Diane Rouxel was skateboarding when Larry Clark’s team discovered the budding actress and cast her in The Smell of Us. Her career has taken off since she appeared in Emmanuelle Bercot’s Standing Tall, which was screened at Cannes in 2015 and earned her a César nomination for Most Promising Actress. Today, we look back on our meeting with the promising actress from our issue 80, on the occasion of the release of Bertrand Mandico’s Les Garçons Sauvages which came out on February 28th.

Are you filming right now?

Diane: I’m preparing for my next film, Volontaire, directed by Hélène Fillières. I just did a commando training program because I’m playing a young woman who enlists in the Naval Fusiliers. Filming started on May 10 and will last two months.

Did you already know Hélène Filières?

I saw one film she had acted in and won a César award for her role. Then I saw her first feature, Tied. Volontaire is a love story in all but name between a young woman who randomly enlists in the Naval Fusiliers and a captain played by Lambert Wilson. It’s a platonic love story.

Tell us about your career and where you’re from.

I grew up in Haute-Savoie until I was seventeen. Then I spent the last year of high school in Paris before going to art school. That’s when my actress friend Pauline Acquart brought me to a few casting calls, but it was mostly just for fun. Then I was picked for Larry Clark’s film The Smell of Us. I was skating and one of my friends introduced me to Scrib, the screenwriter. The film was still up in the air at that time. I hadn’t met Larry yet, but then he came to Paris.

What was it like to meet Larry Clark?

I was mostly familiar with his photographs, and I had seen Kids. He’s very unpredictable. He can improvise a scene at the last minute. Filming was an intense experience and it made me realize that I wanted to make movies. Anything could happen during the shoot for that film. Then I acted in Philippe Ramos’s Mad Love where I played a blind woman. It was a cakewalk compared to working with Larry Clark! Things really started to take off with Emmanuelle Bercot’s Standing Tall, which opened at Cannes. I didn’t know her very well at the time and I didn’t see her much before filming. But she created an atmosphere of confidence on set. I felt totally comfortable because I had absolute confidence in her.

Was that your first time at Cannes? Any memories?

My feet hurt (laughs), the opening dinner, with all the actors I love – it was so surreal! I’m also acting in an upcoming movie directed by Bertrand Mandico, Les Garçons sauvages. I play a teenage boy in a group of boys who have no limits and end up committing a crime together…

Who is your agent?

I met my agent before filming The Smell of Us. She originally agreed to help me with the Larry Clark movie, but we got along so well that we kept working together. I love her. She’s Isabelle de la Patellière from VMA. She’s wonderful. She calls me during every film to see how it’s going. She also calls the directors…

You’re often dressed by Chanel. How would you define the brand?

“Chic.” That’s the first word that comes to mind. A blend of classic and modern, that’s chic.

Interview by Armelle Leturcq.

Photos: Alexandra Catière.

Fashion: Armelle Leturcq

Make-up: Hugo Villard

Hair: Rodolphe Farmer