the future singing star, found working in the cloakrooms of a gay nightclub.
- Vittorio Mezzogiorno, L’homme blessé, France, 1982. Dominique Besnehard introduced one of his pals (and crushes) from his drama school days to director Patrice Chereau. Malavoy had just triumphed in Family Rock, but Chereau had doubts. Besnehard next presented his new Italian find. And so, Mezzogiorno had two films competing in Cannes – baffling for festival audiences as he spoke passable French opposite Depardieu in the morning screening of La lune dans le caniveau and then was speaking with the (dubbed) voice of his morning co-star, Depardieu, during Cherau’s L ’homme blessé, in the afternoon!!
- Jean-Hugues Anglade, 37°2 le matin (Betty Blue), France-Italy, 1985. Handsome, if rather stiff, never loose and somewhat ill at ease, Malavoy was obviously on Dominque Besnehard’s list for Zorg – opposite the titular Béatrice Dalle. “I couldn’t take my eyes off him in drama school.” Nor could veteran actress Madeleine Ozeray – when teaching them poetry at “La Rue du Blanche” at age 65.
- André Dussolier, Trois hommes et un couffin, France, 1985, Of the three guys in the smash-hit movie, only Michel Boujenah was chosen without question (he won the best supporting César actor; the film was nominated for the Best Foreign Film Oscar… while Chicago critic Roger Ebert railed against “the stupidity on the screen.”) Jean-Pierre Bacri, and Christophe(r) Lambert fled from Jacques, the baby’s father, and auteurColine Serreau booked Jean-Claude Brialy. Producer Jean-François Lepetit disagreed. Brialy was famously gay and no one would believe he’d fathered a child. He quit for Chartlotte Gainbsbourg’s L‘effrontée. AndréDussolier was chosen over Christopher Malavoy. I avoided the Paris Press screening – who needed another horror movie – after mistaking couffin (cradle) for coffin!
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 4