Vincent Cassel on Black Swan, Movie Overkill and the Politics of Selling Out

But you do have quite a few movies with commercial success in the United States. Is it hard for a French actor to do what you've done, here? You can say "independent movies," but those a lot of those films have done really well.

Well, I don't know. I'm trying not to think like that. OK, of course, when you're French and you have an accent and everything, I feel like an alien here. Where in France I totally know how the system works -- I grew up in it. I know how to react, I know the TV shows, I know the critics -- I know everybody. Here, it's bigger, but it's fun. I take it as a game. I just do what I want to do. I'm not desperate to come and work in America, because I have a career in France and I'm having a lot of fun with it. I only come here when it's interesting, but I don't depend on it.

It must be nice to go back and forth as you please. Was that a goal, or is it not that calculated?

I grew up like that. I spent a whole year in New York without going back to France. And I always came back because my mother was living in New York since I was 13. So I went to summer camps, hang out at the Roxy, go to class for ballet, so I always had part of my life in New York. So I wasn't waiting for it, but I kind of felt like it would happen, somehow.

How long were you in ballet?

Seven years.

So that was very good knowledge to have for this film.

I wasn't a professional but, actually, I started ballet because I was going to circus school. And in the tradition of circus school, if you do acrobatics and all that, you need to know how to present yourself and carry yourself.

So there's already Oscar buzz swirling. How are you handling that?

It's kind of the first time for me. It's new. For example the Oscar race and those Q&As and all that, it's my first time like that here. So I'm still, let's say, curious. And I'm definitely happy because it doesn't happen all of the time. So, wherever it goes, it's always good. So, no, it doesn't really put any pressure on me. I'm just happy to be here. You usually struggle to have that kind of attention so, you know, let's just enjoy it.

I try to not know as little as possible about a movie before I see it.

That's the best way, but it's hard.

Considering the amount of films that I see, it's nice when one like Black Swan catches me off guard.

Let me ask you, how many movies do you see a week?

Not as many as some people who do this, but usually around three a week -- sometimes more.

I don't think it's healthy. When you watch too many movies, it's becoming normal -- even if it's a bad movie, it's a really hard thing to make.

I see your point, and I don't really disagree, but how does someone cover movies for a living without seeing them?

But I know, I guess every job has a paradox. There's one: You love movies so much that you want to write about them. Then you see too much and you can't really spend the time it deserves sometimes. It becomes normal. And I'm not talking about you in particular, of course. And I'm talking for myself, too. It's like acting: If I act too much, if I make too many movies, then I'm not enjoying it the same way. And my main job is to enjoy acting, because when you enjoy what you do -- when you act -- it's fun and surprising for yourself and for the others. If you lose that, then you're doing a job. And then I really don't see the point.

Has there been a point on your career when you thought that you were doing too much?

Yeah. As a younger actor I had delusions. I would dream of Scorsese and De Niro; I would meet people and it would be like this and it would change moviemaking in France and Paris would become the center of the world. Stuff like that. And then you lose your friends and you realize that it's not exactly like that. And I thought I needed to be friends with somebody to work properly with that person. And then you realize that it's not exactly like that. You can not like somebody and still work with them very well.

Would you describe that as jaded?

I think when you work, whatever you do, if you work for the wrong reasons you start to somehow lose a bit of respect for yourself. You know when you're working for the money. If I do stuff for money, I know what it is.

Do you have an example of that?

In terms of movies? No. Actually, I never work in movies for money. I'm glad when I get well-paid, but it's not always the case, trust me. Otherwise I need to make money and I will prostitute myself out in a different way in something that is not my media. I will, I don't know, appear in a club or whatever. Just try to make easy money so I can stay with the same rectitude in my choices. Because I think what really makes a difference with an actor is the kind of choices he makes. I think it's really important; it's the most fun part, too. If you don't make choices, then I don't see the point, really.

You mention other media. Does that include advertising campaigns you're a part of?

I know... But the way the system is... OK, back in the '70s I'm not sure Pacino and De Niro had to be a part of like a huge blockbuster to be respected. Now, most of the actors, if they want to have access to the really great directors, the sharp ones, they're going to have to do a bit of bullsh*t to have a bit of weight in terms of bankability. So it's a little bit the other way around, you know. Where in France it's not exactly like that. It can be a little snobbish, as we know...

What? I've never heard such a thing.

Oh, come on. It's true, by the way. [Laughs] It's like, you don't talk about money; French people don't talk about money because it's vulgar, almost. It's not true, but that's the attitude. So at the end of the day, you can be very respected and well-paid -- strangely enough -- if you make high profile, artsy movies. I'm one of those guys.

Appreciate the time, sir.

Thanks. I'm sure I'll talk to you guys again next week. [Laughs]

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