Omar Sy
The
“Inferno” Interview
with
Kam Williams
Omar, a Rising
Star!
Omar
Sy is an award-winning actor, comedian, comic writer and television
personality who has established himself as an international star.
With over 30 screen credits on his impressive resume, Omar became a household name
after the smash hit The
Intouchables,
his third collaboration with directors Olivier Nakache and Eric
Toledano.
His
performance in that film earned Omar a César for Best Actor in 2012,
and the movie went on to gross over $425 million worldwide. And he
subsequently re-teamed with Nakache and Toledano in 2014 for Samba.
This December, he will be seen in Hugo Gélin’s Demain
Tout Commence.
Over
the last several years, Omar parlayed his success in Europe into
Hollywood productions, starring in X-Men:
Days of Future Past
with Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, and Michael Fassbender, as well
as Colin Trevorrow’s Jurassic
World with
Chris Pratt. Both films went on to achieve the highest worldwide box
office grosses in their respective franchises.
More
recently, he's starred in John Wells’ Burnt
with Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Lily James, and Alicia Vikander,
as well as in Roschdy Zem’s French-language period piece Chocolat.
Here, Omar talks about playing Christoph Bouchard opposite Tom Hanks
in Ron Howard's Inferno.
Kam
Williams: Hi
Omar. I'm honored to have this opportunity to speak with you.
Omar
Sy:
My
pleasure, Kam.
KW:
What interested you in Inferno?
OS:
It was
the fact that I would have an opportunity to work with a wonderful
and amazing director in Ron Howard, and with a legendary actor in Tom
Hanks at the same time. Also, I don't want to spoil the story, but I
liked the script and the idea of playing a character without a smile
for the first time.
KW:
Especially
since you started out as a comedian.
OS:
Yes, as
actors, we're always looking for some challenges, and playing a
character like Christoph, with a twist, in a very dark thriller, was
a big challenge for me. And on top of everything, it was in English.
KW:
I
enjoyed this film more than the first two in the franchise, primarily
because it had more action and less talk..
OS:
Ron
made Rush prior to Inferno. Rush had a lot of action scenes. Maybe he
learned from that experience. Also, perhaps because so many people
are interested in the issue of overpopulation, we needed less
dialogue explaining it, since they were already familiar with the
topic.
KW:
What
would you say is the movie's message?
OS:
The
movie explores the issue of overpopulation, and the fact that there
are several ways to solve it. Each character has his solution. I
think the movie's message is that to solve the problem, the humanity
community needs to unite and find a global answer.
KW:
Editor/Legist
Patricia Turnier says: I consider you to be the Sidney Poitier of
France. How did you feel when you won the Best Actor cesar in 2012
for The Intouchables, which made you the first black French actor to
achieve the honor?
OS:
When I
won, it was really a special moment in my life, and I knew it would
change everything after that. But I never thought about being the
first black actor to win, even though everybody else talked about
that. If I stop to think as a black actor, people will see me
differently. If I play as a black actor, people will only see that. I
think my key was to perform as an actor, not as a black actor. And
after winning the Cesar, I was an actor with a Cesar. there are many
more adjectives to describe who I am. I'm not only black. When I won
the Cesar, I was, first of all, an actor. I have to say, it's
humanity first. That's the future. We have to stop seeing the skin
color. I believe that's the most powerful way to change mentalities
and behavior. I had to stop seeing myself in such a limited way.I
started doing that as a teenager, and here I am today, because of
that. I believe that's the best way to change things for black
people.
KW:
Patricia
also says: You
probably met naysayers at the beginning of your career. How did you
manage to stay focused and not be deterred by their negativity? In
addition, what message do you have for aspiring actors who want to
achieve a successful longevity like you?
OS:
It's not difficult to move forward when you have nothing to lose.
Right? At the time, I had nothing to lose. So, even when people were
trying to degrade me, I couldn't let them take the only thing I had,
which was my dream. I had to move forward and, thank God, I kept
trying.
KW:
Finally, Patricia says: You have the great ability to play in
movies in different countries, given that you speak several
languages. The late Senegalese director Ousmane Sembene was one of my
favorite African filmmakers. Would you be interested in the future to
perform in Wolof and play a historical figure such as Léopold Sédar
Senghor or Cheikh Anta Diop?
OS:
Of
course! Cheikh Anta Diop is not a Wolof. He is Fula, and I am Fula. I
am fluent in Fula, so it would be easier for me to play Diop. As I
said, actors are always looking for new territory, and playing an
African figure would be really a great symbol for me because of my
Senegalese roots. It would make my parents proud, so of course I'd do
it.
KW:
Ling-Ju Yen asks: What
is your earliest childhood memory?
OS:
Eating,
singing and dancing at a family reunion. I remember a lot of people
celebrating in a very small space. When I think of my parents' home,
that is the ambience that comes to mind. I loved that, and it will
always be a part of my life
KW:
Was
there a meaningful spiritual component to your childhood?
OS:
Yes, because of my African roots, my parents raised us with a
philosophy to always believe that there was something bigger than us,
beyond.
KW:
When
you look in the mirror, what do you see?
OS:
[Laughs
heartily] It's difficult to describe yourself. You will always be
wrong. Only your family or friends can describe you properly. We all
have a wrong idea of ourselves. I am always changing, and I will
continue to change. So, I never try to describe, define or judge
myself.
KW:
If you
could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?
OS:
To stay
happy!
KW:
Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone
would?
OS:
No.
Everything's been asked. I've been interviewed by so many journalists
from many different countries.
KW:
Harriet Pakula-Teweles asks: With so many classic films being redone,
is there a remake you'd like to star in?
OS:
Yes,
but I'm not prepared to share it in the papers. I will do it. it's
just a matter of time.
KW:
Judyth
Piazza asks: What key quality do you believe all successful people
share?
OS:
Yes, they're all dreamers. A dream becomes an idea and then something
concrete. I think it all starts with a dream.
KW:
What's
the craziest thing you've ever done?
OS:
I can
not say in a newspaper. [LOL]
KW:
Larry
Greenberg asks: Do you have a favorite movie monster?
OS:
The shark in Jaws. That was the first monster that really, really
scared me. After seeing it, I learned how to swim, because I wanted
to be able to escape.
KW:
The Anthony Mackie question: Is
there
anything that you promised yourself you’d do if you became famous,
that you still haven’t done yet?
OS:
No,
because it was really simple. My goals were to be happy and to make
things easier for my parents, which I think I did.
KW:
The Viola Davis question: What’s the biggest difference between who
you are at home as opposed to the person we see on the red carpet?
OS:
Maybe I'm a little more serious at home because I want to instill
good values in my kids. At home, there is often no time for jokes. On
the red carpet, I'm always joking.
KW:
The
Tavis Smiley question: How do you want to be remembered?
OS:
I just
want to be a good memory, especially for my kids.
KW:
How do
you juggle five kids and your career?
OS:
I have
a wonderful wife. [Laughs]
KW:
Finally,
what’s in your wallet?
OS:
My
California driver's license and a credit card. That's it!
KW:
Thanks
again for the time, Omar, and best of luck with the film.
OS:
Thank
you so much, Kam.
1 comment:
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