photo courtesy of Picture House Inc.

French actress Marion Cotillard is not a household name … yet. But her Oscar-nominated performance in La Vie En Rose, playing the late French chanteuse Edith Piaf, is nothing short of brilliant. She deserves to take home the Oscar, and then the whole world will know of this bright, young acting talent.

I met the delightful French actress for 7 questions for 7x7.

Enjoy!
Liam
-)



1. Marion Cotillard, welcome to San Francisco. What are your first impressions of our mad, fab city?
Marion Cotillard: My brother, he lives here. It’s not the first time I’ve come here, and it’s not going to be the last. I love that there are sidewalks, and you can walk in the streets. It’s very green. I love the shape of the snake streets also.

2. Your life has been somewhat of a roller coaster ride since taking on La Vie en Rose and playing Edith Piaf. Has it been a joy ride?
MC: Well, Mmm. I spend maybe a month in France in two years, so I am far from home. It has been an amazing adventure, but it changed a lot of things.

3. How would you describe your relationship with Hollywood, if at all?
MC: I feel welcome in Hollywood, and the welcome I have is so beautiful.

4. You have a golden voice, and you must have some musical heroes. Who are the musicians or the artists that have inspired you?
MC: Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Radiohead and Serge Gainsbourg.
LM: That’s a good mixture. I would like to hear all of them harmonizing in a musical remix.
MC: Oh wow, unfortunately. Well maybe Radiohead can sing Joplin and Redding and Gainsbourg, but they are dead.

5. Is there a movie you watched growing up that inspired you to act?
MC: Well, actually it was not a movie. Some movies like Annie, Jan Houston I mean she was, I was close to her age when I saw the movie. It was a musical, and I have always loved musicals. So maybe it would be Annie. But I admire Greta Garbo.

6. The Oscars are coming up. Congratulations on your nomination. Has anyone given you any good advice about how to prepare for the big day?
MC: No not yet, but I am pretty relaxed. You know, it’s a huge thing to be there, so I think that the advice I would give to myself is to have fun.

7. Finally, please complete the sentence for me: Acting to me is about …?
MC: Sharing emotions and telling beautiful stories.