On March 5, Firmine Richard, actress and actress, was in Toulouse for a master class, for students of the Terrade school, which offers aesthetics and hairdressing training. In addition to her experience, the actress came to talk about the importance of aesthetic professions in the film world.
Why are you here today?
First of all, I am here thanks to the invitation of Muryel Rava, with whom I have been friends for several years. I met her on the sets where she did my makeup. Now that she is teaching, I visited her students for a masterclass. It’s always very pleasant to talk about what we do. Makeup and hair are so important and interesting in cinema. And to see a whole group of young people learning to do this work, I would do so without hesitation if I could pass on my experiences on set. The make-up and hairstyle we adopt on set are very important points, it helps us get straight into the character. You should know that as soon as I arrive on set, the first thing I do is get dressed. By doing that, I take away part of my identity, and then I start to gain character. I have my own clothing style, my frizzy hair. And by putting on new outfits and wigs, I can become someone else. It’s easier to play a character, you get under their skin right away. Once you have the clothes and the hairstyle, you are simply not yourself anymore.
What drives you in your work?
What I especially like is this aspect of switching from character to character, each as different as the next. I also like stories, I like to tell through comedy. It is an art that I like very much. I also think it can have an impact on young people. As I recently had the opportunity to perform a piece by Olympe de Gouges. I promote his words because they are very current themes. In this profession we mainly send a message and I like that. These are words that young people need to hear. I want to talk about it and introduce this character.
Do you tell the young students you just met: above all, to believe in their dreams?
So one thing is clear to me. I truly believe that if you want to do a certain job, if you give yourself all the resources possible, you will succeed. I would like to convey this message to young people. For some, dreams come true and for others they remain fictional, in an ideal image. But we should at least try, because we can never be sure. Anything can happen, anything can become reality.