Laurent Bignolas
Good evening, Roberto Benigni.
Thank you for being with us on the set.
So, tell me, you play the role of Détritus, a Roman that is above all a traitor, a bad guy.
This type of character doesn't resemble you!
Roberto Benigni
But, that's just cinema!
That is what it's like to be an actor.
Thank you very much for inviting me.
What could be better than being here, talking about a little dream like Asterix and Obelix?
Laurent Bignolas
You lived it as if it were a dream?
Roberto Benigni
Yes. But it is a dream!
It's a dream because being in a comic book, it's like being in a dream.
It's exactly the same thing.
You know that comic books, it's like finding the actual shapes,
no, because for Federico Fellini, for example,
he never had the courage, he told me, to do the Divine Commedia, the divine comedy or a film on Pinocchio because he would say:
"They found the definitive shape".
But he never got to know, (unfortunately, because he left us too soon), modern special effects which we can make.
With Asterix and Obelix, they've made...
Have you seen it?
It's impossible not to be happy when you see scenes like that, right?
And they truly succeeded in making it become real.
The colour, when I saw the film yesterday morning, I got undressed and I danced.
I did... how do you say it?
Laurent Bignolas
There wasn't any brawl?
Did the film make you laugh as much as the comic book?
Roberto Benigni
I'd like to answer but I didn't understand the question.
Laurent Bignolas
It's very nice of you so right away we'll...
In the end, did you laugh as much, watching the film, as you did when you read the comic book?
Roberto Benigni
Of course. But that's not the problem with laughing.
It's a continual laughter so that... it's because it's so mild, so light-hearted.
That is the [inaudible] of a film that... that it's mind-blowing.
It's something... a little poetry, a little dream, so there's everything: a love story.
Have you seen Obelix and Falbala?
For him to fall in love, that's one thing.
But really, it's like becoming a little child.
And so that, that's joy.
And so, what is more beautiful?
And so I went home.
Seeing the movie, my head hurt, I went outside.
I was cured.
Laurent Bignolas
But then, how would you qualify this movie?
Is it a farce?
It's poetry like you said, because not everyone laughed when they saw it.
Roberto Benigni
It's a little dream.
I would say that, myself, personally, I had the opportunity to be in this little dream.
I'm very proud, very proud to have...
And also, it's the biggest European film production of all time.
It's because it's a French, German and Italian coproduction.
It's the European Union before Europe.
Laurent Bignolas
And during the shoot, you still had fun, with Gérard Depardieu I think, especially.
Roberto Benigni
Mama mia!
Oh what luck!
I want to talk about Gérard Depardieu.
Just the satisfaction, the pleasure of embracing him, embracing the man.
Laurent Bignolas
Was this the first time that you met him?
Roberto Benigni
Yes, it was the first time, the first time that I worked with him.
But I've had the opportunity to embrace him and being...
But he's the most generous man in the world.
It was a pleasure. He really helped me out, he taught me French, he helped me play in this film.
He's someone that gives you everything that he has in the world.
He's one of the alltime greatest actors.
And Christian Clavier, that's something fascinating.
I'll say it again, I had the opportunity to be in a little dream.
Laurent Bignolas
And how does one go from such a sensitive and fine film as "Life is Beautiful" to Asterix and Obelix, just like that, with no difficulty?
Roberto Benigni
No, but that's...
I'm an actor.
All actors...
All works, all artistic things, all the films that we do, they are different sensitivities
but we always begin with art, from the same thing, from the same root.
Also, Life is Beautiful and Asterix are naturally very different,
but this, this is a film that's also about joy, for the children.
Right there, that was a child that was playing a role.
This, this is for children.
It's the same joy, the same thing.
This, this is the life of an artist.
Artists are people who are heavy in society, who carry weight.
But he sings, and when he sings, he makes everything become light.
Now, I really take into account all of the advice that I got in... but people always talk about the same things.
When people talk about a Gaul, they talk about the present, they talk about 50 years before Christ but they're talking about our... the present.
Laurent Bignolas
And so, are you able to stay busy and follow Asterix and Obelix on one hand and also Life is Beautiful, which still gives you work?
Roberto Benigni
Yes, but also with everyone's extraordinary love and pleasure, now, in the United States there is...
In Japan, I went there for the film, everything that I love in my life, I put it in this film, and so I have so much love.
And for Asterix and Obelix as well.
But I really want to thank you for inviting me to let me speak with such joy like that.
Thank you very much.
Laurent Bignolas
We're here for that and thank you for taking the time, between two airplanes, to visit us on the set of 19-20.
