Money and blood in the world does not exist: the big gap by Niels Schneider

Going from crazy trader to introverted reporter, the French actor tells us about his transformation for the new Arte series.

Exceptional overexcited antagonist of Vincent Lindon In Silver and blood (on Canal + at the start of the year), Niels Schneider a few months later made a 180° emotional turn to The world does not exist (on Arte), intimate thriller in the north, in which he plays an introverted journalist following in the footsteps of his traumatic childhood. Far from the spectacular madness of trader Jérôme Attias, the taciturn Adam Vollmann allows the 37-year-old French actor to show a completely different side of his game and the full extent of his palette.

Even if he admits to not having such a thoughtful career plan: “I don’t think one project compared to the previous one. I just found the series fascinating” responds to Première Niels Schneidermet at the Séries Mania festival last March. “It’s a coincidence that these two characters are so opposite. I approached them in a completely different way as a result. Silver and blood has had its small effect and I understand why people talk to me about it. But for me, almost a year passed between the two shoots…”

Nevertheless, between the crazy frenzy of the golden boy created by Xavier Giannoli and the sibylline calm of his character in The world does not existthere is a big spectacular gap that the director Erwan Le Duc was able to capture accurately. “It’s certain that his character is more of a listener. He absorbs what is happening around him and it was up to me to film him as best as possible, sometimes in a very calm manner..” tells us the director. Offering a closed and enigmatic face, Adam never reveals his emotions: “I ran it like that. I wanted Niels to bring this strangeness, a form of intensity and density. Let’s go and find out with our guts what Adam really thinks. The idea is that the viewer wonders: what’s going on in this guy’s head? It all comes down to the eyes a lot. And at the same time, we discover his fragility in the flashbacks. This investigation becomes an investigation into him. We are in the most total introspection. And Niels understood that right away in the script.“

But between the brilliant extroverted financier or the moving introverted journalist, which is more fun to play for? Niels Schneider ?

“It’s an interesting question, because there is a lot of pleasure in playing a slightly crazy character, completely extroverted, in permanent excess, as was the case for D’Argent et de sang. I take great pleasure in being able to let go and be able to dare everything. Now, playing a more calm character like Adam allows you to create your inner film, so to speak. To reflect on oneself, to be inwardly. We then touch on something much murkier, but also much broader.”

The world does not exist thus continues his quest for a thriller like no other. Where we never really know where the plot is going, like its taciturn hero. “We are not on a usual thriller highway”confirms Erwan Le Ducwho readily cites David Lynch as inspiration: “When I rewatched the beginning of Twin Peaks, what amazed me was the freedom that David Lynch grants himself. He is not afraid of being on the verge of the grotesque or of bad taste or even of ridiculous. He’s going strong. I was inspired by that to push the cursors and try things. Afterwards we don’t say to ourselves: I want to do a French-style Twin Peaks! .”

The World Does Not Exist, in 4 episodes, to be seen on Arte on Thursday September 26 and October 3, 2025. Already online for free on Arte.tv