The Shrouds: Why Léa Seydoux said “No” to David Cronenberg

“Maybe I thought two French actors speaking English was weird.”

David Cronenberg is about to come out The Shrouds, a film that tackles a supernatural drama, deliberately very personal. In March 2023, we learned that Diane Kruger would replace Léa Seydoux. The French actress explained the reasons which encouraged her not to participate in the autobiographical film of the great filmmaker.

It is David Cronenberg in person who had, once again, set his sights on Léa Seydouxafter their collaboration in Crimes of the Future with Viggo Mortensen. This time the actress had to give the answer to Vincent Casseland that's the whole problem… For the actress, it was strange that two French-speaking actors were speaking in the language of Shakespeare.

“I loved working with David. I love it. I'm a big fan, but I thought, first of all, I was a little tired. I wanted to take a break“, she revealed to IndieWire.

The production of Crimes of the future was composed of a rich multiculturalism, with a Canadian filmmaker, European and American actors, while in The Shroudsthe main roles were played by two French faces known to the general public.

“Maybe I thought two French actors speaking English was weird“, she said about this casting choice which would also have been a reunion, since this same Seydoux-Cassel duo was already at the heart of The beauty and the Beast (2014) by Chistophe Gans.

The Shrouds has been completed for almost a year and is expected to premiere at Cannes – where the films of David Cronenberg almost always end their careers.

The feature film highlights a businessman (Vincent Cassel) bereaved, who initiates the creation of a machine allowing him to communicate with the dead, thus destroying the memories of his deceased wife. In an autobiographical impulse, David Cronenberg wrote and directed the film, after the death of his own wife, Carolyn Cronenbergeditor who died in 2017. The role that was to be honored Léa Seydoux extends in the form of a triptych, including a part as his late wife, but also as his assistant.

“The storyline is excellent. I wanted to have time for myself“, also admitted the actress, insisting that her departure from the project had nothing to do with her qualities.

It is true that the year 2022 was not easy for the French actress. The latter continued filming, notably with the audacious science fiction film by Bertrand Bonello, The beast (released April 5) and the epic Dune: Part Two to $577 million in global revenue. She was also coming out of the big promotional tour for the latest James Bond, which was important.

In a completely different register, she is preparing to play in the new film of Quentin Dupieux, To our beautiful professionwith a cast, this time, tricolor: Vincent Lindon, Raphaël Quenard And Louis Garrel.

The actress nevertheless stressed that David Cronenberg was not bothered by the fact of having two French-speaking actors in the lead. According to her, he said: “It is not a problem for me. It's not a French film.“The interpreter of Lady Margot paid tribute to her colleague, who will take over the role:”I'm sure with Diane it will be great.”

The companion of Diane Kruger, Norman Reedus (aka Daryl Dixon), also shares the gaming scene with the French actress, notably in Death Stranding of Hideo Kojima. The game should be adapted for the cinema by A24, the casting remaining unknown to date. Léa Seydoux will she be part of it? For the moment, nothing is confirmed. However, she has just been announced for the casting of a fantastic feature film supervised by Arthur Harari (Onodaco-writer ofAnatomy of a fall).

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