Every day, a public figure joins Élodie Suigo’s world. On Thursday, March 12, 2026, actor and director Gilles Lellouche. He stars in the film “Le crime du 3e étage,” directed by Rémi Bezançon, which has been in theaters since yesterday.
It was at a school in Fontainebleau that Gilles Lellouche’s calling was born, thanks to a French teacher who invited him to take the stage to play the lead role in Molière’s play Les Fourberies de Scapin. Despite initially lacking confidence, he eventually took the leap. One day, everything changed with the comedy Mes amis by Michel Hazanavicius, which gave him a chance and led him to meet someone who would have total confidence in him, Guillaume Canet. This is how he was discovered in the film Mon idole in 2002, and later revealed in Ma vie en l’air by Rémi Bezançon. Since March 11, 2026, he has been on screen in the film Le Crime du 3e étage, alongside Laetitia Casta and Guillaume Gallienne. It’s the story of a murder, an investigation, a case turned police matter, and a love declaration to cinema.
franceinfo: This role requires letting go in order to maintain this very important gaze of this somewhat gruff man who is completely clumsy in dealing with his emotions and abilities to face his feelings, even towards his wife.
Gilles Lellouche: It’s true that this man is not exactly the artist he imagines being, meaning he sees himself as more capable, beautiful, and talented than he actually is. It’s clear that he is in a slump, almost depressed, spending his days on the couch, avoiding adventure while his wife still craves it. She pulls him out, coaxing him to get out. Ultimately, there is some truth to what you say about his grumpy and bear-like demeanor. He is a man who was secretly waiting for this, even if he initially says no, he always says yes in the end. In fact, there is something in him that was dormant and awakened thanks to his wife.
When we see you on screen, we notice the benevolent gaze you have towards Laetitia Casta.
Yes, because it’s about breaking habits and routines we fall into too quickly.
“A couple is an absolute adventure, it needs to be nurtured, preserved, caressed.”
Gilles Lellouche– franceinfo
It’s an opportunity that must be lived up to.
This film is a tribute to cinema and great authors, with references to Agatha Christie, Shakespeare, Victor Hugo, and Hitchcock’s iconic Rear Window. Cinema has always been a passion for you, hasn’t it?
Yes, and the circle is complete because I started in theater at the Cours Florent, where in my class was Guillaume Gallienne. I already saw him as a seasoned actor at 22, while I was quite immature. I saw someone with great ease and deep knowledge of the craft. Cinema quickly became a huge and fundamental part of my life. As a teenager, I remember going to the movies three or four times a week, not counting the tapes we rented from video stores. I always had a thirst and desire to explore all genres of cinema, as a way to escape reality or extend fiction.
There seems to be no compromise in your choices. Over time, you have refined what suits you best, even turning down films that didn’t align with your vision. This shift to drama surprised everyone, and it seems to have impressed you as well.
At 20, I would have paid to work in cinema. So having the incredible chance to choose is something to be respected.
“I am doing the job I dreamed of doing, exceeding even my greatest hopes.”
Gilles Lellouche– franceinfo
It’s important to be aware of the opportunity and make the most of it. I seek risk, nerves, places of uncertainty, maybe even the absolute risk of failing.
Your wife, played by Laetitia Casta, loves the messages in “fortune cookies,” and there is always a recurring word when her husband opens one, the word ‘truth.’ It seems that in order to move forward in a couple, one must confront the truth and be able to articulate it. Is that also the key?
Yes, I think it’s very difficult to admit the truth. It’s hard to tell the other person the truth about the relationship, its weaknesses, and how we view each other. But is it necessary to reveal every truth in a relationship? Not necessarily.
We understand how important it is to “nourish” the other. Creating adventures is what keeps a couple alive, right?
Yes, I believe it’s a skill that is absolutely necessary. We tend to develop many talents in our professional and even social lives. The couple is a clear reflection of the effort we put into it. I believe the biggest resolution is simply to live. To be sexy, you have to be alive, enthusiastic, adventurous, charming, and never let the spark die out.
