Les Amateurs: “Vincent and I spent four months together”

François Damiens tells us about his tender meeting with Vincent Dedienne for the series to be seen this evening on M6.

They will save France. Or at least Meurthe-et-Moselle!

François Damiens and Vincent Dedienne are the fans of the eponymous series, which unveils its first six episodes this evening on M6.

We follow Vincent and Alban, in their early thirties, who work for the department and find themselves embroiled in an adventure that goes beyond them, a dangerous criminal plot that will turn their lives upside down. After The Bélier Family, L’Arnacœur or Dikkenek in the cinema, François Damiens tries his hand at the small screen in this new original series initially ordered by Disney+ (and put online in 2022) in which he forms an explosive duo with Vincent Dedienne. A touching encounter that he tells us about.

PREMIERE: What did you know about Vincent Dedienne before filming with him?
FRANÇOIS DAMIENS: I knew these columns in Quotidien. I had seen him in films before and he seemed like an interesting person to meet and work with. To be honest, we took a risk. Because we had to meet before filming to get to know each other. But each time, we just missed each other… In the end, we only ended up meeting on the first day of filming! In the end, it was a nice surprise. A huge pleasure to work with him and honestly that’s not always how it happens! After a few hours together, it’s like we’ve known each other forever!

It’s the kind of series where you’re glued to each other all the time…
Sometimes it can be complicated to play with another actor who is always trying to make you laugh. Or even who tries to pull the blanket over him. There, it wasn’t that at all. Above all, we were kind to each other, helping the partner to step up their game. We were really confident and fortunately because a series takes much longer to shoot than a film! We spent four months together anyway, glued to each other all the time, eating together 3 times a day; spending the days together on and off set… If we don’t get along well, it can quickly be hell!

Did you two laugh on set?
While we were filming, we had to be precise, give rhythm and everything. But between takes, during rehearsals, we had a good laugh. At the same time, it’s important to be in a good mood when you’re filming a comedy. I’ve done comedies where the atmosphere was heavy and that’s really complicated! It’s like someone on a diet being asked to cook…

Les Amateurs is your first headlining series. What motivated you?
I’ve been wanting to try this format for a while, to play a character in length, to go in more depth. The scenario was perfect. The roles suited Vincent and me well. And duets are always fun to do. It’s better not to carry out a project alone.

Are buddy comedies your thing?
Characters with completely different personalities are always interesting. It’s complementary. There is one going to the right, the other going to the left and that inevitably generates comedy. I watched a lot of Francis Weber films when I was younger, like The Big Blond or The Goat. I loved making My Cousin (by Jan Kounen). It’s always good spirited stuff. If it’s well written, it works right away. For Les Amateurs, we had this complementarity, we boosted each other. It’s a bit like tennis: when one side plays well, it’s easier to play well on the other!

First of all, we say that your style of humor is not really Disney compatible. And yet…
It’s true that I didn’t try to bring my universe into the series. I knew it was originally written by English people (Les Amateurs is a remake of The Wrong Mans, co-created by James Corden). It’s English humor so not necessarily mine. But it’s good in this profession to be able to explore other ways of doing humor, other sensitivities. Sometimes, Vincent or I added our own little personal touch. But we had to stay on track! Afterwards, I can’t really comment on or judge my humor. It’s as if I had to explain how I go about being generous (laughs)…

We rarely see you as an action hero and we imagine that with Les Amateurs, you must have had a blast!
It’s true that I’m not often asked to do stunts… But I must admit that I’m afraid of heights and certain scenes were a little complicated for me to perform. Jumping on a train, jumping into the void, and getting out her text at the same time… I didn’t really bring her back!

Les Amateurs, in 10 episodes, to be seen from Wednesday August 26 on M6.