From Small Stages to Grand Opportunities – Camille’s Theatrical Journey

From an early age, Camille knew the stage was where she belonged. Hailing from Montceau-les-Mines in Burgundy, she took her first steps in theater at just six years old, igniting a passion that would shape her future. Over the years, her dedication and talent led her from local theater troupes to critically acclaimed performances in Paris.

One of her most defining roles came in 2017 when, at only 21, she was cast as Chantal Martinaud in Désigné Coupable, a character famously played by Romy Schneider in Garde à vue. Despite the role traditionally being portrayed by an older actress, Camille’s performance captivated audiences and critics alike, proving her depth and maturity as an actress. This breakthrough moment opened doors to national television and even Hollywood, where she had the opportunity to work alongside some of the biggest names in cinema.

In this interview, Camille takes us through her artistic journey—from her early days in the Golmus theater troupe to the challenges of embodying complex roles, and the opportunities that followed.

• Hello Camille, your career is already rich and promising… Today, we’d like to talk about a wonderful role you played in the play “Désigné Coupable” in 2017. At only 21 years old, you took on the cold and devastated character of Chantal Martinaud, played in 1981 by Romy Schneider. How did you get cast for the role of a mature woman at such a young age ?
• It was a big challenge, for me and for the director who hired me. I loved the film, and the character of Chantal Martinaud is played wonderfully by Romy Schneider. Initially, Yann Chevalier, the director, and David Barrouk, the play’s producer, were looking for an older woman… since she’s supposed to be in her forties. But when they auditioned me out of curiosity, they were immediately won over, despite my 21 years. A successful bet since we performed this piece for 6 months in Paris and in the provinces.

• How did you prepare for such a role ?
• I spent several months rehearsing, and I read many testimonies from women who had experienced the same thing. It took me time to understand such a character. A 40-year-old woman, whose husband is accused of assaulting and killing young girls, which in turn reminds her of an assault she suffered at a very young age. It’s a performance that requires immersion, a lot of nuance. She appears very cold and insensitive at first. So I had to give her that side, while also bringing her humanity and a deep sadness that ultimately compels the viewer to understand and love her when we discover her past.

• Did this role offer you any opportunities?
• Many people came to see our play, which was a real joy in itself, and a realization of our hard work. I met my former agent, Mickaël Durard, on this play. He discovered me on stage and wanted to hire me in his agency. This subsequently opened many doors for me, such as TF1, the biggest television channel in France, for the series “Petits secrets en famille” and “Petits secrets entre amoureux”. In addition, my agent accompanied me on an exceptional shoot, “The Last Duel”, directed by Ridley Scott, starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Adam Driver, and Jodie Comer. Proof that hard work pays off in the long term, and that every experience can lead to great opportunities.

• A performance that was acclaimed by critics in Paris ! And also in Burgundy, in your hometown. It was in this region that you started performing in theater, when you were very young… Do you remember your first play ?
• Yes, absolutely ! The very first one was a musical, I was 6 years old. But I had almost no lines. However, this discovery of the stage pushed me to join a theater troupe… And at 7, I played two roles, a wolf and a king of thieves (laughs) in a very funny play. I fell in love with the stage… From my first steps on stage, I saw my parents’ smiles in the audience, and I immediately felt at home. Backstage, at the end of the show, I remember looking at another actress and saying to her: “I want to do the play again, right now !” That’s how it all started, and how I knew I wanted to make it my career.

• You were part of a theater troupe, Golmus, for several years… Tell us a little about that experience.
• In my hometown, Montceau-les-Mines, in Burgundy, there’s a theater troupe, called Golmus. I learned a lot from this company… We performed authors such as Marivaux, Feydeau… But we also wrote our own plays. The director, Pierre Moreau, invited us to improvise, and we were free to create characters from that, before writing a play with all these different personalities. We also created the set, before performing the play in different cities across France for several months… Golmus also performed in Poland. It was an extremely enriching experience, especially as a teenager. I went to school during the week and spent my weekends at the theater ! It taught me rigor, hard work, precision, and reinforced my belief in making it my career.

• What’s your best memory on stage ?
• It’s hard to say… I’ve already mentioned seeing my parents’ smiles in the audience immediately during my first play. I felt immensely proud ! But if I had to mention another… I’d say it was in 2014. With Golmus, we created a double performance, first performing “Variations amoureuses” by Marivaux, before moving on to “On va faire la cocotte” by Georges Feydeau. In the second play, I didn’t leave the stage once, since I played the lead role. It was a lot of work, a lot of stress… And we got a standing ovation for the first performance ! Many people I hadn’t seen for a long time came up to me at the end, my old drama teacher, my math teacher… and told me how proud they were of me, and that I had a great future in this world. It touched me enormously, and it still inspires me to this day to go further.