Alexandre’s profile: an actor for others

Alexandre is a 32-year-old actor. His cheerful gaze reveals his passion for entertaining others, particularly making them laugh. For his first stage experience at 13, he portrayed Charlie Chaplin, following in the footsteps of an icon in comedy and theatrical performance.

Alexandre loves completely immersing himself in the role of a character onstage. During his performances, nothing else matters. His lines come mechanically yet spontaneously; the audience is concealed behind the spotlights, and all the anxiety dissipates. He confides, “After performing, even after a bad day, I’m at my happiest.”

The audience is always impressed by actors’ abilities to memorize lines. He knows that the most complex part is understanding the character’s psychology. At that moment, he no longer wants to be Alexandre but Cléandre or Romeo. The most challenging audience for him is his loved ones, who know him intimately. He wants to show that he is no longer himself, making them believe in the story of a fictional character.

Acting: A lifelong passion

Alexandre has been immersed in the artistic world since childhood. He inherits his artistic fiber from his family; he is the grandson of a cartoonist, and his mother, a literature enthusiast, used to take him to the movies every other day after primary school. His surroundings always encouraged him and his siblings to follow their hearts.

His father, an artist himself, works as a photographer. However, when his son announced in high school that he wanted to be an actor, he advised him to have a backup plan. His “bread-and-butter job” besides photo exhibitions was journalism, so Alexandre found his in the culinary arts. “I took a break from theater and got a diploma in cooking; there will always be work in this field. I have no regrets; it was a fantastic period of my life.” Then, theater caught up with him.

This seven-year hiatus solidified his belief that this was what he wanted to do deep down. As a young adult, the priority was to make ends meet before finally pursuing what truly fulfilled him. After four years of seasonal work in the kitchen and sacrifices, he took the plunge. He settled in Paris, and despite being involved in theater since childhood — at school, conservatory, and a small company he created with friends during high school — this was the moment when the adventure truly began.

“The theater world might be daunting, but I always come back to it.”

What better place than Paris, the City of Lights, to seek the spotlight?

Six years ago, Alexandre settled in Paris to live his passion. Moving to the capital presents immense opportunities in theater. In this field, you have to increase your chances of finding roles.

Alexandre isn’t the only one inspired by the effervescence and frenetic pace that characterizes Paris. “This is where people work, where there are crowds, productions, directors…” he explains. He highlights the cultural diversity; this is where enriching encounters happen. He started by responding to online casting calls for extra roles and, through networking, realized that various projects shared common individuals: casting directors, directors, actors. The theater is a microcosm where “Everyone revolves around everyone else.” That’s how one role led to two more!

Johnny Depp as a Mentor

At seven, Alexandre started developing a preference for comedy films. He was fascinated by those who could make an audience laugh and realized that he himself could do it too. “I enjoyed being the center of attention,” he admits. Then, in high school, he became enamored with Johnny Depp. He discovered that one person could cover an immense emotional spectrum. He was already certain he wanted to make that his life’s work.

The actor’s objectives

Like all actors, his primary goal is to offer his passion by fully living his art. Questions about the stability of the profession are legitimate. Success stories of 20-year-olds who succeed are rare. It takes time, perseverance, and networking.

Contrary to his icon, Johnny Depp, Alexandre isn’t seeking to become an international star. He’s not chasing the glitz. “I want to have enough roles but be able to go out on the street quietly to buy my baguette without fans jumping on me”, he jokes. What he desires is recognition from his peers, to legitimize himself, and from the public, as it is primarily for them that he performs.

His short-term goal is cinema. His fascination with audiovisuals has never faded. Without getting tired of theater, Alexandre wants to try his hand at this other practice. The camera doesn’t see the same way the audience does. “I go to the cinema every day; I want to step to the other side of the screen.” Theater and cinema are two very different exercises. What Alexandre seeks is diversification.